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.
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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.
Commonly asked questions
The placement rate recorded during NLIU Bhopal BA LLB placements 2023 is not released. However, according to NLIU Bhopal NIRF report 2023, the placement rate recorded during NLIU Bhopal BA LLB / BSc LLB placements 2022 was 56%. Earlier, the placement rate recorded during NLIU Bhopal BA LLB / BSc LLB placements 2021 and 2020 was 54% and 42%, respectively.
According to the NIRF report 2025 released by the University, the key highlights of GNLU placements over the past three years are presented below:
Particulars | UG 5-year Placement Statistics (2022) | UG 5-year Placement Statistics (2023) | UG 5-year Placement Statistics (2024) |
|---|---|---|---|
Median package | INR 15.4 LPA | INR 16 LPA | INR 18 LPA |
Total students | 177 | 175 | 181 |
Students placed | 116 | 163 | 175 |
Students opted for higher studies | 61 | 12 | 6 |
Particulars | PG 1-year Placement Statistics (2022) | PG 1-year Placement Statistics (2023) | PG 1-year Placement Statistics (2024) |
Median package | INR 4.2 LPA | INR 6 LPA | INR 6.20 LPA |
Total students | 64 | 63 | 67 |
Students placed | 35 | 52 | 43 |
Students opted for higher studies | 29 | 11 | 24 |
Yes, NLU Delhi has a decent placement rate, with students from almost all the courses getting placement assistance. During the 2024 placement session, 65 BA LLB (Hons) students were placed out of the total 79 graduated students of the batch 2024 with a median package of INR 18 LPA. In LLM program, 48 students of the batch 2024 got placements with a median salary of INR 10.68 LPA.
The NLSIU Bangalore average package 2022 has not been released yet. The course-wise median package offered during NLSIU Bangalore placements is presented below:
Course | Median Package (2021) |
|---|---|
BA LLB (Hons) | INR 15 LPA |
Note: The above-mentioned data is gathered from NLSIU Bangalore NIRF report 2022.
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.
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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 10th, 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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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
She has over 10 years of experience in the education and publishing sectors. She specialises in exam coverage and content creation. At Shiksha, she writes, analyses, and presents information for students preparing f
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