CLAT 2021 Topper Nidhi Agarwal, AIR 2, says, “Identify areas of improvement and target your efforts"

CLAT 2021 Topper Interview: The Consortium of NLUs declared the results of CLAT 2021 on July 29. Along with the results, the list of toppers was also released. Nidhi Agarwal, who comes from Rourkela, Odisha, has bagged AIR 2 by securing an overall score of 117 out of 150. Nidhi credits her success in CLAT 2021 exams to her dedicated zeal of not giving up and following a planned schedule. Since the CLAT exam was delayed, she tried to view the delays in a positive light and focused on improving the less prepared sections. “Dedication, pre-planning and hard work helped me in achieving the desired results,” she said. Let’s have a sneak peek into the exclusive interview of CLAT 2021 Topper, Nidhi Agarwal with Careers360.

CLAT 2021 exam was conducted on July 23, 2021 at various test centres across the country following strict COVID-19 safety protocols.

CLAT 2021 Topper Interview with Nidhi Agarwal, AIR 2

Careers360- Congratulations on your performance in CLAT 2021. What was your initial reaction upon knowing your rank?

Nidhi- Thank you. I really didn’t expect to get such a good rank, so I was naturally elated when I got the results and celebrated with my family and friends.

Careers360- Tell us something about yourself - the board you studied under, the name of the school, the place you belong to, and a bit about your family.

Nidhi- I studied under the CBSE board, my stream was Commerce ( with Math and Legal Studies ) and I studied in Delhi Public School ( DPS ), Rourkela. I was born and brought up in Rourkela, Odisha. My father is a businessman, my mother is a homemaker and my brother is in his 5th year of law at Christ University, Bangalore.

Careers360- What are your overall and sectional scores in CLAT 2021?

Nidhi- My overall score was 117/150, and my sectional scores were as follows :

• Reading Comprehension/English : 26.25

• General Knowledge and Current Affairs : 23.75

• Legal Reasoning : 31

• Logical Reasoning : 25

• Quantitative Aptitude (QA) : 11

Careers360- Were you expecting the results, or was it a surprise?

Nidhi - The results were definitely a big surprise. After I calculated my score based on the answer key I was expecting a rank that would get me into the Top 3 NLUs, however getting AIR 2 was an incredible, pleasant surprise.

Careers360- How and when did you start preparing for the CLAT 2021 exam?

Nidhi - I started preparing with full dedication from January 2021, although I had briefly prepared for a month during September 2020 and had taken a hiatus till January 2021 subsequently. For preparation I focused on the mocks, their analysis with a large focus on Current Affairs (CA).

I also identified weak areas in my preparation, and targeted my efforts towards those specific areas. Another critical aspect of my preparation was a regular reading of newspapers, which helped my reading speed as well as command over Current Affairs. With time, my current affairs scores started improving and the specifically targeted efforts reduced the lacunae in my overall preparation.

Careers360- Did you follow any specific routine and study hours?

Nidhi - I did not have a specific study schedule till April 2021, till then I had a very erratic schedule where I would focus on whichever topic seemed important at that time. The only consistent aspects then were giving mocks and reading the newspaper.

Closer to the exam, I came up with a regular schedule where I would do the important Current Affairs topics in the morning from 8 to 12, then I would take a break for a couple of hours and give a mock from 2 to 4. After the mock I would analyse it, and take a break,

Finally, I revised ancillary current affairs topics and practiced a little bit of Quantitative Aptitude before sleeping. However I would like to emphasise that this whole schedule was interspersed with breaks for rest and recreation, which are important for one’s mental health.

Careers360- What are the subject-wise books you used for CLAT exam preparation? Any specific reason for selecting these books?

Nidhi - I did not refer to many books per se, I focused on the material given by coachings as well as websites. I did refer to certain online compendiums for CA, which include Manthans, CLAT Post, GK Today etc.

Careers360- Tell us last month’s exam preparation tips?

Nidhi - I would advise students who wish to take CLAT in the future, to focus on targeted revision in the last month, along with an emphasis on revision of the most important current affairs topics. Besides that, a regular practice of DI (Data Interpretation) Sets is important to ensure improved speed and familiarity with the QA section.

One important thing to remember in the last month is not to take too much stress, and ensure that one goes at a sustainable and manageable pace.

Careers360- Did you solve sample papers and take mock tests? What is the correct frequency for these exercises?

Nidhi - Yes, I solved around 100 CLAT mocks before I took the exam. I don’t think there is any one correct frequency for taking mock tests, as every student will have their own level of preparation and pace, which must be respected. I personally took around 4-5 mocks a week in the month preceding CLAT 2021, however I would advise CLAT 2022 takers to decide their own ideal pace of taking mocks which gives them sufficient time to analyse the mocks properly, and prepare for other sections as well.

Careers360- Many students make a mess of their preparation in the last few days, as exam pressure reaches the pinnacle. How to handle this tricky phase?

Nidhi - It is very important to take frequent breaks, as well as stay in touch with family and friends during this phase to handle exam pressure. Forming a study group, with other people who are also preparing for the exam can help in handling the pre-exam jitters.

Careers360- How can one improve accuracy and speed?

Nidhi - Giving frequent mocks, and their proper analysis is essential for improving one’s speed and accuracy. A proper analysis can allow one to find the common trope of errors one makes while attempting the mocks, which tends to improve accuracy. Moreover for speed, I would recommend a focus on reading as much as possible, to improve one’s reading speed without compromising on comprehension.

Careers360- Is there any particular order for attempting the CLAT question paper? How should one go about attempting the test?

Nidhi - There is no particular order for attempting sections, different orders suit people with different strengths and weaknesses. One must find the ideal order to attempt the sections based on one’s own preferences. Giving mocks provides an excellent opportunity to test through trial, and find the best order customised for oneself.

Careers360- Did the prolonged delay and multiple postponements affect your exam preparation? How did you manage to stay on track?

Nidhi- The prolonged delay was definitely unexpected, and at times frustrating. However in a way it may have helped me since it gave me more time to focus on my weak areas and buttress my current affairs preparation. I tried to view the delays with a positive mindset, focusing on the extra time I was getting to ameliorate my less prepared sections.

Careers360- Did you face any difficulty during the exam considering there were strict COVID-19 guidelines in place?

Nidhi - No, my experience while giving the exam was pretty smooth, and social distancing protocols were by and large followed. I had already practised for it by giving mocks while wearing a mask, so that allowed me to get used to it.

Careers360- Which law discipline do you want to study in your undergraduate?

Nidhi - I haven’t decided about that as of yet, I think that is something that I ll explore in my 5 years of law school.

Careers360- Also, do you have any NLU preferences?

Nidhi - Yes, my first preference was NLSIU National Law School of India University), Bangalore, where I have taken admission.

Careers360- Being a topper, many students would now look up to you. Do you have any messages for these future law aspirants?

Nidhi - I strongly advise students to prioritise their mental health and avoid stressing too much over CLAT and even the mock scores. It is important to understand that everyone has their own pace, and their own unique way to do something. Hence straitjackets in the form of ‘ideal mock scores’ or ‘ideal way to prepare’ must be ignored and the focus should be on finding one’s own customised way to prepare for CLAT that suits oneself.

Careers360- How did you proceed with your preparation amidst the pandemic? What sources did you consider?

Nidhi - My preparation sources were almost entirely websites and soft copy documents, so pandemic didn’t disrupt that in any major way. Some of the sources I used were :

• Mocks from multiple sources

• Coaching Class Sheets

• Drishti IAS Compendia

• GK Today Compendia

• Manthans

• CLAT Posts

• Newscanvass

• ThinkManav GK classes

Careers360- How did an online mentor help you? Can you share an instance where you felt demotivated and he/she encouraged you?

Nidhi - I didn’t have a mentor, I think I found my mentor in my friends especially my friend Sukarm Sharma, he got AIR 5.