As I mentioned in this video, there are several rules you have to follow in each subject when preparing for CLAT. These rules are specific to the subjects and I had developed these while preparing for CLAT 2017 and further while mentoring students for CLAT 2018 to 2025.
So, without any further ado, let’s get started!
What’s the purpose of these rules?
CLAT is a practice-based test. The more you practice, the better you’ll perform.
And when it comes to practice based tests, these rules help in setting a system so you can improve your test taking ability. I will add the rules that I remember and will keep on updating this file whenever required.
What you need to do now?
Focus on completing the course as of now. Try to do it soon, but don’t leave the practice part ‘pending’ till then.
A lot of time, we procrastinate ‘practicing’ and attempting mocks. Many students use the excuse ‘I’m completing my course as of now’ for avoiding mocks 😊. But that’s not right!
Hope you got my point.
Rules in each subject
GK –
It is purely a fact-based section. There’s not much you can do here in terms of following rules.
Law –
Sometimes we need to be smart while solving the questions. And being smart means, doing things that people don’t usually do. In this context -
1st Rule –
Train your mind to switch to the facts before reading the principle, whenever required
Sometimes you need to read the fact directly and solve the question instead of following the ‘Principal – Fact -- Questions – Options’ route.
This is important as sometimes you may not be able to understand the ‘Principal’ and will waste a lot of time in reading it. Being smart here and directly going to question would be better in these cases. This is because sometimes reading the theory (Principal) may be difficult and its better to understand through real life characters and examples that ‘Fact’
gives.
I am a supporter of using this ‘example approach’ and even in my course, I start teaching a concept with ‘examples’ and then teach the theoretical aspect. This is because teaching through examples is much useful and more teachers should do it!
2nd Rule –
Read all the options
Reading all the options in the Legal section is necessary because let’s say if you read only 1 options ‘A’ and find it good enough, and end up marking it, then you may be wrong.
This is because, sometimes, you may find an option right, but it may instead be a ‘shell option’, meaning, an option which looks right and fulfills only 4 out of 5 criteria, leaving out 1. But we tend to ignore the lack of 1 criteria because of hurry, misreading, or some other reason. Here’s how one of the GMAT books define the concept of ‘shell options’.
Okay, so the crux is, read every option. Now let’s move to the next rule.
3rd Rule –
Focus on conditions of the principle
I have explained this point in this video on my channel with pictures and examples. So please tap here, and navigate to 02:07 part of the video.
Now, let’s discuss the rules pertaining to English section
English –
1st Rule –
Skim through the passage and the questions once. Also note down the words used in the questions so when you read the passage again, you can focus more on the parts where the words you marked arrive.
For example, if you skim through the question and you see a question which says –
Q – What is the meaning of the word ‘anachronistic’ as used in the passage?
As soon as you see the word ‘anachronistic’, mark it down so when you read the passage, you can pay more focus in the section where the word is used!
2nd Rule -
Read the first line of the passage very carefully. This is because the first line sets the context of the passage.
Many times, the first line gives the central idea of the passage too!
3rd Rule -
Summarize what you’ve read after you complete each paragraph
Do you feel like you are not able to understand the ‘link’ between the 1st para and the 2nd para of a passage?
To solve this issue, as soon as you complete the para, summarize what you’ve learnt from the para and write it down through pencil at side of the para or on a paper.
This will increase your retention power, help in identifying the ‘link’ between different paras of a passage and you’ll be able to solve questions in much less time!
I taught this trick in my course to the enrolled students, and it has helped them a lot. Do check out the sample videos of my course to gauge the content quality!
4th Rule –
Focus on the operative part of the question. For example, when you are reading a passage and this question comes along –
In such a case, pay special focus on the part which says ‘synonyms’, ‘except’, and so on. This would help in avoiding silly mistakes.
The operative part is there in every question, and you must make a rule to read it with utmost concentration.
5th Rule –
Read all the options.
Start marking a good option as contendor, and then move on to the next option, if the next options seems like a total ‘loser’, then go to the next option. And after you’re done
evaluating all the options, then only select one option as your final answer.
Critical Reasoning –
1st Rule –
Understand the ‘Argument’ of the passage!
You will have to understand the Argument each passage makes. This is because, every question of Critical Reasoning is centered around ‘Argument’ of the passage only!
For example, questions like – ‘Which statement would weaken the argument’, ‘Which statement would strengthen the argument’ and so on.
But if you don’t know how to find the argument of the passage itself, then how would you go about it?
So make it a rule to ask yourself, ‘what is the argument of this passage’, as soon as you finish the passage.
But if you have confusion in understanding what is an argument, what is premise, what is conclusion, then you can watch a video titled ‘What are conclusions, premise, facts and arguments’ in my course. I have made this video free for preview and it will definitely clear your concepts. Please DO NOT miss this.
Other rules – similar to English
Now, I have told this many times in my videos, CR bears 50-60% similarity to English. So the 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th rules of English would apply to CR as well!
Maths or QT
Finally, we have QT!
I have discussed the specific approach towards QT in this video uploaded by me!
So please tap here and understand the rules like ‘understanding the story’, ‘focusing on the key levers’, ‘noting down the numericals carefully’ and so on!
Conclusion
As I had to upload this article in a hurry, apologies for not using images and asking you to refer to my videos!
Lastly, do visit my CLAT Course as I have ensured that maximum value is provided in the minimum price possible.
If my single article like this can help you, just imagine the value and efforts I might be putting in my course! You can tap here to visit the course and checkout the free preview videos.
Hope you liked this article, do comment down something. It motivates me to write even more!! 😊
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