By Upasana Chauhan

Since you are reading this article which has been published on the website of one of the finest institutes for CLAT coaching, I am under the presumption that you want to do law. If that is not the case, then please forgive me for the usage of technical words.

So, Hello Mr./ Ms. Future Lawyer,

As law students, we are asked to focus on facts. And this article tells you exactly that. So, let me pick up my bazooka of experience and bust some myths and provide you with some facts.

1. CLAT is about luck

Yes, you will hear this so many times and from so many people that you will want to burn your books and seek refuge in God. But let me tell you one thing: CLAT doesn’t test your luck.

It tests you on something more realistic,i.e., your knowledge and aptitude.

It is the knowledge that you have to gain. And aptitude that you have to nurture. These are the only qualities that can help you float your boat. You have to push yourself everyday to emerge as a winner.

2. CLAT subjects become irrelevant, once you are in a law school.

The answer to this is an absolute no. All those blood relation questions will be relevant in your family law exam. Maths is going to help you calculate the compensation amount. GK is going to be very much a part of every subject, be it law of tort or political science.

All these subjects are meant to condition your brain for the education that awaits you in a law school. So, my friend, it is wrong to think that CLAT preparation has nothing to do with learning law. Rather, it a small step in that direction.

3. I have to moot to become a lawyer.

It’s not necessary to moot to become a lawyer. Mooting surely helps you in gaining confidence and learning how to negotiate. But, it is not the end of the world. You should go for it only if it interests you. Not just to add it to your CV. If you have it in you to become a lawyer mooting is not the only way to add brownie points. And never ever compare mooting with academics.

You have to excel or at least try to excel in academics irrespective of the number of moots that you do every year. 3 moots and a CGPA as low as 2 is a big No.

4.Only good public speakers make good lawyers.

Being a doctor is not only about doing a surgery, similarly, being a lawyer is not only about speaking. Most importantly, it is about knowing your stuff. You should know how to research and to present cogent arguments. Fluency doesn’t matter, logic does. You should be able to communicate your ideas and your arguments.

And this does not require you to be some Cicero. And, FYI, Nani Palkiwala used to stammer as a child, but still he went on to become a Courtroom Genius.

So, don’t loose hope if you cant create magic with speeches.

5.College doesn’t matter.

Yes, you will hear this too. People will tell you that all those hours that you spent preparing for CLAT were a waste. Getting into a good college doesn’t matter. It all boils down to the amount of hardwork, you are ready to put in. I agree with the latter, but not with the former.

The people, you interact with on a daily basis, in a college shape up your personality to a large extent.

Being in a good college, you compete with sharp, competitive people. Yes, it is tough at times, but it prepares you for the battle you eventually face after college.

6. Surviving in a law school is not difficult.

CLAT is difficult. But, it is not half as difficult as survival in a law school is. Before you come to the law school, say goodbye to the’8 hour sleep rule’. You will spend endless number of nights, staying awake for projects, birthday parties, end semester exams. You will walk like a zombie.

You will forget the last time you had breakfast in the mess. But trust me, my friend, at the end of it, you will look back and cherish each and every moment of your law school.

All this was a part of my experience. You will agree with some and severely disagree with the others. But, most importantly, I want to tell you only one thing. Explore. Explore yourself. Explore your surroundings. Explore the subjects.

You have to believe in yourself and make the law experience worth it. Remember , getting a good rank and getting more marks in college should not be your aim. Your aim should be to learn (that’s what a student  does). As corny as it may sound, ‘knowledge ke peeche bhago, success khud tumhare paas ayegi‘.

(A law school student doesn’t simply quote. He/ She paraphrases).

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Upasana Chauhan is a 2nd year student at NUJS