iQuanta has launched a Mini Mock Series covering all the sections of the CLAT exam, these questions have been handpicked by our faculty based on the latest CLAT exam pattern.
Instructions:-
1. Attempt all the questions.
2. Once you have completed all the questions of a particular section click on the submit button for scores and explanations then move to the next sections.
3. For each correct answer, you receive 1 mark. For this mock, there is no negative marking.
English Language
Each set of questions in this section is based on a single passage. Please answer each question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the corresponding passage. In some instances, more than one option may be the answer to the question; in such a case, please choose the option that most accurately and comprehensively answers the question.
The first whispers of the storm arrived with the tide, a tremor in the water, a sigh through the casuarina leaves. The sky, a canvas of bruised violet, bled into the indigo of the sea. Kanai, hunched over his fishing net under the skeletal shade of a banyan tree, felt the premonition prickle on his skin. The air, usually thick with the cloying sweetness of mangrove blossoms, was now taut with anticipation. The birds, those feathered sentinels of the delta, had fallen silent. A hush had descended, heavier than the gathering humidity.
Kanai’s calloused fingers, seasoned by years of wrestling with the river’s bounty, fumbled with the knotted mesh. His eyes, accustomed to the subtle language of the estuary, scanned the horizon. There, a bruise on the bruised sky, a darkness that pulsed and churned. The storm, a monstrous leviathan stirred from its slumber, was upon them.
The wind, a mischievous child at first, tugged at Kanai’s ragged dhoti, then, with a sudden, feral growl, tore at the leaves, whipping them into a frenzy. The casuarina, its gnarled limbs etched against the storm-wracked sky, seemed to groan in protest. The first drops of rain, fat and heavy, splattered on the parched earth, raising a plume of dust that danced in the wind’s maelstrom. Kanai, a lone figure against the encroaching darkness, felt a pang of fear claw at his heart.
But fear was a luxury he could not afford. The storm, a capricious goddess, demanded respect, not terror. Kanai, a child of the delta, knew her moods. He had seen her fury before, witnessed the dance of destruction she performed on the fragile stage of the Sundarbans. He knew that to survive her wrath, he had to become one with the rhythm of the tempest.
With a practised ease born of generations who had wrestled with the whims of the tide, Kanai gathered his net, the mesh singing a mournful dirge in the wind. He secured his rickety boat, a testament to the ingenuity of his ancestors, and turned his back on the advancing storm. He sought refuge not in the flimsy shell of his hut, but in the heart of the mangrove itself. The labyrinthine waterways, the tangled roots that held the secrets of the earth, the whispering leaves that sang of ancient wisdom – these were his fortress.
As the storm unleashed its fury, the Sundarbans transformed into a cauldron of churning water and howling wind. The air crackled with unseen energy, the rain a relentless drumming on the earth’s skin. Yet, amidst the chaos, Kanai found a strange solace. He was a part of this dance, a note in the symphony of the storm. The fear had given way to a quiet acceptance, a knowledge that even in the face of the goddess’s wrath, life, tenacious and resilient, would find a way.
Quantitative Techniques
Logical Reasoning
Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question.
Since the French Revolution in 1789, France has been a secular state, with the 1791 law mandating state neutrality in public and church affairs. This foundational principle led to the Jules Ferry laws, ensuring state schools’ secular nature in infrastructure, staff, and curriculum. The 2004 law, a culmination of these principles, prohibits conspicuous religious symbols in schools, a response to the late 1980s’ crisis involving Muslim girls wearing headscarves in state schools. This law, officially titled Law No. 2004-228 of 15 March 2004, was a definitive measure to maintain secularism in educational institutions.
The secular state of France, established post-revolution, transitioned the country from an absolute monarchy, where the king, believed to be ruling by divine right, wielded unrestricted power, often influenced by the church. The revolution brought about a constitutional monarchy and later a republic, introducing significant legal reforms. These included the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, emphasizing liberty, equality, and secularism.
Jules Ferry’s educational laws in 1882, mandating free, compulsory, and secular education, marked a significant step in reinforcing secularism. Despite initial opposition, these schools became a testament to France’s commitment to secular principles. However, the 1989 incident, where three Muslim students were expelled for wearing headscarves, highlighted a loophole in these laws, leading to the 2004 law’s enactment.
The 2004 law, while fitting within France’s secular framework, faced both domestic and international criticism. Internationally, countries like Britain and the United States opposed it, citing contradictions with religious freedoms. Domestically, the law sparked debates about women’s rights and religious expression.
Despite these controversies, the law aligns with France’s secularism principles, as encapsulated in its motto “Liberté, égalité, fraternité.” It aims to ensure religious freedom by preventing any form of religious pressure in state schools. The law’s adoption reflects France’s unique approach to secularism, distinguishing it from other Western nations in its militant separation of church and state.
In conclusion, the 2004 law represents France’s ongoing commitment to secularism, a core principle since the revolution. It addresses contemporary challenges while remaining true to the nation’s foundational values of liberty, equality, and fraternity. The law’s implementation and subsequent debates underscore the complex interplay between secularism, religious freedom, and cultural identity in modern France.
Legal Reasoning
Directions: Read the passage and answer the following question.
Undue influence stands as a significant vitiating factor in contract law, wielding the power to render agreements voidable at the discretion of the influenced party. This legal doctrine comes into play when one party exercises undue pressure or influence over another, leading to the creation of a contract that unfairly benefits the influencing party. Notably, undue influence often thrives within relationships characterized by dominance or dependency, where one party holds a position of authority or trust over the other. In such instances, the vulnerable party may feel compelled to acquiesce to the demands or suggestions of the influential party, even if it goes against their own interests or desires. This dynamic is particularly evident in cases where the resulting contract is deemed unconscionable, meaning it is so one-sided or oppressive that it shocks the conscience of the court. When faced with such scenarios, the law presumes the existence of undue influence, shifting the burden of proof onto the party benefiting from the contract to demonstrate fairness and equity.
It’s crucial to differentiate between undue influence and mere persuasion in contractual matters. While persuasion involves the use of convincing arguments or appeals to reason, undue influence operates on a more coercive level, exploiting vulnerabilities or imbalances of power to secure agreement. Unlike persuasion, which seeks to sway opinions or decisions through legitimate means, undue influence manipulates the decision-making process of the influenced party, leaving them with a diminished capacity for autonomous choice. Consequently, contracts entered into under undue influence lack the hallmark of free consent essential to the validity of contractual agreements.
The assessment of undue influence also considers the condition and circumstances of the influenced party. Factors such as age, mental capacity, emotional state, and the nature of the relationship between the parties all play a crucial role in determining the presence of undue influence. For instance, contracts entered into by individuals suffering from cognitive impairment or emotional distress are more susceptible to scrutiny for undue influence. Similarly, transactions involving family members, caregivers, or persons in positions of authority demand heightened scrutiny to ensure that the consent of the vulnerable party remains genuine and uncoerced.
The insidious nature of undue influence lies in its ability to undermine the foundational principles of contract law, particularly the requirement of free consent. Contracts tainted by undue influence fail to reflect the true intentions and interests of the parties involved, skewing the balance of power in favor of the influencing party. By exploiting vulnerabilities or exerting undue pressure, the influencing party effectively manipulates the terms of the contract to their advantage, depriving the influenced party of the opportunity for meaningful negotiation or informed decision-making. In essence, undue influence erodes the integrity of contractual agreements, eradicating the autonomy and agency of the parties and perpetuating inequality and injustice within the realm of contract law.
In conclusion, undue influence represents a potent threat to the fairness and integrity of contractual agreements, operating as a subtle yet pervasive force that subverts the principles of free consent and equitable bargaining. By leveraging relationships of trust or authority, the influencing party coerces the vulnerable party into agreements that are inherently unfair or oppressive. It is imperative for the law to remain vigilant against instances of undue influence, safeguarding the rights and autonomy of individuals in contractual dealings and upholding the fundamental tenets of justice and fairness.
Current Affairs & General Knowledge
The threat of climate change has moved beyond the general doomsday fears and is affecting day-to-day lives increasingly. A new report published by UNESCO has underlined that its impact is increasingly disrupting education systems worldwide, affecting academic outcomes and threatening to undo decades of progress. Climate-related stressors such as heat, wildfires, storms, floods, droughts, diseases, and rising sea levels are among the key factors affecting education, according to the report. The situation is particularly dire in low- and middle-income countries, where climate-related school closures are becoming an annual occurrence, heightening the risk of learning loss and dropout rates. The long-term study revealed that over the past two decades, schools were closed during 75 per cent of extreme weather events, affecting more than five million people. Natural disasters, including floods and cyclones, have not only led to the deaths of students and teachers but have also damaged or destroyed schools. Following the 2013 floods in Jakarta, access to schools was severely disrupted, with schools being used as emergency shelters and some closing due to damage.
In 2019, Cyclone Idai devastated Mozambique’s education system by destroying 3,400 classrooms and depriving 305,000 children of schooling, the report said. An assessment by the World Bank in 2021 of over 6,000 school buildings in Samoa, Tonga, and Vanuatu found that 50-90 per cent of buildings might not withstand a strong cyclone or earthquake. Heat exposure also has significant adverse effects on educational outcomes. A study linking census and climate data from 29 countries between 1969 and 2012 found that higher-than-average temperatures during prenatal and early life stages were associated with fewer years of schooling, The report noted that children exposed to temperatures two standard deviations above average attained 1.5 fewer years of schooling compared to those experiencing average temperatures. High temperatures have also impacted educational performance in China, reducing high school graduation and college entrance rates. In the United States, a one-degree Celsius increase in school year temperature without air conditioning reduced test scores by 1 per cent, disproportionately affecting African American and Hispanic students and accounting for about 5 per cent of the racial achievement gap. Approximately half of public school districts in the US need to update or replace multiple heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.
Rain variability, particularly through floods, also negatively impacts education. Analysis of the 2010 flood in Pakistan showed that children and adolescents in flooded districts were 4 per cent less likely to attend school during the flood period compared to peers in non-flooded districts. Long-term effects of low precipitation on primary school completion were observed in 10 African countries, with six months of drought conditions decreasing completion rates by 6.4 per cent.
In India, rainfall shocks during early life negatively affected vocabulary, mathematics, and non-cognitive skills, with more severe effects on boys and children of less-educated parents, the report noted.
Highlighting the growing demand for enhancing the resilience of school infrastructure to withstand and adapt to the impacts of climate change, the report said that current efforts are ‘inadequate’.
