CLAT 2023 Topper, AILET 2023 Topper (AIR 1) Abhinav Somani read newspapers religiously, made notes from them

CLAT 2023 Topper, AILET 2023 Topper Abhinav Somani shares his journey, his preparation tips, and many other suggestions to crack one of the toughest LAW exams with shiksha.com. Read further to know more.

CLAT 2023 Topper, AILET 2023 Topper (AIR 1) Abhinav Somani read newspapers religiously, made notes from them

CLAT Topper 2023 Abhinav Somani who is also the AILET 2023 Topper with All India Rank 1 in an exclusive interview with Shiksha.com speaks about how he focussed more on cracking the entrance exams than the school exams. He says, "scoring poorly in school exams doesn’t really affect you as much as scoring poorly in your law entrance would." In this article, we bring forward to you all the preparation tips, books he referred to and strategies he followed to crack the two toughest law exams in the country.

Q. Congratulations! Did you expect to be the topper of CLAT 2023?

Ans. After I gave Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 2023, I had an expectation that I would get a good rank since my paper went quite well. When I checked using the answer key, that expectation was further strengthened. However, AIR 1 was something utterly unexpected. I never thought that I would be the topper since no matter how much you score, you always have this nagging feeling that someone might have scored more than you. So, being AIR 1 was a pleasant surprise.

Q. What was the preparation strategy that helped you crack CLAT 2023?

Ans. The mainstay of my preparation strategy was reading the newspaper and giving mocks. I read the newspapers religiously and made notes from them. The newspaper also helps you with your vocabulary, reading speed and comprehension ability. I also gave mocks regularly. I had a study group with 4 of my friends and we used to give mocks together. We started with 1 mock a week in January 2022, bumping it up to 5-6 per week by October 2022.

Q. How did you manage time between board exams and entrance exam prep?

Ans. Quite frankly, I really did not pay much mind to my school studies and board exams during this period. I used to study for school exams one day before the actual exam. The important thing is to get your priorities straight. You have to realize that scoring poorly in school exams doesn’t really affect you as much as scoring poorly in your law entrance would.

Q. Did you take any coaching for this exam?

Ans. Yes, I was enrolled in coaching from the beginning of my preparation.

Q. What study plan did you follow for this exam?

Ans. Each night, before sleeping, I used to plan out the next day. I never counted the hours I put in. Anyway, they varied quite a bit from day to day. I set a number of tasks that I had to complete and worked towards completing them the next day. These tasks could include, for example, Analyse Mock XYZ or Revise January’s GK.

Q. Which books did you read to prepare for the exam?

Ans. I only read the material provided by my coachings for preparation. I did not refer to any other books.

Q. How did you deal with your strengths and weaknesses while preparing for the exam?

Ans. I’ve always been good at English. Since CLAT is majorly a comprehension-based exam, I used my reading speed and vocabulary to the fullest. I’ve never been that great at Mathematics. So, at first, I was quite afraid of the Quantitative Techniques section in CLAT. However, I realized that I did not have to love Mathematics. I just had to practice it for the next one-and-a-half years. So, I bit my tongue and started working on it. Before I knew it, I was good enough at it! This definitely gave me an edge as most aspirants are scared of Maths and many don’t even attempt the section.

Q. What other law entrance exams did you take or are planning to take?

Ans. I took the AILET Exam conducted by NLU Delhi in which also I secured AIR 1, apart from CLAT. I’m not planning to take any other examination.

Q. Was law always your first preference?

Ans. After Class 10^th, I was quite unsure about the Profession I wished to take up. I knew I was not cut out for Science as I had neither the requisite interest nor aptitude for it. I was deeply interested in the Humanities as I’ve always loved Literature, History and Political Science. It was my father who suggested that I can take up law as a profession. He enrolled me in coaching, to see if I developed an interest in Law. And sure enough, I took to it like a duck to water.

Q. Any tips for students who are planning to take the exam next year?

Ans. I would recommend that you do not blindly follow someone else’s preparation strategy. Rather, try out multiple strategies and find one that works perfectly for you. Better still, devise your own strategy, that makes optimal use of your strengths and weaknesses.

Q. What are your future plans?

Ans. Right now, I am focussing on my Board examinations. College will start in the first week of July.

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