CLAT toppers from previous years at NUJS go back in time to bring you some fresh advices on how to ace the exam on the final day:
"As I pen this down, memories from a year ago make me wonder, how could I cope with the overwhelming pressure of bagging a seat in one of the elite National Law Universities of the country? So, trust me, I can pretty much relate to the anxiety and the bouts of self-doubt that you might be struggling to overcome during these final days of preparation before CLAT. While the intense desire to enter a premier Law School might lead to perturbation, it can also fuel motivation to help to put in the extra bit of effort on top of all that you’ve been doing already. Do not let peer-pressure fluster you. Everybody has his/her own unique way of preparing, so just ignore your peers when they brag about their high “ranks” in mock tests or come up with unnecessarily complicated questions. It’s not the time to learn a topic afresh, just revise whatever you’ve done throughout your prep, as well as the previous years’ question papers. The ranks you get in the mock tests are not predictive of your performance on the D-Day. Since it’s the final phase of your prep, work on your strengths more than your weaknesses, because on the day of the exam if you get stalled at a relatively common type of question, it would keep bothering you for the entirety of your exam. It’s a matter of 120 minutes of nervousness! (I chose not to give you the clichéd “keep your calm during the exam” advice, cause it has never worked for me to be honest). Just make sure that your gut-feeling doesn’t tempt you to opt for random guesses. One thing that kept me going through those 120 minutes is that- after all the efforts I had put into my prep, if I find a question difficult, most others find the same and accordingly it wouldn’t adversely affect your ranks much. Carry on with your prep with all your heart and you would definitely do well . Wish you all the very best for CLAT! Hope to meet you as a ‘junior’ soon!"
-Sreeja Pal, AIR 9, CLAT 2016
"The key to be successful in CLAT is managing time efficiently during the course of the test on the big day. You must not get bogged down while attempting the paper. If a particular question is troubling you and eating away a significant amount of time, immediately move to the next one. You can come back to the question later if you have time. Notwithstanding the difficulty level of the paper, try to keep your composure. Your composure and your sense of adaptability are crucial. I believe that the division of time for the five sections is a matter of personal discretion. Divide time for each of the sections in a manner that suits you best, depending on how you have taken mock tests or solved past years' papers. With about a week to go for CLAT, I would suggest that you invest time in solving two mock papers a day. Do have a look at past years' papers as well. And finally, glance through all relevant parts of Static GK. I concede the fact that Static GK is vast. However you can see which areas are relevant by having a look at the kind of questions asked. As far as revising current affairs is concerned, devote the last two days for that, especially the final evening before the day of CLAT. Breeze through the current affairs briefs from one or two of the prominent websites. When you sit for CLAT, you should tell yourself that you have nothing to lose. Instead, you have a lot to gain. There is no reason to feel demoralized. You dream is never over. Also don't punish yourself over the last few days without adequate food and sleep. Please ensure that you sleep well for 8 hours before the day of the test. I am sure that you will all do well. All the best!"
-Rongeet Poddar, AIR 3, CLAT 2015
"I do not believe in generalisations as every individual has his/her own set of unique skills which can be useful for them to succeed. But since it is a lot about those two hours, I think it is extremely important to stay calm and composed as much as possible on the day of the tests. Your composure is the major thing which affects time management on the day of the exam more than your preparation. And the most obvious way and also the method I used for time management was taking as many mocks possible. However, more than anything else, it is important to understand that your world is not going to come to an end if you don't crack this test. There will be too many opportunities in life. So, stop freaking out about the consequences. Listen to your heart but don’t get bogged with anything and make your choices after considering all sides as what might seem to be the brightest to you today might also have a lot of dark sides."
-Archismita Raha, AIR 5, CLAT 2014
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not reflect the view of the National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata.
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