The CLAT 2024 exam will be conducted on December 3. The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is held as an admission test for India’s premier law institutes like the National Law Universities. With around lakhs of aspirants appearing for admission to UG and PG law programmes, the examinees must be in their last leg of preparation. While the paper consists of five sections, the English section plays a major role in getting a good score for this highly competitive exam.
Weightage of English and Legal Reasoning
The English section will consist of 22 to 26 questions and will account for 20 per cent weightage of the paper. This section is considered scoring only if one keeps a good reading speed and comprehensive vocabulary. A steady focus on grammar questions also can prove highly beneficial to score maximum.
The critical reasoning-based questions also play a pivotal role in garnering a good score and can be solved easily with sufficient practice. One has to know how to draw inferences and conclusions based on the passage.
The Legal Reasoning section has 28-32 questions and makes up for 25 per cent of the overall marks. Though based on legal terminology, this section provides rich dividends to candidates who have a good grasp of the English language. The paragraphs detailing situations in which legal concepts are tested can be understood easily provided the candidate’s English reading level is competent.
Hence a concentrated effort on improving reading speed and vocabulary can make a huge impact on the overall score for these two sections.
Comprehension and speed
To have another language is to possess a second soul. Candidates should take faith in the fact that for a majority of them, English is the second, perhaps even the third language. They should hone their English skills keeping this point in mind.
While reading can come easily for most candidates, understanding the meaning in context can be a challenge.
Reading speed alone is not enough to get good scores. It should be combined with proper comprehension of the text. Candidates must focus on reading diverse topics to gain a deeper understanding of the English language.
Editorials of English newspapers can be a good source for diverse concepts and terminologies and in-depth understanding of various issues ranging from economics to environment.
Long-term dividends
Given the fact that candidates are vying for a coveted spot in esteemed colleges of law, the English language will become an inseparable part of their academic lives. Working on grasping the basic tenets of grammar and adding assorted words to their vocabulary will serve them. Efforts invested in polishing English will serve rich dividends in the future.
The pattern of CLAT provides a distinct indication in the requirement of the English language, not only to achieve an excellent score but also to flourish in the future as law students and practitioners.
A focused perusal of previous year question papers, a firm grasp of the question types and a dedicated effort for improvement and enhancement of English language comprehension can assure a splendid score for any candidate.
Courtesy : The Indian Express
