CLAT 2021 Topper Interview: Garima Banka, AIR 9, says take mocks most seriously
Common Law Admission Test 2027 ( CLAT )
CLAT 2027 Exam Date
6 Dec '26
Garima Banka, a native of Bihar, topped CLAT 2021 with AIR 9. Read below to know how she prepared for the exam and what tips she provides for the CLAT aspirants.
Garima Banka, a student of St. Josephs School, Bhagalpur, Bihar, scored 113.25 in CLAT 2021 and bagged AIR 9 in the examination. She is currently pursuing BA LLB from the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bangalore. She comes from a business background and aspires to be a social worker.
Shiksha got in touch with Garima to know how she prepared for the exam and what are her future plans. Here are the excerpts of Shiksha’s interview with Garima Banka.
Q. Congratulations! Did you expect to be the topper of CLAT 2021?
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A. Securing 9th position in All India Rank (AIR) was way beyond my imagination as I was scoring very low ranks in my coaching mocks till the very end. However, somehow, the question paper seemed to me within my comfort zone during the exam and I was able to make it.
Q. What was your preparation strategy that helped you crack CLAT 2021?
A. Taking a lot of mocks towards the end and analyzing each mock thoroughly helped me gain command over the paper. I also studied all the current affairs topics in detail and revised them umpteen times as current affairs form a major part of the CLAT exam and is a scoring section.
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Q. Did you take any coaching for the exam?
A. I was enrolled in Legal Edge's one-year classroom program. Apart from it, I took test series of one other coaching institute.
Q. What study plan did you follow for the exam?
A. I initially went slow with everything. I devoted a lot of time in the initial months reading novels and taking my time to understand the editorials to hone my reading skills. Even while solving English, Critical Reasoning and Legal passages, I went very slow and focused on strengthening the concepts. Then towards the end, I spent the majority of time practicing the questions through mocks and other materials and gained speed.
Q. Which books did you read to prepare for the CLAT exam? Mention the names of the books.
A. I primarily used the Legaledge RSMs to study and practice. I also referred to the GMAT official guide for CR (Critical Reasoning) and RS Aggarwal’s Quantitative Aptitude book for Maths.
Q. How did you deal with your strengths and weaknesses while preparing for the exam?
A. I played with my strengths in mocks by attempting more questions from my strong section. While practicing, I devoted a greater part of my day to my weaker sections.
Q. Tell us about your family background.
A. I hail from a small town in Bihar. My family has a business background. My mother is a housewife and I have two younger siblings.
Q. What are your hobbies?
A. I like reading fiction novels, especially ones belonging to the suspense thriller genre. I also like binging on Netflix and listening to songs.
Q. What other law entrance exams did you take or are planning to take?
A. I was planning to take ALIET, MHCET Law and BLAT (BHU UET Law) apart from CLAT. I also appeared for SLAT 2021.
Q. Was law always your first preference?
A. I initially thought to pursue English Honours from Delhi University but then I decided to pursue law finding it a more lucrative profession.
Q. Any tips for students who are planning to take these exams in future?
A. I would advise all the law aspirants to keep their options open and not completely restrict themselves to CLAT. In addition, my biggest advice is to take mocks most seriously and use them as a tool to learn from your mistakes. Don’t get disheartened by low scores and keep believing in yourselves no matter what.
Q. What are your future plans?
A. I aspire to go to the judiciary, as I want to be a social worker. However, I am yet to discover my actual interests and I am looking forward to the 5 years of my law school to help me discover myself.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 3 days ago
The CLAT 2027 admit card will be released in the last week of November 2026. The CLAT 2027 exam will be held on December 6, 2026.
N
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 5 days ago
CLAT 2027 application correction facility was closed on November 10. Candidates were allowed to make corrections in their applications online only.
M
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 5 days ago
No, the Consortium of National Law Universities will release the CLAT 2027 admit card in the last week of November or we can say around ten days before the exam date.
N
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
Yes, but only if you are eligible for both. You can prepare the overlapping areas together. These include comprehension, current affairs, and reasoning. NLSAT needs extra essay and written-answer practice, while CLAT needs maths practice and timed MCQ drills.
A
Contributor-Level 9
Answered a week ago
No. Both exams test reading, awareness, and reasoning. NLSAT also includes subjective legal reasoning and essay writing. CLAT UG also tests Quantitative Techniques. NLSAT has no maths section.
A
Contributor-Level 9
Answered a week ago
NLSAT is harder in analysis and writing. CLAT is harder in speed and pressure. In 2026, NLSAT Part A was difficult because of a heavy reading load, while CLAT was moderate overall. NLSAT also has a lower acceptance rate of about 2%, compared with about 5% for CLAT.
A
Contributor-Level 9
Answered a week ago
The CLAT 2027official mock test will be conducted online on November 20. Candidates will be required to login with their CLAT 2027 account credentials.
Contributor-Level 9
Answered a week ago
Neither CLAT nor SLAT is universally better. They serve different career goals, test styles, and college targets. Students who want to get into National Law Universities should appear for CLAT. The SLAT exam is held for admission to Symbiosis Law Schools.
A
Contributor-Level 9
Answered a week ago
The CLAT 2027 application correction facility is available now till November 10.
S
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 2 weeks ago
Yes, the CLAT 2027 registration deadline was extended once. Candidates were allowed to do registrations till November 7, 2026.
R
Contributor-Level 6