How to utilize newspapers for CLAT preparations?

Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is one such exam that tests the overall capabilities of the aspirants. It is not about studying a specific curriculum and cracking the exam. CLAT checks for the logical reasoning capabilities, how updated the candidate is with the current affairs, and the ability to complete things in a limited time. 

While there are many resources available for CLAT preparation, newspapers are the most underrated. There are various aspects of the exam that can be effectively covered if you read newspapers the right way. For instance, current affairs hold a significant part in the exam, which you can cover by reading the newspaper daily.

Although there is nothing wrong with opting for CLAT online Courses and books, you have to stay a step ahead to beat the tough competition. If you have been ignoring newspapers because of too much content or any other reason, it is high time to make it a habit to read a newspaper daily. 

In this article, we have curated the right ways to use the newspaper as CLAT study material. 

Important and selected news

Newspapers are lengthy, comprising a wide variety of content. You can’t spend hours every day reading newspapers because not everything is necessary for you. 

What you need to do is pick up the important topics from every page and then go through these topics one by one. The important topics will be those related to political events, primary sports news, scientific achievements, economic agendas, or impactful judicial decisions. 

You can skip the topics related to small cities that don’t impact society as a whole. Some state-level headlines can also be skipped because CLAT is a national exam, and most of the questions are related to current national affairs. 

After reading, you should note down key points to revise things quickly before the exam. You might not be able to remember everything by reading it once. 

Read on a daily basis

While you may find it challenging to decide what to read and what to ignore initially, but things will change once you make it a habit. Reading it daily will help you understand the topics and make quick decisions about what to read and note down.

Many CLAT aspirants know the importance of reading newspapers but still don’t do it daily. They pick it up once or twice a week. This doesn’t help much. 

You end up skipping many crucial current affairs and news stories that might be important for the exam. It mostly happens because they rely solely on books. There is nothing wrong with choosing CLAT preparation books and courses, but newspaper reading is something that is recommended by the experts at CLAT coaching. 

Daily reading also builds comprehension and analytical abilities, which are crucial to crack the CLAT exam. 

Don’t skip the editorial section

In every newspaper, you will find some critical articles written by the editor or the editorial team. These articles are the views and opinions of the writer related to some current scenario, situation, or issue in the country. For instance, January month this year was mainly about the Farmer’s protest and new bill. 

Such topics are important for CLAT preparation. If you read reliable and authentic newspapers, you find so much value through the editorial articles. This type of content will provoke you to think of things in different ways and from different angles. It is good for your mental and evaluation capabilities. 

Jot down new & important words

Three sections in the CLAT exam test your vocabulary– English, Logical Reasoning, and Legal Reasoning. So, brace yourself for a lot of questions comprising difficult vocabulary. 

In order to prepare yourself for such questions, newspaper reading is an influential way. Most of the English newspapers like the Times of India, Hindustan Times, The Indian Express, etc., use modern language and new words specific to the niche of the news. Undoubtedly, these words will build your vocabulary.

You can’t remember every spelling with meaning in one go. It would be better to jot down the new words with their meanings. Learn and revise these words repeatedly. 

Even if you learn 15 to 20 words every day, this means you learn around 450 to 600 words every month. In ten months or a year, the total number of words in your vocabulary will be more than 5,000. This is really a considerable number and will surely help you score high in the exam. 

For effective learning, you must also try to use the new words in conversations and write-ups. 

Wrapping up:

You simply can’t ignore the benefits of newspaper reading since it prepares you for vocal-based questions, general awareness, logical reasoning, legal reasoning, and current affairs. We hope the tips mentioned above will help you to use the newspaper for CLAT preparation. 

Happy newspaper reading!