CLAT 2025 Topper: Meet Saksham Gautam; an arts student who loves Math

With the process of counselling for the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) UG on at the moment, the second merit list already out and the third slated for June 20, The Indian Express spoke with CLAT 2025 topper Saksham Gautam. The Delhi Public School, Faridabad student of humanities is also a board topper with an impressive 98.6 per cent.

Talking to this newspaper, Gautam revealed his preparation plan, mindset, and suggestions for aspiring candidates in the future.

Inspiration to opt for law

For Gautam, choosing law was based on intellectual interest as well as an inner civic desire.

I started thinking outside of Engineering and Medical as early as Class 7," Gautam said, adding that even though he was from an engineering family, STEM just didn't work for him. "Social Sciences, particularly English and History, interested me. By Class 9 and 10, law became a strong option," he further stated.

He also insisted that he was keen on public service. "I don't have a corporate ambition. Several of our national leaders and freedom fighters were lawyers. Even for UPSC, law graduates have a decent selection ratio," he clarified, hinting that public service is still an option far in the future.

Balancing CLAT with Class 12 boards

"It was difficult to balance CLAT with Class 12 boards," Gautam confessed openly. During regular school, he prepared for CLAT simultaneously with Legal Edge by Toprankers in Delhi.

"Prioritisation was the key. If CLAT required more time, school had to take a back seat and vice versa," he added.".

He started serious preparation in Class 11 by maintaining 2-3 hours of study time daily for CLAT. "In 12th, I didn't count hours. I had a task-based routine. My aim was to finish all tasks by night," he said.

Challenging sections

Reading comprehension, Gautam added, was "one of the toughest areas of CLAT" because the exam is very passage-based. "I wasn't a regular reader, so getting into the habit of reading – particularly newspapers and long articles – was difficult initially," he said.

Logical Reasoning too was a task. "Critical reasoning is the hallmark of CLAT. Thoroughness with assumptions, arguments, and conclusions is the key," he advised, suggesting regular practice and focus on last year questions.

Discussing Legal Reasoning, Gautam dispelled a myth: "You don't have to be legally literate. An awareness of recent legal trends is crucial more than memorizing legal buzzwords." 

Role of mock tests and coaching

"Mocks are not negotiable. They reveal where you are and how to work on improving. CLAT completely transformed after 2020, so it is essential to know changing trends through mocks," the CLAT topper explained.

Though Gautam greatly benefited from coaching, he highlighted its intent. "Coaching won't make you successful – your effort will. What coaching provides is structure, discipline, and mentorship," he explained, adding that Legal Edge had useful material and direction, especially in General Knowledge.

"Mentorship, to me, meant somebody reviewing my mock scores, assisting in identifying weak areas, and demonstrating how to improve on them," he further added.

Advice on remaining focused

Social media addiction, Gautam disclosed, was his greatest challenge while preparing. "I was distracted in Class 11 and even up to 12th. The turning point was to acknowledge to myself that it was affecting my preparation," he said. Removing apps and having his parents' and teachers' oversight helped him get back in control. "Distractions will differ, but the key is honest acknowledgment," he said.

Advice for future aspirants

"Read newspapers, editorials, whatever," he suggested. "Work on increasing the reading speed and comprehension. Alongside that, start fundamental maths: percentages, averages, ratios," Gautam further suggested.

He also asked aspirants not to overlook maths. "Several are afraid of it irrationally. However, CLAT maths is Class 8-9 level. You need to address it. Maths and GK are game-changers in top ranks," he added.

Delay in CLAT results

Terming the five-month publication delay of CLAT results between December 2024 and May 2025 as "distressing", Gautam added that uncertainty was the actual burden. "There was a point where it seemed the counselling process had been postponed indefinitely. Aspirants shouldn't be the victims because of others' mistakes," he said. 

The road ahead

Gautam is yet to decide on a law specialisation but is not closing any doors. "College will assist me in working that out," he explained. He's also reading Dr B R Ambedkar's Annihilation of Caste and prefers to spend free time either walking or chatting with friends over participating in sports.

According to him, "CLAT might be unpredictable, but with consistency, mentorship, and self-discipline, it's absolutely conquerable."