Which is the Most Difficult Section of the CLAT Examination and How to Tackle It

Which is the Most Difficult Section of the CLAT Examination and How to Tackle It

CLAT, or the Common Law Admission Test, is an all-India examination conducted by the 17 NLUs for entry into undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

A common question that candidates preparing for CLAT often ask is, 'How to prepare for CLAT?'. This post will provide you with a synopsis of the law CLAT examination pattern, and the marking system, and more importantly, answer the question, 'Which is the most difficult section of the CLAT examination and how to tackle it'?. So, stay tuned to the very end.

CLAT Examination Pattern

The examination pattern CLAT highlighted below is based on an analysis of the previous year’s edition of the exam. There is not much change expected in the examination pattern 2022. Therefore, candidates can use this as a guide to prepare for their law examination in 2023.

Time Duration and Marking System

The time duration to complete the law entrance test is 2 hours. Candidates score 1 mark for each right answer they provide; however, they also stand to lose 0.25 marks for each wrong answer given.

The Most Difficult Section of the CLAT Examination

Right then, having understood the examination pattern, the time duration of the test, and the marking system. It is time to get to the business end and understand which is the most difficult CLAT examination section.

The most challenging section of the CLAT examination is the ‘Quantitative Techniques’ section; in other words, the section dealing with Mathematics or numerical ability.

The CLAT syllabus for elementary mathematics consists of the following topics:

• Number Systems

• Roots

• Decimals and Fractions

• Surds and Indices

• Averages

• HCF and LCM

• Approximation

• Ratio and Proportion

• Logarithms

• Profit and Loss

• Discounts

• Interest Calculation

• Areas and Volumes

• Algebra

• Geometry

• Calculus

The Numerical Ability section of the CLAT examination carries 20 marks or a 10% weightage. It is the smallest compared to other sections; however, candidates find it the most difficult for several reasons.

The first and foremost reason is the assumption that lawyers do not need mathematical abilities to perform their work and that mathematics should not be a part of the examination. As such, candidates overlook or fail to prepare for this section properly.

The second reason is the assumption that this section is tough to score. As such, candidates concentrate on answering other questions first, leaving this section for the end.

And lastly, this section is genuinely difficult for candidates who have never been good at the subject throughout their life.

How to Tackle the ‘Numerical Ability’ or the ‘Mathematics’ Section

Contrary to the notion that the numerical ability section is challenging, it is relatively easy to score good marks in mathematics. With a little bit of planning, hard work, and helpful tips, candidates can master this examination section. We have come up with a list of tips and suggestions to help you prepare and score well in the Numerical Ability or the Mathematics section of the CLAT examination. Please read on.

1. All the elementary mathematics topics listed above are of equal importance. Candidates can expect questions relating to each topic. As such, we recommend going through all of them. Candidates who keep this in mind will surely be able to attempt the questions quickly and easily and score well.

2. Candidates who work on and prepare the fundamental concepts of mathematics well stand an excellent chance to score well. The test does not require candidates to execute complicated formulas or write elaborate steps. Working knowledge of calculations and fundamental mathematical concepts can help candidates solve questions with ease and score well.

3. Mathematics is nothing but another term used for extended logic. Candidates should remember this and must apply logic before they get down to solving questions. It will help them eliminate irrelevant options.

4. Candidates cannot afford to spend too much time solving mathematical questions. They should ideally take 12-15 minutes at the most to solve 20 problems. To ensure they do not take much time, candidates must forget the long winding methods learned at school and try to solve questions in their heads. They should aim to cut down on writing lengthy steps on the paper and solve the questions as quickly as possible. It will help candidates save time to solve other sections.

5. Mathematics is not a subject that you can master overnight. It needs constant practice. Candidates preparing for the CLAT examination should ensure they dedicate at least 30 minutes - 1 hour every day to solving mathematical questions and understanding the various concepts.

6. And finally, practice, practice, and practice more. It requires a lot of consistent effort, dedication, and persistence to clear the CLAT examination. Plan your preparation, keeping in mind your strengths and weaknesses. Read useful books to learn multiple ways of solving a question, watch YouTube channels to learn valuable tricks, and practice mock test papers to develop a sense of the kind of questions you can expect.

We are sure that following the tips and suggestions listed above will help you overcome all your fears related to solving mathematical questions and score well. All the Best!