How to Prepare for CLAT PG Examination?

Ms. Purnashri Das is currently pursuing Masters in Law specialising in Intellectual Property Rights from National Law University Jodhpur. She cleared CLAT PG in 2020. She shares her preparation strategy in this interview.

How would you like to introduce yourself to our readers?

Hi, my name is Purnashri Das, I am doing my Masters in Law specialising in Intellectual Property Rights from National Law University Jodhpur. I did my graduation from National Law University, Raipur.

You have done your Bachelors in Law from Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU). Please share with us your experience.

I feel HNLU is one such place where you get the ‘ME’ time to explore other options. The pressure which is usually there in NLUs, I never felt it in HNLU! My 5 year law school journey was like an adventure for me. I discovered the subjects I like, I made great memories, made lifelong friends, travelled to new places. In context of extra-curricular activities which I did in college, I won best memorial award in a moot court competition, from that experience I learnt with researching, formatting skills are equally important. I also won special mention at UPES paper presentation on juvenile justice. Academically maintained my CGPA and did well in my honours subjects which were IPR and Corporate law. In context of FUN part travelled a lot from Orissa to Chitrakoot during my days at HNLU. Participated in dance performances!

Overall, what I loved about HNLU is that this college never makes you feel pressured, it helps you to explore your own way, I would say perfect college to spend 5 years!

You’re pursuing your Masters in Intellectual Property Rights from National Law University, Jodhpur. Please introduce our readers to this subject. What are the emerging trends in this field?

Intellectual Property Rights is a very interesting and emerging field I would say. Contemporary issues come under this subject like access to vaccines can come under patent law, which is a contemporary issue in corona times, then trademark law includes issues of counterfeiting in fashion world, different types of interesting marks like smell mark, image mark etc, Copyright protection is important to protect rights of people like authors, for example in film industry so many authors book which is a literary work is adapted to make movies which comes under cinematographic films, nowadays smileys are also protected through copyright! Artificial intelligence and its interface with IPR is also an emerging field in this. So there is so many interesting modern day issues which come under IPR. I personally like trademark, Copyright and Design law because they include so many new and interesting things which one can study!

By having knowledge in IPR I feel one can join a fashion company as a legal consultant, IPR firms, advertising Companies, major brands to help them formulate the business strategy! These are some of the few examples. One can also think of joining WIPO in future which is the International organization regulating IPR.

Recently, you scored Rank 248 in CLAT PG 2020. Please share your preparation strategy with us.

This year CLAT changed the pattern of LLM entrance. Now MCQs would be asked from the cases plus subjective questions would also be there. Luckily in 2020 LLM entrance subjective questions part was removed. We had 120 MCQ based questions, which were devided in form of 12 passages with each one of them containing 10 MCQ based questions. So total 120 questions. The time limit was 2 hours.

Since we were the 1^st batch to whom the passage case based questions were asked, so we did not had anything to refer to known as ‘previous year question papers’! Though CLAT consortium had send a mock test in that pattern which was helpful to know the kind of question we would be getting.

• Firstly, I practiced the mock send by CLAT consortium for LLM entrance exam to get an idea regarding the type of question I would get.
• Secondly, I prepared a list of landmark cases[ I prepared the list from the cases asked in the clat mock, then googled the landmark cases, took help from the videos of finology legal, they used to make short videos on landmark cases]. I would suggest start from the recent landmark cases, like I gave the entrance in 2020, so I studied landmark cases of previous 5 years. Then the subjects whose cases I focussed on was constitution law related cases majorly, then contract law related, tort related  cases, Criminal law related cases.
• Thirdly I studied Jurisprudence at a basic level like different schools, important definitions, which jurist gave the important terms like grundnorm, social engineering etc. Studied important cases of International law. Basic Knowledge of IPR would also help.
• Lastly side by side it’s important that you give mock tests, even if you are not prepared, because it helps you to know the kind of questions which can be asked, you get to know cases which you can study, helps to plan a strategy. I had bought the finology legal mock test series.

To study case laws, I used to prepare notes of the cases like which judge has said which landmark thing in the case, which judge has dissented, what was the majority ratio, who all judges had the majority view like this.

Since the level of the entrance has increased with this new pattern, now 1-month study just before the entrance won’t work! It requires I feel atleast 4 months study if aiming for a higher NLU!

What would be your parting message to our readers who are primarily law students and young lawyers?

I will say the most important thing is to keep a check on your mental health in law school. At times it gets really competitive and we feel overwhelmed. It is natural to happen. I will suggest don’t follow the herd! Explore different types of law, do internships related to litigation, corporate law, IPR etc and then decide in which field of law you want to make your career and if law is what you really wanna do! Try not to get pressurized seeing your peers, everybody has different fortes where they do well. Find yours. Law school is about exploring so do internships to know your interest. Also enjoy as much as you can because this time won’t come again!

Also, try to maintain your grades and for that try to study regularly. It helps to reduce tension during exams!