The CLAT paper, as we all know, consists of 200 questions carrying 1 mark each which adds up to a total of 200 marks (Ramanujan level mathematics :P). Logical reasoning is a major subject in the CLAT paper since it carries 40 marks (20%).
The tricky part about logical reasoning is that it has complex, lengthy questions which usually take up a lot of time. In an exam like CLAT where there is a race against time, losing precious minutes on the questions of this section can cost the candidate. In order to prepare for the logical reasoning section, the candidate needs to analyse the questions paper well.
This list of topics is not exhaustive, one should be prepared for any out of the box questions that may appear in the question paper.
How to prepare for Logical Reasoning
It is important that a candidate spends a substantial part of his preparation on logical reasoning. The main reason is that other examinations which are the gateway to law colleges like SLAT, LSAT etc have extensive logical reasoning sections. Some exams focus the most on logical reasoning.
The idea behind having a section on logical reasoning in the CLAT paper is to test the analytical skills of the candidate and her ability to process information and render informative data.
A robust preparation regime is required to score well in this section. For students who aim to enter top NLUs, a score above 30 is required. Also, the candidate should solve this section in record time, ideally this section should not take more than 25-30 minutes (I am being liberal here).
Things to keep in mind for logical reasoning preparation.
Modules: It is important that the candidate solves each and every chapter that the module has to offer. Modules are made after a careful study of CLAT pattern and therefore contain topics which frequent the CLAT paper. Ideally, a candidate should spend an hour on the modules while preparing for CLAT with a year of time in hand. Do the math and adjust the preparation time according to the total time available. It should not go below 45 minutes or above 1.5 hours in a day.
Practice: Ask anybody in this world about how to prepare for this section. They all will speak in unison (which might be a little scary) that this section requires practice to conquer. The number of questions that you deal with decides whether you will be able to solve the CLAT paper. If you get surprised by the patter of the question, it is highly unlikely that you will be able to solve it without wasting precious time. So solve as many questions as you can.
Past year papers: Reiterating what I said in the above paragraphs, solve past year papers to get hold of the pattern which CLAT follows. The CLAT paper will not deviate much if you have solved the past 10 years paper and have command on each and every topic. If you choose to leave out a topic in this section, it can cost you dearly. It is possible that you skip syllogism and in the CLAT paper, 7 questions pop from syllogism.
Reference books: Considering that you have a year or more at hand to prepare for CLAT. You should get your hands on reference books for logical reasoning. The reason is the key to scoring well, the number of questions you solve, the more types of questions you deal with. It lowers the chance of you being surprised by the questions in the CLAT paper. This way, once you see the question, you already know how you have to proceed to solve it.
Books to refer
There are a few books that you should refer for preparation if you have a year or more to prepare for CLAT.
Universal’s Logical Reasoning.
A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning (S. Chand)
Analytical Reasoning and Logical Reasoning (Arihant Publications)