CLAT Application Date:01 Aug' 25 - 31 Oct' 25
Careers360 spoke to Tejaswi Giridhar who secured AIR 18 in CLAT 2025 conducted on December 1, 2024. Tejaswi left the JEE preparation midway last year and started preparing for CLAT. This change has yielded good results as he emerged as one of the CLAT toppers this year. Read the full interview here as he shares his success story.
Hello Tejaswi,
Congratulations on securing AIR 18 in CLAT 2025!
Seeing the rank felt great, it was like a culmination of all the work put in over the past year or so. The significance definitely didn’t kick in for a few days, it was sort of shocking. I definitely thought I did well relative to the starkly different nature of the paper from what was expected. But a rank in the top 20 in the CLAT result was definitely a huge surprise.
I scored 98.5 in CLAT 2025 in the final result, up one mark from my score based on the provisional answer key.
I was actually preparing for JEE up until about September of 2023 when I realized I had more of an inclination towards law than science. My family is almost entirely based on a science background, so law was a step in a very different direction for me.
I had to weigh my options against each other, which were science or any other field. I realized law appealed to me the most, because I love thinking logically and debating complex issues, so it seemed like the obvious choice.
My preparation spanned one year leading up to the Common Law Admission Test. It began with sectionals/worksheets in the early part of the year then slowly going into mocks. I always attempted CLAT mock tests offline. The analysis of the mocks is where the real importance lies, and that kept improving my score in the weeks leading up to the exam. I did one mock a day for the last two weeks. CLAT GK was slow for me initially so I had to cover a lot of ground in the final stretch to complete my prep.
There wasn’t really a specific timetable I followed, but it was very important for me to constantly recognize where my preparation stood and how much time to spend on different aspects of it. Keeping a dynamic schedule helped, especially with focusing on individual sections, types of passages, etc.
CL resources are what I used for GK/sectionals and I wrote their mocks throughout the year too. Online compendiums are also fantastic for last-minute brushing up on topics.
My top four choices in the NLU preference list are NLSIU Bengaluru, NALSAR Hyderabad, NUJS Kolkata, and NLU Jodhpur in that order.
I think the new method is the way to go because it allows us to have clarity going into the counselling process. Candidates can assess their circumstances and rank and put in their preferences with that in mind, so it removes any risk of panic or confusion post-CLAT
Most of my free time is taken up by reading, watching movies, and following a few sports religiously.
Keep a clear head throughout, don’t let your mind get to you. Understand where your preparation is, retain as much good advice as you can, and don’t let any part of your prep, negative or positive, overwhelm you. As for the exam itself, CLAT can throw some serious curveballs, so be prepared to adapt to whatever type of questions you face. Good luck!
On Question asked by student community
Hello Mujahideen
Around 75,000 - 80,000 students have registered for CLAT examination this year. There are approximately 3,700 seat available in all NLUs through CLAT 2025.
In NLSIU Bengaluru, total 300 UG seats are available while in TNNLU Trichy, 180 are available.
Hope this answer helps! Thank You!!!
Hello,
If you want to prepare for the CLAT 2026 LLM exam. You should first understand the CLAT PG exam's syllabus, exam pattern, and weightage of sections like constitutional law and jurisprudence. Also, after that, create a structured study plan with good time management, and focus on your weak areas to improve yourself for the exam. You can also prepare with PYQ and mock tests.
I hope it will clear your query!!
Yes, the School of Excellence in Law (SOEL) accepts CLAT scores for admissions, and there are cutoffs for different categories. SOEL, part of TNDALU, offers BA LLB (Hons), BBA LLB (Hons), and BCA LLB (Hons) programs. The cutoffs vary based on the category and program.
For the OC category, the cutoff for BA LLB/BBA LLB was 97.750, and for BCA LLB, it was 96.5.
The cutoff can fluctuate based on the number of applicants, the difficulty of the exam, and the number of seats available
Hello
Yes, scholarships are available for CLAT merit holders. Many law schools, including some top institutions, offer financial assistance based on CLAT scores. For example, National Law Universities (NLUs) often offer merit-cum-means scholarships to students who excel in the exam. Additionally, some private organizations and law firms also offer scholarships to top CLAT scorers. The amount and criteria for these scholarships vary, but they usually cover tuition fees or provide financial support for study materials and other expenses.
700+ Campus placements at top national and global law firms, corporates and judiciaries
18 years of shaping legal professionals | In-house judicial coaching | Proven success in National Moot Court Competitions
NAAC A+ Grade | Among top 100 universities of India (NIRF 2024) | 40 crore+ scholarships distributed
North India's Largest Educational Group | NIRF Ranked 86 | NAAC A+ Grade | Highest Package 1.6 Cr | Last date: 31st Aug'25
Ranked #28 amongst Institutions in India by NIRF | Ranked #1 in India for Academic Reputation by QS Rankings | 16.6 LPA Highest CTC | Last Date to Apply: 31st August | Admissions Closing Soon
Admissions open for B.A. LL.B. (Hons.), B.B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) and LL.B Program (3 Years)