Haryana Teen Saksham Gautam Retains AIR 1 in CLAT 2025 After Revised Results

When the revised results for the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 2025 were announced earlier this month, 17-year-old Saksham Gautam from Haryana braced himself for disappointment. The errors in the exam and subsequent legal proceedings had left many aspirants uncertain about their ranks. For Saksham, who had secured All India Rank (AIR) 1 in December, the wait was especially tense.

“I was distressed at the thought that my rank might be changed,” he recalls. “But now, looking back, the experience has been humbling. It taught me about the transient nature of life.”

To his relief, Saksham not only retained his AIR 1 position but also saw his score improve—from 103.5 to 106.75 out of 116—after the Delhi High Court ordered that candidates who attempted Sets B, C, and D be compensated for the flawed questions. Since he had attempted Set C, Saksham benefited from the correction.

Unlike many in his family, Saksham never dreamed of becoming an engineer. “My father and elder brother are both engineers, and growing up, I was surrounded by technology books. But I was always drawn to understanding society and the laws that govern it,” he says.

That decision came early. By Class VII, Saksham had already set his sights on law as a career. His interest was nurtured through extensive reading in school, guided by the CBSE curriculum. In Class XI, he chose Humanities—scoring 95%—with subjects like History, Political Science, Legal Studies, Economics, and English.

Now, his dream is clear: to study at the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru.

Saksham’s preparation was methodical. Starting early, he devoted the first year to strengthening his fundamentals and the second year to rigorous practice sessions. Balancing school with coaching was demanding, but he persevered.

“I wasn’t among the toppers in my coaching batch,” he admits. “But passion, consistency, and hard work kept me going.”

On his first attempt, he cracked the exam. His advice to future aspirants is simple: “Keep faith in yourself and work hard.”

Beyond law, Saksham is passionate about public speaking and dreams of contributing to society at large. He sees law not just as a profession but as a means to restore ethical values and address what he calls the “repercussions of ignorance.”

“Initially, it was about retaining my rank,” he says of the CLAT result revisions. “But over the past month, it became about closure. The uncertainty was emotionally taxing. Now, I finally feel content.”

Looking ahead, Saksham is keeping his options open. “While law is my focus, I’ve also thought about preparing for the UPSC after completing my degree,” he says with a smile.

For now, the young achiever is enjoying a moment of peace, knowing that his hard work, clarity of vision, and resilience have secured him the top spot in one of India’s toughest competitive exams.