Class-12 is over and one of life’s turning points is right around the corner. Will you make it to college? Will you be able to crack the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) and start a fruitful career in law?

The rise of many high-quality National Law Schools (NLS), along with the five-year integrated law course and the establishment of a universal test, the CLAT, have led to a great deal of change in recent years. Law is now a valuable and viable career option, and one you can enter after passing the CLAT, after class 12.

Law is not a career for everyone, but if you think you have what it takes and would thrive in the world of law and justice, then you need to prepare well and make sure you do everything you can to crack the CLAT. !

If you have strong communication skills, written and spoken, as well as a logical and objective way of looking at situations, and a strong understanding of legal matters, then a law degree could be for you.

What is the CLAT?

Before the Common Law Admission Test, there was no universal test for law schools, and this caused a lot of disruption in the form of bad timing, stress for students, and made it difficult to prepare properly. Now, there are 17 NLUs in India, and 16 of them use the CLAT test for admission, with the National Law University, Delhi being the only one that uses an independent test, albeit with a similar format.

Only Indian residents are eligible for the test, with an upper secondary/middle school (10+2), or equivalent, with less than 45% overall grades. The maximum age for the postgraduate test is 20 years, being able to retake the test up to that age.

There are around 2164 NLU seats available, although test results are accepted by many other law schools, and it can open doors in many other areas as it demonstrates your knowledge of vital subjects.

The CLAT tests students in the areas of English, general knowledge and current affairs, elementary mathematics, legal aptitude, and logical reasoning.

Understand the nature of the CLAT

By understanding the nature of CLAT, you can do better than someone who has no idea what it is. Subject areas have already been mentioned, so you need to focus your studies appropriately. Other than this is keeping up with current affairs and legal updates, which you should try to do daily in the lead up to your test.

The test is multiple choice, it is a speed test and there are 200 points available, with only 2 hours to answer 200 questions. Time management is clearly important, and you should be well accustomed to the types of questions you are likely to be asked and the format of the document. Take some test documents from previous years to understand what you are likely to be asked. You should also note that a negative grade occurs, with a 0.25 point deduction for incorrect answers. Also, while most sections are similarly weighted, the math section is about half the weight of the others.

Adaptation to CLAT Online 2015

In 2015, the CLAT will be held online for the first time. This is the main difference from previous years. This has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, you won’t be able to easily skim through the entire document, but you can easily change an incorrect answer and mark an answer with a simple click, saving you some time.

More than anything, you’re probably just used to tests being administered on paper, so all it takes is for you to get used to this new format. Take some mock tests of a similar nature online, to familiarize yourself with using a computer in this way. Play games that improve your responsiveness and increase your speed using the mouse.

dedication is key

Your own hard work, constant study, and dedication is ultimately how you will crack the CLAT and make it to law school. He studies hard and learns all the topics related to the exam. Grab the papers and mentally prepare yourself to do your best! A fruitful career awaits those who have the dedication to make it happen.