The End Game That Wasn’t: A Peep into Toshali’s CLAT PG Saga
This preparatory article has been authored by Toshali Pattnaik. Toshali completed her LL.M. (Master of Laws) from NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, and her B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) from National Law University and Judicial Academy, Assam.
She is currently working as an Assistant Professor at Presidency University, Bengaluru.
Why must a law student prepare for the CLAT PG Exam?
CLAT PG exam is not just a gateway to an LLM Programme at a National Law University. Cracking it can rather open the floodgates of opportunities you once dreamed of, putting you in rooms you have only heard about.
The first step in preparing for the CLAT PG exam is identifying your motivation. Knowing your ‘why’ helps you design a strategy that actually works.
For some, the CLAT PG exam is simply a way to extend student life a bit longer. For others, it’s a stepping stone toward higher education, while for a few, it’s the roadmap to a coveted PSU interview. While there is no right or wrong motivation, being aware of your personal ‘why’ can help tailor your preparation journey far more than you realize.
This clarity becomes especially important when most aspirants are juggling exam prep alongside classes, projects, assignments, and semester deadlines.
Why I Chose CLAT PG: My Academic Aspirations
For me, the driving force behind appearing for CLAT PG was my dream of joining academia. I’ve always felt most comfortable in the nurturing environment of a university. I was that girl happily married to the library (yes, very much like Dana Scott from Suits).
So, naturally, the idea of stepping into academics felt less like a career choice and more like returning home. And since the path to academia is forged in the pit and fire of an LLM programme, I geared up for what I thought would be the End Game, only to later realize it was just another beginning.
Changes in CLAT PG Exam Pattern
At that time, the CLAT PG Exam had undergone a major shift in its question pattern. In addition to MCQs, the focus had expanded to test our ability to tackle subjective questions. Though past year question papers did provide me some guidance, the uncertainty around preparing for the subjective section created a fair amount of apprehension.
It wasn’t just about memorizing facts anymore (something that MCQ-based exams test), but it was also about learning to think, analyze, and articulate under exam pressure. Having written 9 mid-term examinations and 9 end-term examinations in the last 4.5 years of law school did come in handy.
However, the sheer breadth of the syllabus meant there was an enormous amount to master, all within a compressed timeframe.
My Preparation journey for CLAT PG: Resources and strategies
I began my preparation 6 months before the examination. The 1st month coincided with my semester break, which gave me the breathing space to focus entirely on completing the LLM Guide by A.K. Jain. I worked through every MCQ in the book, carefully noting my mistakes and revisiting them through spaced repetition. That early discipline laid the foundation for the months that followed.
Next, I categorized the subjects based on the time required for revision. Playing to my strengths, I decided that subjects like torts, contracts, etc., could be wrapped up in a day, while heavier courses like Constitutional Law, Public International Law, and Criminal Law would require dedicated efforts spanning 4 to 6 days or even longer, for thorough revision.
I also singled out the subjects I found most challenging and committed to revising them for at least an hour each day to gradually build confidence. Alongside this, I made it a habit to write 2 long answers daily, usually tied to the latest developments in law. To stay updated, I rigorously followed Live Law’s compendium of cases and tracked relevant judgments through SCC Online.
Revisiting past year question papers helped me identify the subjects that consistently carried the most weight. This insight allowed me to prioritize my preparation for the subjective section, focusing on areas where questions were most likely to appear.
One of the most important lessons during preparation is to resist the urge to chase perfection. As Edwin Bliss aptly put it, ‘The pursuit of perfection is a terrible waste of time.’ This holds for any competitive examination. The real goal is’nt flawless performance, it’s consistency. Being consistently good or consistently better with each effort is what ultimately leads to excellence.
CLAT PG Exam Day Experience
The day of the CLAT PG exam felt fairly ordinary. Scheduled in the afternoon at my home university, it began with me waking up at 4 a.m., freshening up, and skimming through the short notes I had prepared for the D-Day. I left for the exam hall about 45 minutes before the slot and, before I knew it, was seated at my desk as time began to fly.
My strategy was simple. First attempt the MCQs I was absolutely confident about, then move on to those I was moderately sure of (taking calculated risks), and skip the ones I had no clue about. For the subjective section, I had set aside a full hour.
I had already devised a model framework for the different types of questions, which helped me plan and structure my answers. I was careful not to pour too much time into the first question at the cost of the second. Instead, I reserved 30 minutes for each, within which I had to plan, analyze, and articulate my response with precision.
Although my strategy this time was far better than during my CLAT UG preparation, I still made mistakes that left me anxious throughout the journey. Looking back, here’s what I would recommend to anyone preparing for the exam:
Practical tips for CLAT PG Aspirants
- Scroll through Legal Current Affairs like social media: Treat CLATalogue, Live Law, SCC Online, or other legal news portals the way you’d scroll Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube. You never know which random case or update will pop into your memory at the exact moment you need it in the exam hall.
- Don’t overshare, don’t overcompare: Every aspirant is anxious and figuring things out. Preparation levels differ, and comparing your ‘level-1’ to someone else’s ‘level-7’ only dents your confidence and slows your momentum. Stay in your lane!
- Make CLAT a daily habit: Dedicate a fixed number of hours each day to preparation, especially if you’re starting six months or less before the exam. Consistency beats cramming.
- Guard against burnout: It’s not worth walking into your dream NLU or PSU completely drained. Pace yourself! Sustainable effort wins over exhaustion.
- Learn from those who’ve been there: Reach out to seniors or peers who’ve already cracked the exam. Their insights can save you time, effort, and unnecessary stress.
Having said all this, it’s important to remember that every law student’s journey will look different, shaped by their individual strengths and weaknesses. What worked for me may not work for someone else.
What matters most is having the patience and faith to trust the process of preparation. A leap into your dream law school or PSU can certainly change your life, but it’s the journey itself that shapes the person you become.
Toshali Pattnaik is an assistant professor of law and secured a rank of ~4000 in CLAT UG 2014 and a rank of ~164 in CLAT PG 2019.
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Adtiya Aryan
Contributing author
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