My CLAT Experience (2025 vs 2026) on the exam day

Summary

Farhan recounts taking CLAT twice—first in 2025 and again in 2026—and compares how his preparation, mindset, and exam-day decisions affected his performance. He says he narrowly missed NALSAR on his first attempt, by 0.5 marks, and describes changing his approach for the second.

First attempt: Preparation without enough flexibility

Before his first exam, Farhan felt confident and had studied intensely, often for 8–10 hours a day. But he says he overemphasized general knowledge (GK) in the final days and neglected practice in other sections. On exam day, he kept revising GK, forgot his prepared notes at home, ate a heavier-than-usual lunch, and felt sleepy. He also lacked a clear plan for caffeine and exam timing.

During the paper, several decisions cost him time:

• He spent too long on legal reasoning because he expected answers to be stated directly in the passages. When that was not the case, he reread the material instead of adapting quickly.
• In logical reasoning, he repeatedly attempted a difficult analytical-reasoning passage rather than leaving it and returning later.
• In GK, he started with static knowledge and reread passages, assuming the answers would be in the text.
• He reached quantitative aptitude with only about 8–9 minutes left. Under pressure, he worked from the beginning rather than prioritizing questions he knew he could solve.

He says he missed NALSAR by 0.5 marks and describes subsequent legal proceedings over disputed questions and results. The subtitles contain inconsistent references to exam years, but the video’s main comparison is between his 2025 and 2026 attempts.

Second attempt: Structure, calm, and adaptation

For his second attempt, Farhan followed a more deliberate schedule during the final week, balancing mock tests, GK revision, and practice in other sections. The night before the exam, he reminded himself that he had done what he could and tried not to make his self-worth depend on the result.

On exam day, he limited GK revision to selected topics, relaxed by watching sports, and avoided trying to study everything at the test center. He also kept to himself before the exam to maintain focus.

When he saw that the paper contained several analytical-reasoning passages, he stuck to his plan rather than panicking. He completed other sections, skipped a difficult passage when he recognized it could consume too much time, and returned to it later. In quantitative aptitude, he attempted easier questions before harder ones. He says his mock-test experience helped him stay calm, even when a question took longer than expected. After the exam, he felt much more confident about his chances at NALSAR than he had after his first attempt.

Main lessons and advice

Farhan’s practical lessons are:

1. Make a clear schedule for exam week and exam day.

   • Decide in advance how much time to give to mock tests, GK revision, and practice in other sections.
   • Plan what you will do on the morning of the exam and while travelling to the center.
   • Keep revision selective; focus on material you are likely to forget rather than trying to review everything.

2. Be mindful of food, sleep, and routine.

   • Avoid unusual or especially heavy meals that could make you sleepy.
   • Wake up at a planned time and follow a familiar routine.
   • Prepare any materials you need before leaving.

3. Expect disruptions and adapt.

   • Things may go wrong, such as forgetting notes, arriving at an unfamiliar center, or encountering an unexpected paper.
   • Do not let one setback derail the rest of the exam. Stay composed and adjust your plan.

4. Do not fixate on a rank or a particular university during the test.

   • Focus on maximizing your score one question at a time.
   • Prioritize questions you can answer confidently before spending time on harder ones.

5. Use the first few minutes to plan.

   • Quickly assess the paper and decide an order for the sections or passages.
   • A short plan can help prevent impulsive choices and make it easier to manage time.

6. Do not let a difficult question become an ego battle.

   • If a passage is taking too long or making little progress, leave it and return later if time allows.
   • Repeatedly attempting one difficult passage can cost marks elsewhere.

7. Practise under realistic conditions, including offline tests.

   • Farhan recommends taking offline mocks to experience the pressure of a test-center environment.
   • He says this can help students practise staying calm when the paper is surprising or events do not go as planned.

He argues that strong students can underperform not because they lack ability, but because pressure and unexpected difficulties disrupt their decision-making.

Speakers and sources featured

• Farhan Uddin — the sole speaker, sharing his personal experiences and advice. He also briefly promotes his “Endgame” mentoring program and LegalEdge mock tests.