INTERVIEW: Arushi Mehta from NUSRL Ranchi Shares How She Planned Her CLAT Preparation ‘One Month’ Before the Exam

Honestly, the syllabus didn’t feel impossible to me because I already came from a strong reading background. The comprehension sections were something I was comfortable with, so that gave me confidence.

The real challenge was GK; it felt like a mountain at first. But once I started uto understandthe pattern and strategy, I thought, maybe this is actually doable. That’s when the “yeah, I can crack this” feeling kicked in.

For me, it was always a serious plan. Right after my 10th boards got over, I started browsing the CLAT syllabus and watching topper interviews to understand the exam better.

I joined coaching almost immediately along with school. From the beginning, I treated the preparation quite seriously. It wasn’t a random attempt; it was something I genuinely wanted to pursue.

Maybe something like “Lakshya,” because it’s about finding your goal and chasing it with full dedication. That one month felt exactly like that: very intense, very focused, and almost a little dramatic.

I studied almost religiously during that phase. Every day felt like a step closer to the goal. And luckily, the ending turned out pretty good; I cleared CLAT. 

It was honestly a mix of discipline and chaos. Managing school along with CLAT prep sometimes felt very overwhelming. Some days everything was perfectly planned, and some days it felt like complete madness trying to balance both.

But the one constant thing was showing up every single day to study. Looking back, that consistency is probably what made the biggest difference.

My biggest hack was actually very simple: don’t create backlogs. If you keep postponing things, the pile just keeps growing and eventually becomes impossible to handle.

I tried to finish whatever I planned for the day on the same day itself. That habit saved a lot of time and mental stress later. Sometimes the simplest strategies work the best.

Oh yes, definitely. There were moments when it felt exhausting and overwhelming, especially with the limited time.

But the desire to get into an NLU was always bigger than the thought of giving up. Whenever those doubts came in, I reminded myself why I started. Somehow that motivation always overpowered the urge to quit.

At first, it honestly scared me a lot. Knowing you have limited time automatically creates pressure. But instead of panicking, I tried focusing on strategy: what exactly to study and how to study it efficiently.

Once I had a clear plan, the pressure slowly turned into motivation. I just told myself that if I give my best effort, the results will follow.

Of course I was extremely happy, but strangely, it wasn’t a complete shock for me. When I walked out of the exam hall, I had a feeling that the paper went well enough for me to make it.

So somewhere in my mind I was already expecting it. When the result finally came, it felt more like a moment of relief and validation. Like, yes, the effort actually paid off.

This journey honestly surprised me about my own capabilities. I never thought I could stay this consistent and disciplined with something. Consistency has always been a challenge for me, but this preparation showed me that I can do it.

Competing with students from across India felt huge, especially coming from a smaller town. It made me realize that with dedication, you can push way beyond what you thought were your limits.

I actually think confidence matters just as much, sometimes even more, than preparation. I remember days when I was fully prepared but not confident, and my scores dropped badly. On the other hand, there were times when I wasn’t perfectly prepared, but I trusted my instincts and reasoning, and I did surprisingly well.

Preparation gives you the tools, but confidence helps you use them under pressure. The real magic happens when both come together.

Honestly, it’s never really “too late” for CLAT because it doesn’t have a massive syllabus like exams such as JEE or NEET. The exam mostly tests skills, reading, logical thinking, basic math, legal reasoning, and awareness.

If you develop a habit of reading and practice consistently, you can definitely improve in a short time. What matters more is your approach and clarity while solving questions. So instead of worrying about time, just start and stay consistent.

The biggest myth is that only English-medium students can crack CLAT. That’s simply not true. What really matters is consistent reading practice and understanding how passages work.

Anyone who is willing to invest time in improving their reading and comprehension can do well. Language background may affect the starting point, but it definitely doesn’t decide the final result.

Trust yourself and be patient with the process. Sometimes you might feel underconfident even after studying a lot, and that’s completely normal. But if you let that doubt control you, someone less prepared but more confident might outperform you.

CLAT isn’t just about covering topics; it’s about how you approach the paper. Believe in your preparation, trust your process, and keep showing up every day.

I would probably just say thank you. This journey taught me so many things about myself that I didn’t even know before, like how to stay resilient, patient, and consistent.

It pushed me in ways I wasn’t used to. Even though it wasn’t always gentle with me, it helped me grow a lot. So yeah, I’d say thank you for the lessons.