Pratyay Amrit, a native of Patna, Bihar, topped CLAT 2020 with AIR 10. Read below to know how he prepared for the exam and his secret to success.
Pratyay Amrit, 21, a student of Jagat Mission Senior Secondary School, Patna, bagged All-India Rank (AIR) 10 in the CLAT last year by securing 104.5 out of 147 marks. Pratyay is currently studying BA LLB from the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru. His father is a police officer and mother a homemaker. Composing music, reading and exploring world cinema are his favourite pastimes.
In an exclusive conversation with Shiksha, Pratyay shares tips and CLAT preparation strategy he adopted to crack the exam.
Q. Congratulations! Did you expect to be one of the toppers of CLAT 2020?
A. No, I did not expect to be one of the toppers. I just wanted to get admission to a good law school. I was so much engrossed in studies that I stopped thinking about the outcome. I started preparing for the CLAT 2020 three months before the exam.
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Q. What was your preparation strategy that helped you crack CLAT 2020?
A. I did not take too much stress while preparing for the CLAT exam. Any competitive exam requires regular practice. I was fairly punctual with my CLAT mock test routine. I identified question types within each section, which helped me save time in the actual exam.
Q. How did you manage time between board exams and CLAT preparation?
A. After completing my Class 12, I decided to drop a year to prepare for the CLAT exam so there was no stress of board exams. I was consistent in my preparation to achieve the desired goal.
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Q. Did you take any coaching for the exam?
A. I had purchased CLAT mock test series from two well-known coaching institutes after experimenting with papers of various institutes. Besides, I was also granted a membership by one of the institutes that gave me free access to their online classes.
Q. What study plan did you follow for the exam?
A. There was no proper plan as such, but my regimen was mostly taking mocks, reading literature, watching cinema and occasionally reading newspapers for current affairs. I made sure that I took 10 mock tests every month.
Q. Which books did you read to prepare for these exams?
A. I did not refer to any study material provided to me by my coaching institute or anyspecialisedbooks for quant or reasoning, my choice would be quite counter-intuitive to some. I stuck to a schedule of reading authors such as Dostoyevsky, Pushkin, Herman Hesse, George Orwell, Ivan Turgenev, Premchand, Rowling, Dahl and many more. This, I believe, helped me the most because my reading speed increased and I could understand complex sentences more easily.
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Q. How did you deal with your strengths and weaknesses while preparing for the exam?
A. I did not bother much about strengths or weaknesses while taking mocks. I focused on improving my reading as I knew it would benefit me in three sections: English, legal aptitude and logical reasoning. I was fairly comfortable with quant (Quantitative Techniques) though GK was very inconsistent. Sometimes I would do good and other times abysmal. Thus, I thought of delving into current affairs to a great extent. This helped in sustaining my interest and kept me motivated.
Q. Was law always your first preference?
A. It was either this or abject desolation coupled with despair. Just kidding. I had not thought much about law in the first place, but I have grown to like it.
Q. Any tips for students who are planning to take these exams in future?
A. You should make the best out of your mistakes in mock tests. Try to identify the root cause of mistakes that you make while attempting mocks and ensure that you do not repeat them. It really helps if you are planning to study effectively in less time.
Q. What are your future plans?
A. I have not yet given it a thought. I am a first-year undergraduate student and would like to explore the field of law more before I come to any decision.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 3 days ago
Yes, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj University does accepts CLAT scores for admission in BA LLB (Hons) course. However, aspirants can also get admission via CUET or CSMU-CET scores. Candidates must also complete Class 12 with at least 45% aggregate.
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Guide-Level 15
Answered 3 days ago
Yes, students have scored ranks between 1 to 15,000 in CLAT, are eligible for DSU scholarships for BBA LLB (hons) course. If you have scored 14890 ranks in CLAT, you are eligible for scholarship of INR 30,000. For details, contact the Institute.
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Contributor-Level 9
Answered 3 days ago
Students seeking admission at DSU for BA LLB (hons) through CLAT should apply to official portal. Students need to fill the application form with basic details and upload some requisite documents including CLAT scorecard or admit card. Institute will arrange a counselling session and will shortlist
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Contributor-Level 9
Answered 3 days ago
No, aspirants do not require passing CLAT for admission in BA LLB course of Apex University. The university offers seats based on CUET or AUCET scores of candidates. AUCET is an entrance test conducted by the university for admission in UG and PG courses.
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Guide-Level 15
Answered 4 days ago
Yes, Babu Banarasi Das University offers admission in BA LLB based on Class 12 merit to candidates who qualify the eligibility criteria. But CLAT qualified candidates are given preference in admission. So you can get a seat in BA LLB without CLAT but by qualifying CLAT you can improve your chances o
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
Aspirants do not require CLAT score for admission in BA LLB (Hons) course of SAGE University Bhopal. Candidates need to appear for SEE or SAGE Entrance Exam for admission. Aspirants must also complete Class 12 to get a seat in the course.
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Guide-Level 15
Answered 5 days ago
KIIT provides BBA LLB (hons) admissions on the basis of K-LAT or CLAT. Students who have not given CLAT can still apply for K-LAT to get admission. Interested candidated can apply for K-LAT in the month of Novemeber. However, If any candidate missed the both entrance can still apply through KIITEE.
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Contributor-Level 9
Answered 5 days ago
Yes, candidates who want to apply for Gujarat University BBA LLB course can do so without appearing in CLAT-UG. No mandatory entrance exams are mandatory to qualify for BBA LLB admissions. All candidates are admitted based on Class 12 board exam result during GCAS counselling.
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered 5 days ago
Manav Rachna University considers CLAT scores for admission in BA LLB (Hons) course. However, it is not compulsory. Aspirants can also appear for MRNAT for admission. It is a entrance cum scholarship test conducted by the university.
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Guide-Level 15
Answered 5 days ago
While researching whether CLAT-UG is required for the BA LLB eligibility criteria at Gujarat University provides a good foundation for your academic planning, Lovely Professional University (LPU) serves as an excellent alternative. LPU offers premier law programs featuring an industry-aligned curric
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Contributor-Level 10
Is CLAT accepted for admission in BA LLB (Hons) at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj University?