Introduction
Starting your CLAT journey from class 11 is crucial for aspirants aiming to enter top law schools in the country. It is beneficial to prepare for CLAT from 11 as you can get almost two years to crack the CLAT in the first attempt. Every year, more than 80,000 students participate in this prestigious exam to take admission in 24 National Law Universities. To cope with the competitive pressure, early starting is necessary. In this blog, a detailed discussion about early preparation and several tips to prepare for CLAT in 11 and 12 has been included.
Benefits of Early Preparation
CLAT aspirants often become confused about the best time to start their preparation. If they should start from class 11 or class 12, though the capacity of grasping and memorising is different, it can be suggested to start preparation at least 1 or 2 years before the CLAT exam.
- Ample time for preparation
Early preparation can give you enough time to cover the entire syllabus with a deep understanding of the key topics. You can also get ample time to revise and take tests.
- Obtain a high score
Early preparation from class 11 will be beneficial to obtain a high score in both the board exam and the CLAT. It also helps to enhance your time management skills.
- Recognise your drawbacks
You can get enough time to analyse your performance through several mock tests. You can identify the areas of your strengths and weaknesses and work on the weak areas.
- Develop skills
The preparation for the CLAT involves several effective skills, such as critical thinking skills, analytical skills, and problem-solving skills. An early start will provide you the enough time to develop those skills to strengthen your capability.
- Consistency
Consistency is the key factor of any success, and starting early allows you to build up consistent study habits and regular practice. Those factors are essential to improve your overall performance.
How to Prepare for CLAT in 11 and 12?
Deciding to prepare for CLAT in 11 and 12 plays an important role in achieving a desired rank in this competitive national-level exam.
Preparing for CLAT from 11 includes several factors, such as understanding the syllabus and structure of the exam, building basic concepts of the topics, and starting to practice.
Understanding the Exam Syllabus and Structure
Familiarising yourself with the syllabus and exam pattern is important for effective CLAT preparation. The CLAT exam structure is as follows:
| Subjects | Number of questions | Weightage(%) |
| English Language | 28-32 | 20% |
| Logical Reasoning | 28-32 | 20% |
| Legal Reasoning | 35-39 | 25% |
| Quantitative Techniques | 13-17 | 10% |
| General Knowledge and Current Affairs | 35-39 | 25% |
| Total | 120 questions | 120 marks |
The CLAT exam syllabus is divided into five sections:
| Section | Important Topics |
| English Language | Reading comprehensionVocabularyParts of speechTenseSynonym and Antonym |
| GK and Current Affairs | Indian EconomyHistoryConstitutionArt & CultureCurrent events |
| Logical Reasoning | Analytical reasoning (Blood relation)Critical Reasoning(Cause & effect, Assumption) |
| Legal Reasoning | Criminal LawContract LawConstitutionInternational LawEvidence Act |
| Quantitative Techniques | PercentageProfit & LossTime & WorkData InterpretationMensuration |
Prepare a Study Plan
Creating a solid study plan is the very first step of the CLAT preparation. A study plan has been discussed here for classes 11 and 12:
For Class 11
- You should allocate the time for each subject based on its weightage.
- Prioritising the weak areas is needed.
- Building a strong foundation in different subjects is essential in the first year of preparation.
- Adopting the habit of reading newspapers, magazines, and journals on law needs to be developed.
For Class 12
- Through Revision
This year, you should start revising the topics that you have learnt in class 11.
- Regular Practice
Practicing the previous year’s question papers and different practice sets is needed to be included in your daily routine.
- Mock tests
Mock tests should start at the beginning of this year. Mock tests are essential to analyse your preparation.
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Build a Strong Foundation
Preparing for CLAT from 11 is important as it helps to build a strong foundation and is important to clear the CLAT on the first attempt. You can follow the following plan to make a subject-based study plan:
1. English Language
You must follow the following guidance to excel in the English language.
- Reading comprehension
You should build a habit of reading from different sources, such as newspapers, various articles, long passages, and journals, to improve your reading comprehension.
- Strengthen vocabulary
From the very first year, you should develop your vocabulary skills. You can note down new words and try to use them in passages. Flashcards and different vocabulary apps can be useful for this purpose.
- Improve grammar
Knowledge of grammar needs to be improved, and daily practice is essential to improve accuracy in questions on error correction.
2. Logical Reasoning
One of the most important sections that needs a lot of practice and analytical skills is Logical Reasoning.
- Excel in puzzle
You should practice puzzles such as number puzzles, direction tests, blood relation, analogy, etc.
- Critical thinking capacity
Emphasizing assumptions and reasoning is crucial to enhance problem-solving skills and critical thinking abilities.
3. Legal Reasoning
This section is very crucial to achieve a good score in the CLAT exam as it carries 25% weightage of the entire exam. You can follow the steps to prepare this section with ease.
- Legal knowledge
Build an in-depth concept about law-related topics like criminal law, constitutional law.
- Application of legal facts and principles
You need to gather knowledge about applying legal principles to the related issues.
4. Quantitative Aptitude
Mathematics plays an important role in achieving a good score in the CLAT. Understanding the key concepts and formulas, as well as regular practice, is necessary to clear this section.
- Arithmetic
The Arithmetic section involves profit and loss, Percentage, Ratio-proportion, etc.
- Geometry and Algebra
The basic concept regarding Geometry needs to be improved. A regular practice is needed to clear the algebra section.
5. GK and Current Affairs
This section is important to get a good score in the CLAT exam as it carries 25% weightage of the entire exam. This section is designed to assess students’ awareness of current events.
- Static General Knowledge
Strengthening your general knowledge about history, geography, political science, economics, and the Constitution is essential.
- Current events
Gathering information about updated events and incidents is necessary to clear this section.
Can I give the CLAT in class 11?
You can attempt the CLAT exam in class 11, but keep in mind that if you get a good score, you can not get admission in NLUs, as achieving 45% marks in the Class 12 board exam is necessary for this course. But you can take part in CLAT for practice and to reduce stress.
How to Prepare for CLAT from Class 11 Online
You can take online classes by joining a coaching institute to get expert guidance and structured learning. Online classes can facilitate you by saving your time, as you can utilise the time for your studies. You need to prepare for CLAT from 11 by utilising different online resources to strengthen your knowledge.
How to prepare for CLAT from class 12
CLAT preparation from class 12 is important as it offers enough time to prepare yourself to achieve a desired score in the exam. The following steps need to be taken:
Practice Test Papers and Mock Tests
- Solving previous year’s question papers and Practice sets needs to start from the beginning of this second year.
- Mock tests should be taken to assess your preparation. It also helps to recognise the important topics from which most of the questions are asked.
Join a Coaching Centre
- To excel in your preparation, you can take coaching from a reputed coaching institute. These institutions provide proper guidance, exam-oriented practice sets, and high-quality study materials.
- Coaching institutes also teach you about different tips and tricks by applying those, you can attempt more questions in a limited time. Joining a coaching center is beneficial for CLAT preparation from class 12.
- Their personalised care helps to recognise as well as overcome your shortcomings.
Start Revision
- You should revise the topics and chapters that you have learnt in previous classes.
- Revision is necessary to memorise the key concepts, and it also helps to boost confidence.
If you are facing difficulties choosing the best time and way to start the preparation for the CLAT, then you can join AKAD, one of the best coaching centres for CLAT in Bangalore. Here we offer updated study materials, a structured study plan, and expert guidance.
We arrange regular mock tests to track your improvements. Our dedicated faculty provides you with personalized care to meet your desired goal. We always try to enhance your capability by developing the necessary skills.
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Conclusion
CLAT, one of the most prestigious entrance exams for law, opens the door to admission in reputable law schools. To crack this competitive exam, some strategies need to be followed. Starting to prepare for CLAT in 11 and 12 is necessary to get ample time for learning and revising. A considerable time is essential to cover the vast syllabus, understand question patterns, and practice.
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