The toughest part about CLAT is not the syllabus or the difficulty of questions. It is taking an attempt at 200 questions in less than 120 minutes. Considering that a good part of the questions include descriptive instructions and paragraphs, it raises the difficulty. It is important to take a glance at each question with care, failing which you may miss the chance to attempt a question you knew.
GameChanger
General Knowledge is one of the biggest sections of CLAT paper carrying 50 marks out of the 200 marks paper. It carries 1/4th weight in the game and is a complete gamechanger. Not only does it carry the most marks, but this section is also the quickest to be solved in the paper. If you are prepared and know your way around the subject, it should not take more than 8-12 minutes to solve this section worth 50 marks. Every other section in the CLAT paper is time-taking, including the 20 marks Maths section.
Analysis of G.K Paper
When CLAT started in 2008, the papers put weight on static G.K and Current affairs equally. The paper tested the student on the basis of the knowledge she has of the historical and current affairs of the country and world. However, with this trend changed. In 2013 the G.K paper was divided evenly comprising half of Current Affairs. This did not stop there, gradually the number of questions kept rising till 2016 when it was carrying anywhere between 32-40 marks.
Things got very interesting in 2017 when the whole G.K section except for one question was comprised of Current Affairs. While it cannot be said with absolute certainty that this will be repeated, it says a lot about the trends changing and leaning towards current affairs.
As far as Legal GK is considered, it is covered majorly in the legal aptitude section rather than the general knowledge section.
Key Points to Remember
- This section is the quickest to solve and carries the most marks.
- The total time it should take for average aspirants is anywhere between 8-12 minutes.
- It helps pacify the otherwise lack of time for solving other sections of the paper.
- With proper preparation, aspirants should aim to score anywhere between 37-42 marks in the section to have a competitive edge.
Sources for Current Affairs
- English Newspaper: Reading one newspaper daily for the entire period of your preparation will help you a great deal in answering the current affairs questions in the CLAT paper. It has to be developed as a habit like drinking coffee in the morning, without which your day should seem empty. Reading a newspaper daily will also brush up your vocabulary.
- Monthly Magazine: A good monthly magazine to get a grip on all the important national and international events is important to prepare for CLAT.
- Yearbook: A yearbook gives you an update about the events that unfolded in the year as well as a grasp on the static GK. It is an indispensable tool for CLAT preparation.
Develop a habit of being updated with current affairs. In the profession of law, awareness is an important virtue.
Read our one page primer on CLAT preparation.