It is high time that the CLAT Core Committee seriously thinks about the quality and nature of the question paper which is supposed to filter out the set of talents most suitable for a career in law. At first look, I thought CLAT 2017 was a brilliant paper, but actually, except a few good things, the paper is of poor quality.

I have listed the 15 sure shot errors which I could find out till now. There were at least 10 more that I have not included here, because they are either debatable or I need more confirmation. Apart from these 25, there are other errors which indicate that many questions are of poor quality.

Today is the last date to upload objections to the paper. It can be uploaded from the candidate’s CLAT log in account. On May 25, the revised score will be published, and on May 29, the rank list will be published.

The paper had few more problems apart from the errors.

Not a single question from Static GK was asked. This, despite the syllabus of CLAT stating, “General knowledge will be tested on the general awareness including static general knowledge”. A lot of unnecessary hard work of focussed and hard-working students went in vain because of this.

Some of the GK questions are highly absurd. This will confuse those sitting for CLAT 2018 about what to prepare and what to leave out. Also, CLAT never announces a timeline. They have asked questions from 2015 as well.

Maths was very difficult. This was not supposed to be an MBA entrance test.

Here is a list of errors in the CLAT 2017 paper:

Error 1

Question Id – 4611392782 (Mathematics)

Nature of error – Typing error. None of the options are correct. This kind of error could have been avoided by a simple recheck.

In an office, 1/3 of the workers are Men, ½ of the men are married and 1/3 of the married men have “children. If ¾ of the women are married and 2/3 of the 2/3 of the married women have children, then the part of workers without children are:

1. a) 5/18
2. b) 11/18 (CLAT Answer)
3. c) 17/36
4. d) 4/9

Explanation of the error – The question has been probably copied from here.

This is a question from an aptitude test conducted by Infosys in engineering colleges. “2/3 of the” has been typed two times. Mathematically it means 4/9 instead of 2/3. Had it been 2/3, then CLAT answer would have been correct. If 4/9 is considered, 13/18 would be the answer. This confused a lot of students, who chose the nearest option 11/18 and got that correct. But there are many who invested their precious time and left it unanswered.

Best action for CLAT – Cancel the question or reward one mark to all. But the best action can be to reward only to those who devoted more than 15 seconds on this question. The time on each question can be tracked.

 Error 2

Question Id – 4611392791 (Mathematics)

Nature of error – This is not within the syllabus till 10th standard. The CLAT website clearly mentions about the Mathematics syllabus as such.

The Banker’s discount on a sum of money for 18 months is Rs. 600 and the true discount on the same sum for 3 years is Rs. 750/-. The rate percentage is:

1. a) 10%
2. b) 12 %
3. c) 20%
4. d) 15%

Explanation of the error – Out of syllabus

Best action for CLAT – Award everyone with one mark.

Error 3

Question Id – 4611392784 (Mathematics)

Nature of error – There is a typing error. This could have been avoided by simple re-check. One vital piece of information is missing.

‘A’ and ‘B’ complete a work in 12 days, ‘B’ and ‘C’ in 8 days and ‘C’ and ‘A’ in 16 days. ‘A’ left after working for 3 days. In how many days more will ‘B’ and ‘C’ finish the remaining work?

CLAT Answer – 4 ¾ days

Explanation of the error – It is nowhere mentioned who started the work. The above mentioned CLAT answer is based on the false assumption that all three (A. B and C) started working from the beginning which is not mentioned at all.

Best action for CLAT – Award all those with one mark who have spent at least 30 seconds on this question, and 1.25 marks to those who got incorrect due to this fallacy. Those who got one mark should remain as it is.

Error- 4

Question Id – 4611392701 (English)

Nature of error – Option marked as solution is grammatically wrong.

Two valence states of uranium, one with a deficit of four electrons and the other one with a deficit of six occurs in nature and contributes to the diversity of uranium’s behaviour.

1. the other one a deficit of six, occur in Nature and contribute
2. the other with a deficit of six, occur in Nature and contribute
3. the other with a deficit of six, occurs in Nature and contributes (CLAT Answer)
4. one with six occurs in Nature and contributes

Explanation of the error – Two valence states of Uranium should be succeeded with a plural. In this case, it is occur and not occurs. The correct option is – the other with a deficit of six, occur in nature and contribute.

Best action for CLAT – Change the answer from option 3 to option 2.

Error- 5

Question Id – 4611392726 (English)

Nature of error – No option is correct, that is, the sentence has no errors to be identified.

The officer asked that the report be submitted immediately.

Ans:

1. D
2. C (CLAT Answer)
3. B
4. A

Explanation of the error – Be submitted is an acceptable form of writing called a subjunctive. It is a specific verb form and in the context of the question, be submitted is accepted. There is no error and that is not in the option.

Best action for CLAT – Everyone should get one mark.

Error 6

Question Id – 4611392 727 (English)

Nature of error – Two options (Option 3 as well as 4) can be marked as the right answer, which is against the direction mentioned.

The hope to go through the book today I have almost read almost half of it.

Ans

1. B
2. C
3. D (CLAT Answer)
4. A

Explanation of the error – “The hope” is used grammatically wrongly in context of the sentence.  Probably instead of “I” it was typed “the”. Also, the solution mentioned is wrong. As per the directions, both options, that is, “The hope” and “almost read”, could be marked.

Best action for CLAT – Reward also those who marked option 1.

Error 7

Question Id – 4611392 744 (GK)

Nature of error – All options are wrong

Among the following M.L.As, who was disqualified by the Governor during January 2017 under Article 192 of the Constitution for undertaking government contracts?     

1. Srinivas Prasad of Karnataka
2. Uma Shankar Singh of Bihar (CLAT Answer)
3. Jayalalithaa of Tamil Nadu
4. P.C. George of Kerala

Explanation of the error – He is not from Bihar but from Uttar Pradesh. He belongs to Bahujan Samajh Party (BSP). I feel CLAT Authorities have mistaken another person named Uma Shankar Singh who belonged to Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) who passed away in 2013.

Best action for CLAT – Reward everyone with one mark.

Error 8

Question Id – 4611392898 (Logical Reasoning)

Nature of error – There can be more than one answer for the question.

Identify the statement which cannot be accepted

Ans:

1. Almost one third of the human body is made up of water
2. Odyssey is an ancient epic
3. Human race will become extinct sooner or later
4. The earth revolves around the sun in 366 days

Explanation of the error – The correct answer for the question can be 3 and 4.

[Editor’s note: Mr. Rajneesh says that even on leap years, the Earth does not take 366 days to revolve around the Sun. For some complicated math regarding the same, read this article.]

Error 9

Question Id – 4611392876 (Logical Reasoning)

Nature of error – One more option is correct

Pointing to a girl in the photograph, Ram said, ‘Her mother`s brother is the only son of my mother’s father’. How is the girl`s mother related to Ram?

Ans

1. Sister
2. Aunt (CLAT Answer)
3. Mother
4. Grandmother

Explanation of the error – The answer could either be aunt or mother since the number of daughters grandfather of Ram has is not given. Hence option 3 is also a correct answer

Best action for CLAT – Reward one mark also to those who marked option 3.

Error 10

Question Id – 4611392856 (Logical Reasoning)

Nature of error – The answer is wrong

Direction for Question Numbers 1 – 3 Read the following information carefully and choose the appropriate option in the questions given below.

1. There is a group of five persons – A, B, C, D and E.
2. One of them is a Singer, one is a Dancer, one is a Painter, one is a Teacher and one is a Doctor.

iii. Three of them – A, C and Doctor prefer rice to chapatti and two of them – B and the Painter prefer chapatti to rice.

1. The Teacher, D and A are friends to one another but two of these prefer chapatti to rice.
2. The Singer is C’s brother.

Who is a Teacher?

 Ans

1. B
2. C (CLAT Answer)
3. E
4. D

Explanation of the error – The puzzle has been solved incorrectly. The correct answer is B is the teacher.

Best action for CLAT – Change the answer and mark accordingly.

 Error 11

Question Id – 4611392857 (Logical Reasoning)

Nature of error – The answer is wrong

(Same question as above)

Who is a Dancer?

 Ans

1. A
2. C
3. E
4. D (CLAT Answer)

Explanation of the error – the puzzle has been solved incorrectly. The correct answer is C is the dancer.

Best action for CLAT – Change the answer and mark accordingly.

Error 12

Question Id – 4611392870 (Logical reasoning)

Nature of error – None of the options are correct. Highly irresponsible mistake. Had the question been solved once after copying it, the error would have been easily identified. Question probably copied from here and copied the wrong answer too.

When Ravi saw Ramesh, he recalled, ‘He is the son of the father of my daughter’. Who is Ramesh?

Ans

1. Uncle
2. Brother-in-law (CLAT Answer)
3. Cousin
4. Brother

Explanation of the error – Firstly, the answer given is incorrect. Secondly, the question lacks important information as to who is Ramesh in relation to whom is not given.

Best action for CLAT – Reward all with one mark.

Error 13

Question Id – 4611392888 (Logical Reasoning)

Nature of error – One more answer is correct

Ravi was showing a photograph to his friend, Gopi. Pointing at a boy in the photograph, Ravi said: ‘The boy sitting at the left is the son of the wife of the only son of the grand-mother of my younger brother’.

What is the relation between the boy in the photograph and Ravi?

Ans

1. Brothers (CLAT Answers)
2. Ravi’s brother-in-law
3. First Cousins
4. Nephew and uncle

Explanation of the error – option 3 can be also correct. The CLAT answer is based on the false assumption that Ravi is a male and grandmother is only the paternal one. Option 3 is in fact a better answer although option 1 is also correct and one of the possibility.

Best action for CLAT – Reward one mark also to the students who marked option 3.

Error 14

Question Id – 4611392875 (Logical reasoning)

Nature of error – There are three options correct

No parrots are black.

All crows are black.

From the above premises which one of the following conclusions is true?

Ans

1. No crows are parrots (CLAT answer)
2. No conclusion can be drawn.
3. Some parrots are not crows.
4. Some crows are not parrots.

Explanation of the error – Option 3 and 4 are also clearly correct.

Best action for CLAT – Reward with one mark also to those who marked option 3 and 4 as well. (Option 1 is correct anyway)

Error 15

Question Id – 4611392872 (Logical reasoning)

Nature of error – The question has no clear answer. Extremely bad question.

John wants to go the university. He starts from his house which is in the East and comes to a crossing. The road to his left ends in a theatre, straight ahead is the hospital. In which direction is the University?

Ans

1. North (CLAT Answer)
2. East
3. South
4. West

Explanation of the error – The correct direction cannot be found out. Moreover the question does not have any clarity about the fact about the house (east to what?).

Best action for CLAT – Cancel this question or mark every one with one mark.

Rajneesh Singh is the founder of CLAT Essentials (https://testprepshop.ccavenue.com), clatgk.com (Complete solution for CLAT GK prep) and the Do-Zen (https://www.facebook.com/rajneeshdozen/).