In conversation with Surabhi Modi Sahai, MD Clat Possible, on providing valuable tips for CLAT aspirants

W hen the foundation stone of Clat Possible was laid half a decade ago, nobody could have imagined that in such a short span of time, CP would go on to become one of the nation’s most aspired, respected and biggest institute in the field of CLAT test prep. Training students since 2002 Satyam Shanker Sahai (alumnus MDI Gurgaon and Grasim Mr India 2003) rolled a phenomenon through his superior organisation skills, undying vision for excellence and marketing prowess and turned a simple classroom discourse into an elite and scientific training platform. This brought about a revolution, so much so that today UP East has become one of the top 5 regions in terms of CLAT takers. Now CP is there in 16 cities in a matter of just 4 years To add to this is the academic drive and quality servicing ensured by the face of CP, Surabhi Modi Sahai who has made this the most successful CLAT test prep brand in terms of results year on year. It has managed to break myths regarding Law as a career option and breaking the cliché that Medicine and Engineering are the only viable options for students after class twelfth. Last year all top ranks from UP in CLAT were from Clat Possible and it sent 346 students to the NLUs. Aditya Wakhlu, city topper from Lucknow, Arijit Shukla city topper from Kanpur and Mansi Singhal city topper from Allahabad were CP students. She talks about Law as a career option and Ways to crack CLAT 2015 through her experience of teaching English and logic for CLAT for 10 years now. Law has always been one of the most respected professions worldwide and legal education and scholarship has been respected globally for centuries. Legal education, the way we understand it in India, has undergone a sea of change in the last twenty years,i.e., since the first national law school was established in Bangalore in 1989. Since then, at least twenty National Law Schools have spung up all over the country, of which fifteen are under CLAT. As statistics prove, these law schools have successfully managed to churn out good lawyers with cutting-edge legal skills and acumen year after year and, all the graduates have achieved professional success right from the word go. So those students who are still confused about their careers can still look at law as an option. HOW TO CRACK CLAT IN 40 DAYS CLAT is an aptitude based paper and just like any aptitude paper has test skills which are innate or can be acquired. And this paper with these skills is vastly different from traditional exams based on learning and rote method. So while this exam has no rote based learning and detailed writing its focus on quick thinking and problem solving ability makes it a competitive one. During these 40 days a student must do the following

JOIN A RELIABLE INSTITUTE FOR CLASSROOM OR MATERIALS AND A BASIC KNOW HOW – A good coaching is not the only way to crack an exam but because there is paucity of time it helps to hand hold the student through the nuances of the paper. Moreover, at least at CP, the rigorously planned curriculum takes the pressure to study and plan fundamentals away from the students and makes them learn right in the class. What remains is practice covered in point 2.

PRACTICE AND ANALYSE – Once the fundamentals are clear in the classroom it becomes imperative that a practice test on the same topic is written that very day to reinforce the concept. Timed tests on 2/3 topics/ sections written everyday and analysed thereafter are enough to tame the CLAT exam.

PRACTICE MATH AND AR, DON’T HATE IT – Focus on building accuracy and speed on topics of your interest. Develop and look for short-cuts for these. Use options whenever possible to solve. Practice what you have already studied and look for best possible approach. Find time for easy topics which you have not touched and solve them. If you are doing this you are on the right track. You are sure to make a minimum of 15/20 in Math’s and 100% in A.R. Let’s look at one question from Profit/Loss: If C.P. of 12 articles = S.P. of 8 articles, then find the profit or loss percentage. Now, there are several methods to work this out. However, we are looking for the best possible method. If you understand that the ratio (S.P.)/(C.P.) gives us profit or loss %, then this question, would hardly take 10 seconds.

In our case, (S.P.)/(C.P.)=12/8 i.e. S.P. is 4 more than C.P. i.e. it’s a profit of 4/8×100=50%. See how simple it is, isn’t it!! Stay motivated. (With inputs from Shyam Sarraf, Math and AR mentor, CP)

READ THE NEWSPAPERS – CLAT has a section of 50 marks on current events under GK, so if you have been keeping the newspaper at bay all your life now is the time to make amends. Reading serves multiple purposes aside from strengthening GK. It makes the momentum for writing an exhaustive paper, and improves English and vocabulary too in the bargain.

 QUANTIFY ENGLISH AND CR –It sounds oxymoronic, isn’t it? English is solved on hunch, right? Wrong. English is as much quantifiable as any quantifiable subject. A good mentor will help you see that there are only so many question types possible, hence if question types are limited so are solutions. For eg. In Grammar we can chart out around 6-10 concepts that are tested year on year, so if we study them well we can score 100% marks. Similarly Vocabulary though seems endless can be quantified; just like other exams CLAT too has a word pool, which you must concentrate on. Then comes in the comprehension which you’ll be surprised also has a scientific and verifiable method of solution; through key words.

RATIONALIZE GK – The so called GK syllabus is mind boggling and stressful and never ending. And the exam may not shy away from exploring any topic. Examination paper may have topics from fields which are very diverse from one another. It may include questions on constitution of India, Articles of the constitution, Committees formed to deal with major dispute of the legal world, sometimes may also ask about amicus curie in a particular case, may ask about origins of panchayati raj, portfolios with certain minister of the central government, however won’t shy away from asking about state governments as well, the judiciary, new bills passed and amendments to the old ones and what not? But the worst part of the game is that CLAT examiners hate to confine themselves to the facts that are important for individuals in legal field. They go places in asking questions. They might very well chose to go to King Ashoka’s times, or to have a glance at the freedom movement, or may choose to ask something about French revolution. Nothing can stop them from jumping to some bizarre fact about Lake Titicaca, or may be something about something as simple as that year’s cricket world cup winner. So how to contain it? The solution is to organize and learn in an intelligent and smart Manner. With deep observation and a thorough look at the past year’s question papers an intelligent mind can easily conclude that the entire syllabus can be divided under certain topic heads. These topic heads will fairly narrow down your subject matter and will keep it reasonably vast enough to help you learn whatever may be required.

These topic heads may include fields like Indian constitution, the modern history of India, Awards, International conferences, National news, news of the market, International news etc., depending on your convenience. Herein lies the challenge. It is not a kid’s job to derive relevant topic heads. Further it often consumes a lot of time and that’s something someone at your stage of preparation can’t afford to do. Clat Possible has spent years in doing this and all this information is at your disposal. (With inputs from Sanjay Singh – GK Guru, CP)

 UNDERSTAND LEGAL WELL – Since this is also going to be an only-reasoning marathon of 50 (fifty) questions, it is a must that a candidate does not lose concentration. This is especially a problem for students who have prepared/practiced a lot, like our students because the legal principles involved in the questions might seem like questions they know in and out (and most of the questions are!). However, there are sometimes small tricks in 5-7 questions where the principle might be slightly twisted or an additional conditionality might be added. It is essential to therefore, read the rest 40-plus questions and their principles with the same sincerity otherwise one would never catch the trick ones. For example most “assault” based questions require only “threat” and “perception of threat” but sometimes the CLAT twists it to include a separate requirement of “ability to carry out the threat”. So candidates, be carefull!!! (Inputs from Debajyoti Das, rank 20 NLSIU entrance test, 2006. Ex Associate Amarchand Mangaldas. Legal Guru and CEO, CP)

 MAKE A GOOD TIME TABLE – Just as resolutions at New Year’s are meant to be broken the time tables we make are never followed. Let this be one time table for a month that you follow assiduously. It will bring regularity and reduce stress that comes from inaction. Remember you are doing your fundamentals in the CP classroom and all that remains to do at home is practice and that is the time table we want.

BE REGULAR WITH GK AND VOCABULARY-Since there is a lot of information to take in, GK is current events of the whole year and Vocabulary also forms a large part of the paper sometimes as much as 19 marks and a minimum of 10 marks; it is advisable that a small yet significant amount of time is spent on it every day.

SOLVE PREVIOUS YEAR PAPERS– A good preparation is incomplete when one is clueless of the ground realities. In fact before you come for class it becomes imperative that you solve at least on CLAT paper so that you know what is happening inside the classroom. As an informed customer you need to know everything there is before you take the plunge.

TAKE A LOT OF ONLINE MOCKS – Nothing better to beat CLAT than simulated CLATs. And more so now since this is going to be an online paper to be conducted the first time. Some of you may not still be pros in reading off the screen. Hence joining a good test series where proper online mocks are conducted becomes imperative. An experience of having done an x number of mocks before the actual thing gives you x number of times the chance to make mistakes that you won’t then make in CLAT. At CP we have conducted more than 35 online mocks and so far 20 live mocks at a test centre have been conducted across India, and students are learning from experience and going through a CLAT experience every Sunday.

 STAY MOTIVATED – there is no harm in big aspirations but at the same time accept your weaknesses and stay motivated enough to work on them. Have lots of doubts and trouble your mentors endless. We at CP love it when you’ve doubts because doubts reflect work and sincerity. RESEARCH WELL – research on law and clat, have queries that are valid, even research on the test prep institute you intend to join and have valid queries. Don’t be dragged in with grapevine, ask for documentation and similarly trust your mentors once you’re assured. Talk to the selected students from your coaching or school. Those who’ve done it themselves. And don’t listen to unsolicited advice. Just follow one set of materials but do it well.

HAPPY CLATING!!!

Courtesy

(SPOTLIGHT)

TIMES OF INDIA

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