CLAT UG 2026 Topper Roshan Sengupta in an exclusive interview with shiksha.com, discussed how her right strategy and plan helped her to bag AIR 29 in CLAT 2026. "I think managing both is possible; you just need to be a bit smart about how you go about scheduling time for each of them. I would suggest reaching out to mentors who can guide you as to how you can divide your time fruitfully," she said.
Q. Congratulations! Did you expect to be the topper of CLAT 2026?
A.Thank you so much! I honestly cannot say that I expected to be a CLAT 2026 topper. I certainly hoped and worked towards becoming one, but one never knows what might happen on that final day.
Q. What was the preparation strategy that helped you crack CLAT 2026?
A. My main preparation strategy was trying to be as prepared as possible for CLAT Exam. My approach to studying (especially GK) was that even if it seemed unlikely that it might come in the exam, I would study it as though it was. This helped me build confidence, which I feel is the most important thing when it comes to attempting an entrance exam. On the final day, you mustn't panic during those two hours. You must be mentally prepared that there will always be a surprise in the paper. Even months before the exam I started mentally reminding myself of these facts so that when push came to shove, I was actually prepared for it.
Q. How did you manage time between board exams and entrance exam prep?
A. I was a dropper so thankfully I was free from juggling boards as well as my CLAT prep. That being said, I think managing both is possible; you just need to be a bit smart about how you go about scheduling time for each of them. I would suggest reaching out to mentors who can guide you as to how you can divide your time fruitfully.
Q. Did you take any coaching for this exam?
A. I did. I was mainly associated with the LegalEdge Centre in Kolkata. Barring that I had taken a few test series from other coachings to familiarise myself with other types of CLAT mock tests. I firmly believe that sticking to one pattern of mocks will not be useful in the long run, so I tried to diversify my mock paper styles.
Q. What study plan did you follow for this exam?
A. I was actually a dropper so most of my basic concepts had been covered already. This year I mainly focussed on my two weaker subjects: Current Affairs and Quants. For Current Affairs I mainly stuck to two GK Compendiums and made sure to revise them thoroughly and systematically. If I ever felt that I needed some in-depth understanding of a particular topic then I used to watch the classes that were provided to me by my coaching. As for Quants, there is no easy way out unfortunately. I was consistently practicing maths, if not daily then at least 4-5 times a week.
Also Read: CLAT Notification
Q. Which books did you read to prepare for the exam?
A. For G.K. I used the CLATPost as well as the CLAT Express. Barring that I also utilised many of the G.K. Marathons that were streamed on YouTube. For Quants I practiced from the Rankers’ Study Material modules (RSMs), the mocks, as well the PYQs. I don’t think you would need any material beyond this. For English, Legal, and Critical Reasoning, I mainly gave sectionals and mocks. I didn’t have to utilise resources beyond this as they were my stronger sections. That being said, I would suggest keeping up with the current legal affairs as the Consortium did ask for static legal knowledge in CLAT 2026. For analytical reasoning (AR) I practiced daily from a book called Magical Book on Puzzle by K. Kundan.
Q. How did you deal with your strengths and weaknesses while preparing for the exam?
A. The first step I took to deal with my strengths and weaknesses was to identify them. I did a thorough mock analysis. Personally it was mostly some specific type of questions that got me, so after analysing them I made sure to be extra careful while attempting them in the future. My strengths and weaknesses were specific to me so it does become subjective because everyone has their own set of strengths and weaknesses. That being said, a very generic advice I can give to CLAT aspirants is to ensure that you save as much time as you possibly can. If you see that a section is easy please try to finish it before your sectional time is up so that you can transfer that extra time to the difficult section. For any specific problems I suggest you go to your mentors as they can guide you on how to tackle it.
Also Read: CLAT Reservation Criteria 2026
Q. What other law entrance exams did you take or are planning to take?
A. I did attempt AILET 2026 and SLAT . I don’t intend to take any other law entrance exams.
Q. Was law always your first preference?
A. Yes. I cannot say that I wanted to become a lawyer since I was five years old (I actually wanted to become a baker, an artist or a musician depending on the week!), but when it was time to choose a stream in class 11, I chose humanities because I always loved the social sciences. Eventually, I realised that law would be a good fit for me based on my skills and aptitude and I have yet to regret my decision!
Q. Any tips for students who are planning to take the exam next year?
A. My number one tip would be to be consistent. Consistency matters a lot and if you put in the effort it will pay off. Secondly, please take revision seriously. I cannot stress that enough. What you learned in January will not stick with you until the day of the exam unless you revise it frequently. Lastly, I would like you to believe in yourself. If you prepare sincerely and believe in yourself, the sky is the limit.
Q. What are your future plans?
A. For now I intend to enjoy these last few months with my friends and family before I have to leave for college in June. I also want to be as open to new experiences as possible. That is a philosophy I want to take with me to college as well. You never know what you may end up liking! I am also looking forward to learning new subjects, facing challenges, overcoming them, and growing as a person because of them. Most of all, I am just very excited for this new phase of my life.
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Student Forum
Answered a week ago
Yes, candidates who have registered for the CLAT exam can access the sample papers through their login credentials.
P
Contributor-Level 8
Answered a week ago
The practice the sample papers of CLAT released by the consortium follow these steps
Go to consortiumofnlus.ac.in
Login and click on attempt sample paper
You will now see instructions on your screen
Read the instructions and click on Start Mock Test
Attempt the question paper
M
Contributor-Level 8
Answered a week ago
Yes, students can take admissions to BITS Law School without appearing from CLAT exam. BITS Law School admissions also conducts its own entrance exam called BITS Law Admission Test. Shortlisted candidates need to appear for Personal Interview rounds for admissions.
P
Contributor-Level 9
Answered a week ago
No, CLAT is not compulsory to take admission in the law courses at Innovative Institute of Law. Candidates are shortlisted based on merit achieved in last qualifying exam. However, the institute accepts CLAT score as well.
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
To check the merit list for NLU Silvassa, students can refer to the list of pointers below.
- Go to the official Consortium of NLUs website.
- Click on the CLAT OPTION in the top-right corner
- Scroll down to the notification section
- Check the merit list for all courses at the UG and PG levels.
Students shou
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
To get a seat at GNLU Silvassa for the UG and PG-level law courses, students have to appear for the CLAT entrance examination and then the counselling process to be considered eligible for admission.
The GNLU Silvassa CLAT cutoff 2026 was concluded after 5 rounds of seat allotment for the above-ment
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Yes, you could get into GNLU Silvassa with a 4000 rank if you belong to the SC AI category. For this category, the overall cutoff range was 2843 to 8902. Hence, a rank of 4000 could get you a seat at this institute.
Students can see the table below to know the last round closing ranks for available
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
GNLU Silvassa CLAT cutoff 2026 concluded after the release of the final round of seat allotment for the BA LLB (Hons) and LLM courses. The cutoff was out for several AI and HS quota categories.
For the General AI category, the overall cutoff ranged from 336 to 1500 for both courses, with LLM course
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
To get a seat at Dr B.R. Ambedkar National Law University for the BA LLB and LLM courses, students have to first appear for the CLAT entrance exam and then sit for the CLAT counselling process to be considered eligible for admission to the above-mentioned courses.
The NLU Sonepat CLAT cutoff 2026 was
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Yes, you could get into NLU Sonepat with a CLAT rank of 300 if you belong to the OBC AI category.
For this category, the overall cutoff ranged from 3409 to 4684 for the BA LLB and LLM courses. Students can refer to the table below to know the first and last round closing ranks for this category.
| Course | Round 1 | Last Round |
|---|---|---|
| B.A. LL.B. | 3409 | 3780 |
| Master of Legislative Laws (LL.M.) | 3526 | 4684 |
Not
N
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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