CLAT Essentials proudly celebrates the journey of Anwita Halwasiya — a student whose law school journey reflects perseverance, passion, and the ability to excel across multiple pursuits. Securing a West Bengal Rank of 43 in CLAT 2026 and an impressive 95.6 percentile in SLAT 2026, Anwita showcased her dedication throughout the law entrance process. She also appeared for the LNAT and is now set to begin her journey at O.P. Jindal Global Law School pursuing B.A. LL.B.
A Humanities student from La Martiniere for Girls, Kolkata, Anwita graduated with an outstanding 98% in her ISC Board Examinations while taking on leadership roles as the Vice-Captain of her house, Assistant Editor-in-Chief of the school magazine, and a member of various school committees.
Her journey has always been a balance of academics and creativity. A trained Odissi dancer, Anwita recently completed her Arangetram and earned the title of Nritya Malika, while also completing Trinity examinations up to Grade 6. Balancing these commitments with over a year and a half of CLAT preparation strengthened her discipline and adaptability.
Beyond academics, Anwita enjoys dancing, painting, writing, travelling, and exploring new experiences. As she begins this new chapter at O.P. Jindal Global Law School, she carries forward the curiosity and resilience that have defined her journey so far.
Q. You were preparing for CLAT, AILET, and LNAT while also handling board exams and school commitments. What did a typical weekday look like during your busiest months?
My weekdays were definitely hectic! Most days started with school, followed by tuitions, entrance exam preparation, assignments, and revision. Since there was always something to do, I tried to stay disciplined and manage my time properly. But no matter how busy things got, I always made sure to take out time for my extracurriculars and spend time with my friends and family too.
Q. What motivated your decision to pursue a career in law?
My decision to pursue law developed gradually over time. My grandfather was actually one of the first people to suggest it as a career option, and the more I explored the field, the more I realised it suited my interests and personality. What especially appealed to me about the profession is the role advocacy and legal reasoning play in creating real impact. I have always admired people who use the law to help those who may not always have the resources or platform to speak for themselves, and the idea of being able to contribute in that way someday really motivates me.
Q. Was there ever a point when you felt you had taken on too much? How did you avoid burnout?
Yes, definitely! November to February was an extremely packed period for me because, along with school commitments, I also had my rehearsal examinations, CLAT, AILET, LNAT, SLAT, and eventually my board examinations. To avoid burnout, I made daily schedules, focused on one task at a time instead of trying to do everything together, and stayed organised. At the same time, I made sure to give enough time to my hobbies, extracurriculars, friends, and family as well.
Q. If you could redesign your Class 12 schedule from scratch, what would you do differently?
I would definitely give more time to GK preparation and practising analytical and solving-based questions. Even though I covered a huge amount of GK towards the end, I feel my preparation would have been much stronger if I had worked on it regularly and consistently from the beginning. I also wish I hadn’t focused so heavily on passage-based Logical Reasoning because this year’s CLAT was very different from what most of us had expected. If I could redesign my schedule, I would spend more time building adaptability instead of preparing only for one expected pattern. CLAT can be unpredictable, so being comfortable with different types of questions is just as important as knowing the concepts themselves.
Q. Subject wise, could you tell us how you prepared for each subject in CLAT, your strategy, the hurdles you faced and how you overcame them?
English had always been one of my stronger sections, but I struggled with questions about the author’s main argument, tone, or suitable title. To improve, I practised those question types separately and analysed them carefully in mocks. Even if I got an answer right, I made sure I understood why it was correct, and whenever I had doubts, I got them solved by Clat Essentials’ faculty.
Maths was never my strongest subject, so I focused mainly on practice. I solved passages from different books and mocks, and before CLAT, I revised all the questions I had previously gotten wrong or the ones where my teachers had shown a faster method. That helped improve both my speed and accuracy.
For Logical Reasoning, I had practised both passage-based and solving questions, but I did not expect the paper to focus so heavily on solving-based questions. I had spent a lot of time working on strengthening and weakening argument questions because those were areas I struggled with. I even used AI and online resources to generate extra practice questions.
For GK, I mainly followed the list of topics given by Clat Essentials and made my own notes. I also regularly participated in the medal tests which helped a lot. I do wish I had started GK preparation earlier because consistency is extremely important in that section.
Legal Reasoning was generally one of my stronger areas. My main focus there was improving reading speed for long passages, so I practised with time limits to make sure I could read quickly while still understanding the passage properly.
Q. Which mattered more in your journey: consistency, mock scores, mentorship, or self-analysis?
Self-analysis, definitely. A year ago, I probably wouldn’t have given this answer, but looking back now, I’ve realised how important it truly is. Initially, I avoided analysing my mocks because I felt it was a waste of time, but my mentors encouraged me to do it consistently. Over time, I saw a huge improvement in my scores — from around 75 to 95. While consistency, mentorship, and mock scores all matter, I think self-analysis is what really helps you grow. Sitting down calmly after a mock, understanding your mistakes, and recognising patterns prevents you from repeating them and eventually gives your score a major boost.
Q. Beyond merely attempting mock tests, how did you approach the post-test analysis? Did you maintain a systematic record of errors to track your improvement?
I used to sit down after each mock and go through all my mistakes. I always made sure to clear my doubts with the CE faculty. QT was my weakest subject so I always kept a record of what went wrong and even for questions I got correct, I used to understand ways to do them faster from the teachers. The day before CLAT I went through all my QT mistakes in the mocks I had given over the last few months. I ended up getting a 12/12 in QT!
Q. For LNAT What type of passages challenged you the most initially, and how did you train yourself to handle them?
The passages that challenged me the most initially were philosophical passages and ones involving complex research topics with difficult vocabulary and sentence structures. Passages based on thinkers like Kant or Aristotle were especially confusing because they required very careful reading and interpretation. Unlike CLAT, LNAT felt like a completely different ballgame — the passages were longer, denser, and the options were extremely close in wording. I often had to reread passages multiple times to fully understand the essence of the argument. The only thing that really helped me improve was consistent practice through mocks, online exercises, and different preparation books. Over time, I became more comfortable with difficult language and learned how to read more patiently and critically.
Q.How do you handle the “I understand the passage, but the options are confusing” deadlock?
I realised that even if I understood the passage, the options themselves could still be extremely confusing because LNAT choices are often very closely worded. Questions asking about the author’s intention or a specific part of the passage were the trickiest for me. Initially, I struggled a lot with eliminating between two very similar answers. To improve, I solved a large number of mocks and practice questions, and whenever I got confused, I would either ask my teachers for help or use AI to understand why my answer was wrong and why another option was more accurate. Gradually, with enough practice, I became better at spotting small differences in wording and understanding exactly what the question was asking.
Q. In your experience, do LNAT options test logic, language, or the author’s intent more?
In my experience, LNAT tests the author’s intent more than anything else. Unlike CLAT, where many answers can be found more directly in the passage, LNAT focuses a lot on reading between the lines and understanding what the author is implying rather than simply stating. The options are often extremely close in wording, so you need to carefully understand the tone, perspective, and purpose of the passage. Of course, logic and language skills are important too, but I felt that understanding the deeper intent behind the argument was what mattered the most.
Q. Do you read the passage first or the questions first? Also, how did you divide time between passages—strictly equal segments or a more instinctive “triage” method?
I generally preferred reading the passage first and then moving to the questions. However, if there was a vocabulary-based question, I would quickly look at it beforehand so that I could notice the word while reading the passage instead of searching for it later. I also did not divide my time equally between passages. Through practice, I realised that certain passages — especially philosophical, political, or research-heavy ones — naturally took me more time than comparatively straightforward social or contemporary issue-based passages. So I followed a more instinctive approach and adjusted my timing depending on the difficulty level. At the same time, I kept track of time carefully and tried to make up for extra minutes spent on tougher passages by solving easier ones more quickly.
Q. LNAT options are famous for having two “very close” options. What was your internal checklist for killing that second-best option?
Whenever I found myself confused between two very close LNAT options, I focused on identifying which option matched the author’s exact intent most accurately. I learned that LNAT often tests subtle differences in tone, implication, and wording, so even a slight exaggeration or assumption could make an option incorrect. I also avoided choosing answers simply because they sounded more intellectual or detailed. The correct option was usually the one most precisely supported by the passage without going beyond what the author had actually implied. With consistent practice, I gradually became better at identifying these small distinctions.
Q. How many full-length mocks did you take, and what is the “correct” way to analyse them so you actually learn?
Towards the end of my CLAT preparation, I honestly lost count of how many mocks I gave. Initially, I used to take one or two mocks a week, but in the final month or month and a half, I was giving one almost every day. I also joined test series from different coaching institutes and solved mocks from multiple organisations to expose myself to different question patterns.
For me, the most important part was not just giving mocks, but analysing them properly. There is no single “correct” way to analyse a mock — what matters is that you understand what went wrong and how to avoid repeating the same mistakes. I always analysed my mocks by myself first before taking doubts to my teachers because self-analysis helps the lesson stay in your head much better. Only after identifying my own mistakes would I discuss doubts or confusing questions with him. I genuinely feel that if you give mocks without analysing them, there is very little benefit. Even if you solve ten mocks, the only ones that truly help are the ones you carefully review and learn from.
Q. Did you take up any dedicated mentoring support, and how important do you think one-on-one mentoring from experienced educators is in shaping a student’s CLAT & LNAT preparation?
My Clat Essentials mentor was probably the best mentor anyone can ask for. During my CLAT preparation, I realised that analysing mocks is the most important part of the entire journey, and I used to get all my doubts sorted by him one-on-one. He was available anytime I needed help whether it was during the day or at 1 a.m.
I believe one-on-one mentoring is extremely important. Of course, you learn a lot from your peers too, and being in the right environment and around the right people matters a lot, but having personalised guidance from an experienced educator gives you an edge. My CE mentors shaped my CLAT and LNAT preparation in ways I can’t even begin to describe, and getting into Jindal would not have been possible without them.
Q. If someone has only 30 days left, what are the three things they must focus on to get a good score?
If someone has only 30 days left, I would say the three most important things are strengthening weak areas, revising GK consistently, and staying calm under pressure. This is not the time to experiment with completely new strategies or resources. Instead, focus on improving the sections where you lose the most marks. If Maths is weak, practise more solving-based questions and shortcuts; if English or Logical is weak, spend more time on passages and comprehension. GK revision should also become a daily habit because it is impossible to cover everything at the last moment. Lastly, I think mindset matters a lot in the final month. CLAT is unpredictable, so staying calm, trusting your preparation, and not panicking during difficult sections can make a huge difference in your final score.
Q. In competitive exams like CLAT and LNAT, time management is an essential skill, how did you navigate and build that?
Time management was one of the most important aspects of both CLAT and LNAT preparation. Fortunately, I always had good reading speed and comprehension skills, which gave me a strong starting point, but regular practice and mocks helped me use that speed more effectively under pressure. Over time, I learned that good time management is not about attempting every single question rather knowing where to invest your time. If a question was taking too long or confusing me too much, I learned to move on instead of panicking or wasting valuable minutes on it
Q. At what specific moment did you realise LNAT was a completely different beast, and your CLAT strategies weren’t going to cut it? Which CLAT habits helped you, and which ones actively hurt your performance?
I realised LNAT was completely different when I started solving full-length LNAT passages and noticed how different the questioning style was from CLAT. In CLAT, many answers can usually be found more directly in the passage, whereas LNAT focuses far more on reading between the lines, understanding the author’s deeper intent, and identifying subtle differences between very closely worded options. The passages were also denser, more philosophical, and required slower, more careful reading.
Some CLAT habits definitely helped me, especially reading speed, stamina, and time management. However, certain habits hurt my performance initially. I was used to moving quickly and relying on direct textual support for answers, while LNAT required me to slow down, think more critically, and pay close attention to tone and nuance instead of just scanning for answers.
Q. Looking back, what specific mistake cost you those 1–2 marks that would have made your score even higher?
I panicked because the Logical section was very different from what I had practised for so long. In that moment, even though I knew CLAT can be unpredictable, I still froze a little. But when I came back home and calmly went through the paper, I realised that the passages were actually quite doable and I could have probably pushed my score from a 91 to maybe a 97. That experience taught me how important it is to stay calm and trust your preparation, even when the paper feels unfamiliar at first glance.
Q. Based on your experience, what is your primary advice for future aspirants targeting CLAT and LNAT
My primary advice would be to not panic and to always expect the unexpected. It’s much easier said than done, but staying calm during the exam makes a huge difference. Looking back, if I hadn’t panicked seeing how different the Logical section was from what I had practised, I probably would have scored much higher. Analytical reasoning and solving-based questions were never my strongest area, so seeing an unfamiliar pattern threw me off. I had gone in expecting mostly passage-based logical reasoning because that was what I had practised for the longest time. At the same time, it’s important to remember that CLAT is not the be-all and end all. When the results came out, I was extremely disappointed and honestly felt quite hopeless.
But I picked myself back up, prepared for LNAT and SLAT, and eventually secured admission into both Symbiosis Pune and O.P. Jindal Global Law School. There is always a path beyond CLAT. Even if you don’t get into your dream NLU, it does not define your future. Keep working hard, trust your preparation, and don’t lose hope.
A CLAT Essentials Interview by Oyishee Bose