We are incredibly proud to celebrate the achievement of our CLAT Essentials student, Bhavya Khera, who has secured an excellent result in CLAT and will be joining the prestigious West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS) this year.
A Humanities student from Modern High School for Girls, Bhavya is a passionate sportsperson who enjoys basketball, throwball, table tennis, cricket, and virtually any activity that keeps her active and engaged. Beyond academics, she finds joy in music and cherishes spending time with her loved ones, especially her sister, whom she considers her best friend.
Driven by a deep belief in justice and the power of advocacy, Bhavya aspires to build a career in law. Her interest in the legal profession was shaped not only by her values but also by the inspiring message of the film Legally Blonde, which reinforced her belief that determination and confidence can overcome stereotypes and barriers. While she jokingly describes herself as a procrastinator, she views it as a trait that ultimately pushes her to refine her work and strive for excellence.
Her journey from aspiring law student to future WBNUJS undergraduate is a testament to perseverance, consistency, and self-belief. Bhavya is especially grateful to her parents, Vineet Kumar Khera and Ritu Khera, whose unwavering support and encouragement played an invaluable role in her success. From motivating her to appear for every mock test to constantly reminding her to believe in herself and strive for excellence, they stood by her at every step of the journey. As we celebrate this remarkable achievement, we are delighted to share her insights and experiences with future CLAT aspirants.
Congratulations on your outstanding achievement. Could you share your immediate reaction upon receiving the news that you are joining WBNUJS, and what this success signifies for you personally?
WBNUJS was my absolute dream college, and finally making it in is incredibly exciting! I am especially thrilled to attend because it is located right here in my own city. The institution offers fantastic placement opportunities, but what truly stands out to me is the holistic development I will gain. Being surrounded by an exceptionally educated and driven peer group will undoubtedly challenge me and help me develop further as a person. I am looking forward to this next chapter, and while there is definitely a bit of nervousness, I truly believe it is going to be the best part of my life. I am deeply grateful for the personalized support that helped me bridge the gap between my initial struggles and this ultimate goal. This milestone validates all the hours spent converting my weaknesses into strengths and proves that consistency beats initial limitations.
What motivated your decision to pursue a career in law?
On a personal level, I have always loved reading legal cases. My interest in the field was also sparked by watching Legally Blonde, which motivated me to explore a career in law. Additionally, I absolutely hated math and harboured a strong love for justice, making law the perfect path for me.
These factors, combined with a transitional phase in my preparation where personalized mentorship turned analytical skill-building into an active and engaging process, gave me a genuine sense of purpose. It ultimately fuelled my desire to pursue law at NUJS.
Could you outline the daily routine you adhered to during your preparation? Specifically, how did you structure your day to ensure effective study hours versus necessary breaks?
My schedule was highly packed because I was balancing multiple commitments. A typical day involved going to school, heading straight to my academic tuitions, and then attending my CLAT coaching tutorials.
Instead of strictly counting the number of study hours, I focused on daily consistent planning. I never compromised on my extracurricular activities or hobbies, ensuring I had necessary breaks.
You were simultaneously managing school board exam pressure, CLAT preparation, and extracurricular commitments. How did you practically divide your time across all three – did you follow a fixed weekly schedule, and did school ever take priority over CLAT prep?
It was definitely a major challenge. I am a student of Modern High School for Girls (MHS), where the academic pressure is quite intense. In fact, I had to balance the critical phase of CLAT preparation right alongside my school pre-board exams.
However, I did not let school completely eclipse my CLAT goals, nor did I abandon my extracurricular activities. I prioritized managing my time dynamically to keep everything sustainable. I used to give my weekends to CLAT preparation specifically. The strategy I used to keep up with school is that I tried to be present and complete the school work at school itself so that I would have ample time at home to focus on CLAT and other extra-curriculars.
Did your study routine evolve as the exam date approached, particularly in the final month? How did your strategy in the last 30 days differ from the initial phase of your preparation?
In the final 30 days, I focused on remaining completely relaxed rather than studying aggressively all night and day. I continued to take mock tests without letting lower scores demotivate me, while dedicating time to thoroughly revising my General Knowledge.
It was crucial for me to maintain a healthy balance—ensuring I didn’t stress, overeat, oversleep, or suffer from a lack of sleep. This calm, balanced approach kept me grounded, to the point that on the very day before the exam, I didn’t study a single word just to let myself relax and take a deep breath.
The final month of preparation is undoubtedly the most stressful phase, but the way you manage your mental composure directly reflects in your final exam performance.
The preparation journey is often long and arduous. How did you navigate periods of burnout or suboptimal performance in your mock tests to maintain your momentum?
Even when I received low mock scores, I chose not to get demotivated. For me, the entire value of giving a mock test lay in the learning experience. Instead of stressing over a bad score, I channelled my energy into breaking down the test and thoroughly recording my errors
CLAT is distinct for its high-pressure, speed-intensive nature. How did you manage exam-day anxiety, and did you utilize any specific techniques to maintain composure during the test?
Building a systematic reading habit beforehand was key to keeping my composure. My mentor trained me using a structured three-step reading exercise: skimming for core concepts, summarizing a passage concisely in a single line, and then deeply analysing it. This rigorous training gradually elevated my comfort level with complex texts, which helped me stay grounded and control my anxiety when facing the actual paper.
With the abundance of study material available, could you list the primary resources, books, periodicals, or platforms that you found most indispensable to your success?
I utilized a variety of online and offline tools, but the most indispensable resources for me were:
• Clat Manual by Pearson
• Clat Essentials mentorship and material
• Online Editorials and Articles (crucial for reading practice)
• Clat Essentials Telegram Quizzes for rapid Current Affairs practice
• YouTube Videos for conceptual clarity
How instrumental were mock tests in your overall preparation strategy? Specifically, how did they aid in your conditioning for the actual exam environment?
Mock tests were absolutely vital. I joined test series at two different institutes and made it a point to attempt mocks every Sunday. They were essential for training me to handle the strict time constraints and conditioning my mind for the test environment, though maintaining a consistent schedule for them required careful planning. The strategy being treating every mock as real CLAT and CLAT as a mock.
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?
Thorough analysis is a lengthy process; I dedicated 2 to 3 hours per mock depending on its difficulty level. I systematically wrote down all of my mistakes in an error record to ensure I wouldn’t repeat them in subsequent tests. This deep-dive analysis is what truly transformed mocks into an effective tool for improvement.
Given the vast scope of General Knowledge and Current Affairs, what methodology did you adopt to stay updated efficiently without feeling overwhelmed?
Many aspirants find Current Affairs overwhelming because they attempt to write massive, exhaustive notes. My methodology was completely different and much more interactive.
Clat Essentials hosted competitive, fun nightly quizzes on Telegram at 10:00 PM. We would be tested on two specific topics of the day through 10 targeted questions. This daily, gamified approach made GK highly engaging rather than stressful.
Time management is critical in a 120-minute examination. Could you walk us through your section-attempt strategy?
Because I naturally read slowly, I initially struggled to ever finish the paper. To counter this, my strategy relied on balancing my accuracy with gradual speed optimization. I leaned heavily on my strongest areas English and General Knowledge to secure quick, reliable points, which allowed me to distribute my remaining time efficiently across the more time-consuming sections.
In hindsight, is there any aspect of your preparation strategy that you would alter or improve upon if given the chance?
In my early preparation phase at a previous institute, the learning environment was entirely passive—it was just a teacher lecturing and students listening without any interactive activities. If I could go back, I would introduce personalized, one-on-one mentoring and active learning strategies much earlier in my journey.
Based on your experience, what is your primary advice for future aspirants targeting CLAT 2027?
Consistency and balance are everything. My primary advice is to understand that studying for 8 hours a day erratically is far less effective than studying for 2 hours consistently every single day. Focus heavily on analysing your mocks properly and tracking your errors systematically.
If you had previously appeared for CLAT, how did you approach your second attempt differently – strategically, mentally, and in terms of resource selection?
I was not a dropper; I cracked CLAT on my first attempt as a class 12 school student. However, I did completely revamp my approach midway through my preparation when I shifted from a conventional coaching institute to a highly personalized mentorship model that focused explicitly on my individual weaknesses.
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 preparation?
Yes, I took dedicated mentoring at Clat Essentials, and it was entirely game-changing. When I first joined, my mock scores were very poor. My mentor personally analysed my specific flaws like my slow reading speed and designed tailored exercises to help me build efficiency while maintaining my natural accuracy.
Personal mentoring turns an overwhelming, stressful process into a fun, rewarding learning experience.
The comprehension-heavy format of CLAT rewards strong readers. Was reading always a habit for you, or did you consciously build it during prep and if so, how?
I was not a natural reader at all, and my slow reading speed initially made it impossible to finish mock papers. I had to consciously build this skill from scratch. I practiced by shifting to extensive online reading, consuming articles and editorials daily. I also utilized a structured skimming and summarizing drill that transitioned my reading from slow and laborious to fast and efficient.
Having gone through the entire journey yourself, what is the single biggest mistake you see fellow aspirants making that silently kills their performance?
The single biggest mistake is “hoarding” mock tests without properly analysing them. Doing an excessive number of mocks is counterproductive if you don’t spend the necessary 2–3 hours tearing them apart, identifying your weak spots, and recording your mistakes so they aren’t repeated.
What’s your advice for future aspirants on handling an unpredictable paper?
To handle unpredictability, you must focus on building a robust core skill set rather than relying on rote memorization. Cultivating strong analytical reading skills and sharp mental adaptability allows you to face any unexpected pattern with composure. Events like “Clat Melas” and competitive live quizzes conducted by Clat Essentials are fantastic for building this kind of mental agility in a fun, high-pressure environment.
Comparison with peers is one of the most silent yet damaging traps during CLAT prep. Did you ever fall into it, and how did you learn to block out that noise?
The best way to block out peer comparison is to view peer interaction as a healthy competitive fuel rather than a threat. For instance, during our nightly Telegram quizzes, the environment was intensely competitive and challenging, but we treated it as a fun game.
Shifting your mindset from “How am I performing against them?” to “What can I learn from this exercise?” keeps you focused on your own growth.
Finally, what is your message to students who are currently preparing for CLAT 2027 or thinking about giving CLAT in general
My biggest piece of advice for anyone on their CLAT journey is to remember that you must never completely sacrifice your life, your hobbies, or what you love for this exam. Throughout my journey, I never stopped playing sports whether it was basketball, table tennis, or throwball.
Your mental well-being dictates your performance; maintain your balance, stay consistent, and don’t let the exam consume your identity. Treat this exam as an opportunity not an endgame.
A CLAT Essentials Interview by Oyishee Bose