In the sprawling landscape of Indian legal education, both the All India Law Entrance Test (AILET) and the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) stand out as the paramount gateways for aspirants seeking admission into premier law universities.
Both of these exams have grown in stature over the years, making them the most sought-after entrance examinations for law aspirants across the country. There is a palpable anticipation among students, educators, and stakeholders about the intricacies and potential opportunities associated with these examinations.
While the CLAT is being conducted by the consortium of 24 NLUs, the AILET examination is being conducted solely by the National Law University of Delhi.
With the exam date approaching and the last date for filing for both exams about to end, many of you are in a dilemma: What are the eligibility criteria? What is the difference between syllabus and exam pattern of CLAT and AILET? Which is better: CLAT or AILET? Should you appear for only one of these exams or for both of them?
In this blog post, we will delve deep into the eligibility, syllabus, exam pattern differences, and similarities of CLAT 2025 and AILET 2025, providing you with a comprehensive overview of the differences between CLAT and AILET, their eligibility, syllabus, and exam pattern, and we will also assist you in deciding whether you should appear for only one of these exams or for both.
Read the post further to get rid of your confusion.
What is CLAT?
CLAT stands for Common Law Admission Test. It is a national-level entrance examination in India that is conducted for the purpose of admitting students into undergraduate and postgraduate law programs at various National Law Universities (NLUs) and other law colleges across the country. CLAT is one of the most popular and widely recognized law entrance exams in India.
What is AILET?
AILET stands for the All India Law Entrance Test. It is a national-level entrance examination conducted by the National Law University, Delhi (NLU Delhi) for admissions to its various undergraduate and postgraduate law programs. AILET is specifically used for admissions into NLU Delhi and is not accepted by other law universities or colleges in India.
Also read: How to Analyze CLAT Mock Tests? Expert Tips & Tricks
What is Difference Between CLAT and AILET?
There are 25 National Law Universities (NLUs) in India, divided into different states. The primary difference between CLAT vs AILET is that CLAT is conducted by the Consortium of NLUs for admission to the 24 NLUs in the country. Whereas, AILET is conducted specifically by NLU, Delhi, for admissions to its law programs.
Important Dates for CLAT and AILET Exams, 2025
| Particulars | CLAT 2025 | AILET 2025 |
| Exam Notification | To be announced | To be announced |
| Application Form Start Date | To be announced | To be announced |
| Application Form Last Date | To be announced | To be announced |
| Admit Card | To be announced | To be announced |
| Date of Exam | To be announced | To be announced |
| Official Answer Key | To be announced | To be Notified |
| Declaration of Result | December 2023 or January 2024 | To be Notified |
| Commencement of Counseling | January 2024 | To be Notified |
Also read: AILET Application Process, Eligibility, Pattern, Last Date, Admit Card
AILET vs CLAT Eligibility Criteria
Here are the details of the eligibility criteria for the AILET and CLAT exams:
| Eligibility Criteria | AILET | CLAT |
| Age Limit | No upper age limit | No upper age limit |
| Educational Qualification | (i) Class 12 or an equivalent qualification from a recognized educational board/university/institute (ii) Candidates who may be appearing for their qualifying examination in March/ April 2025 are also eligible | (i) Class 12 or an equivalent qualification from a recognized educational board/university/institute (ii) Candidates who may be appearing for their qualifying examination in March/ April, 2025 are also eligible |
| Minimum Qualifying Marks | (i) In case of candidates belonging to General/OBC – Forty five percent (45%) marks or its equivalent grade (ii) In case of candidates belonging to SC/ST/Persons with Disability categories – Forty Percent (40%) marks or equivalent (iii) Sixty Percent (60%) marks or equivalent in case of candidates belonging to the Foreign Nationals Category shall be 65% marks. Though they are exempted from giving AILET. | (i) In case of candidates belonging to General/OBC/PWD/NRI/PIO/OCI categories – Forty five percent (45%) marks or its equivalent grade (ii) In case of candidates belonging to SC/ST categories – Forty Percent (40%) marks or equivalent |
| Number of Attempts | No limit | No limit |
Also read: CLAT Quantitive Techniques (QT) Syllabus & Important Topics
AILET vs CLAT Exam Pattern
Here is the latest exam pattern for AILET and CLAT 2025:
One major difference between the CLAT and AILET is that the total number of questions in AILET is 150 while in CLAT is 120; however, both have the same duration of time, mode of examination, type of questions, and marking scheme.
| Particulars | AILET | CLAT |
| Mode of Examination | Offline | Offline |
| Duration of Examination | 2 Hours | 2 Hours |
| Number of Questions | 150 | 120 |
| Language | English | English |
| Type of Questions | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) |
| Marking Schemes | For each correct answer: 1 markFor each incorrect answer: -0.25 | For each correct answer: 1 markFor each incorrect answer: -0.25 |
Another major difference between the CLAT and AILET is the number of sections. While CLAT exam paper is divided into five (5) sections, the AILET exam paper consist of only three (3) sections.
AILET vs CLAT Subjects
CLAT Subjects
The CLAT exam paper divides sections into five (5) subjects, namely –
- English Language
- Current Affairs, including General Knowledge
- Legal Reasoning
- Logical Reasoning
- Quantitative Techniques
AILET Subjects
The AILET exam paper divides sections into three (3) subjects, namely –
- English Language
- Current Affairs & General Knowledge
- Logical Reasoning
In both exams, each question carries one (1) mark. One (1) mark will be awarded for every correct answer, and for every incorrect answer, 0.25 marks will be deducted. This means that for every four (4) incorrect answers, you will lose one (1) mark.
| AILET | CLAT | ||
| Subject | Number of Questions Likely to be Asked | Subject | Number of Questions Likely to be Asked |
| English Language | 50 questions | English Language | 22-26 questions |
| Current Affairs & General Knowledge | 30 questions | Current Affairs, including General Knowledge | 28-32 questions |
| Logical Reasoning | 70 questions | Legal Reasoning | 28-32 questions |
| Logical Reasoning | 22-26 questions | ||
| Quantitative Techniques | 10-14 questions | ||
| Total | 150 | Total | 120 |
Also read: CLAT OMR Sheet Filling (Full Guide for Precise Answering)
AILET vs CLAT Exam Fees
While there is not much difference in fees for applicants belonging to General, OBC, and NRI categories in terms of exam fees for both exams, there is a wide difference for applicants belonging to the SC, ST, PwD and BPL categories.
One important thing you need to note is that if you are a BPL applicant who belongs to the SC or ST category, then you are exempt from paying any form fees.
| AILET | CLAT | ||
| Category | Fees | Category | Fees |
| General/OBC/NRI | Rs.3500/- | General/ OBC/ PwD/ NRI/ PIO/ OCI | INR 4000 |
| SC/ST/PwD | Rs.1500/- | SC/ ST/ BPL | INR 3500 |
| BPL applicants belonging to SC/ST | Exempted | ||
AILET vs. CLAT: Which is Better?
One question that most of you ask us is that : which is better – AILET or CLAT? Whether we should appear for both exams or any one of these?
The answer to this question is that – Both AILET and CLAT are equally popular among students who want admission to prestigious law colleges in India. Both AILET and CLAT stand on equal footing.
One thing you should remember is that after cracking the CLAT exam, you can get admission to any of the 24 NLUs in the country, but after clearing the AILET exam, you get admission to the Delhi National Law University. Therefore, both are conducting examinations for 5 years LL.B program; admission to the colleges is different.
We would advise you to prepare for and appear in both examinations, as both will get you admission to India’s top law universities.
Both CLAT and AILET co-exist together. Both are equally complex and difficult. The only difference in the syllabus among them is the total number of questions asked and the number of subjects.
The Consortium of NLU has changed the exam pattern by reducing the number of questions from 150 to 120 and making it more student friendly by asking passage-based questions. The CLAT has two (2) additional sections, i.e., Legal Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude. If you are one of those candidates whose legal reasoning and quantitative aptitude are strong, then CLAT will prove to be an upper hand for you.
Conclusion:
All in all, both AILET and CLAT are in sync, and you should not make a mistake by filling out the application form for only one of these exams. Make sure that you fill out the application forms for both the CLAT and the AILET examinations, as it will improve your chances of getting admission to the top premier law colleges in India.
And for registration of AILET application form, they can visit their official website –
https://nationallawuniversitydelhi.in/
You are advised to fill out the forms for both the exam at the earliest and carefully.
You can enhance your preparation for both CLAT and AILET by registering in our portal, https://courses.lawpreptutorial.com/
All the Best for both exams!
Leave a Reply