AILET vs CLAT: Difference Between CLAT and AILET

Difference Between CLAT and AILET has been a hot debate for a while. Countless candidates ask which one is better and what the differences are. Before that, let’s understand what CLAT and AILET stand for.

Introduction

➜ CLAT, or Common Law Admission Test, is administered by the Consortium of National Law Universities to students seeking admission to National Law Universities (other than NLU Delhi and NLU Meghalaya) in their five-year LLB and LLM programs.

➜ Meanwhile, NLU Delhi conducts AILET or All India Law Entrance Test to enroll students in its BA LLB and LLM programs.

CLAT and AILET have several differences, including mark distribution, time length, and syllabus. This article covers everything you need to know about CLAT vs AILET, so keep reading.

CLAT vs AILET Overview

Let’s go over the basic CLAT vs AILET overview before we dive into the specifics. 

Primary Difference Between CLAT and AILET

The main difference between CLAT and AILET is the colleges into which applicants can get admission after taking these two law entrance tests. 

• CLAT 2027 will have 24 participating NLUs and 65 participating institutes in the test. Candidates who pass the CLAT test will be accepted into five different five-year integrated legal degrees and LL.M. programs.
• On the other hand, candidates who pass AILET 2027 will be accepted to NLU Delhi for the B.A. LL.B. and LL.M. courses. The only other NLU that still has its admission test to accept students is NLU Meghalaya.

CLAT vs AILET: Exam Pattern

The following are the differences and similarities between the CLAT and AILET exam patterns:

Difference Between CLAT and AILET Syllabus and Important Topics 

Candidates should focus on the syllabus for both examinations. There is a significant variation between the CLAT 2027 syllabus and the AILET 2027 syllabus. 

CLAT contains two additional sections and includes a quantitative approaches portion that AILET does not have. The important topics for each section in CLAT and AILET are given below.

Source: Official CLAT Syllabus

CLAT vs AILET: Exam Eligibility

The exam eligibility for both CLAT and AILET is given below.

CLAT 2027: Eligibility Criteria

A candidate should have passed the Class 12th (or equivalent) exam from a recognized board or university. The required percentage to attend CLAT is:

• 45% marks in case of candidates belonging to General/OBC/specially-abled person (SAP) and other categories
• 40% marks in case of candidates belonging to SC or ST categories.

Candidates who finished and passed the Class 12th examination in April/May 2026 with the required percentage are also eligible for CLAT 2027.

There is no imposed age limit to attend the CLAT 2027 exam.

Check CLAT Eligibility Criteria to know more.

AILET 2027: Eligibility Criteria

A candidate should have passed the Class 12th (or equivalent) exam from a recognized board or university. The required percentage to attend AILET is:

• 50% marks in case of candidates belonging to General/OBC/specially-abled person (SAP) and other categories
• 45% marks in the case of candidates belonging to SC or ST categories.

Candidates who finished and passed the Class 12th examination in April/May 2026 with the required percentage are also eligible to attend the AILET 2027 exam.

There is no imposed age limit to attend the AILET 2027 exam.

Check AILET Eligibility Criteria to know more.

Participating NLUs in CLAT and AILET

NLU Delhi is the only participating law university under AILET. On the other hand, the CLAT score is taken into consideration by 24 NLUs spread across the country. The top 5 NLUs that accept CLAT 2027 scores are:

• National Law School of India University, Bangalore
• NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad
• The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata
• Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar
• National Law University, Jodhpur

Click the button below to see the updated list of all NLUs around India.

List of all NLUs in India

Is CLAT tougher than AILET?

CLAT is typically regarded as more difficult because of its length and complexity. It is a lengthy and reading-intensive legal entrance test. However, that is far from the whole truth – the difficulty level of an exam is assessed on multiple levels.

• CLAT has five parts, whereas AILET has three.
• CLAT additionally demands that applicants prepare for Mathematics, which is not present in AILET and may be tough for students. However, in the argument over which exam is more difficult, both AILET and CLAT are equally sophisticated and rigorous.
• The Consortium of National Law Universities revised the CLAT syllabus from 2024, lowering the number of questions from 150 to 120 for the CLAT UG test, to make the test more user-friendly for students.
• Following that, NLU Delhi revised its exam format for both the AILET UG and AILET LL.M. It raised the exam time for UG by another 30 minutes, while AILET LL.M. eliminated the descriptive component and replaced it with MCQs covering several topics of law.

Which Exam Should You Choose: CLAT 2027 or AILET 2027?

This is one of the most common questions among law aspirants. Here is a simple breakdown to help you decide:

• Choose CLAT 2027 if you want the flexibility of being considered for 24+ NLUs across India, including top institutions like NLSIU Bangalore and NALSAR Hyderabad.
• Choose AILET 2027 if your primary goal is admission to NLU Delhi, which is consistently ranked among the top law schools in India.
• Appear for both if you are a serious law aspirant – since the exams have different syllabi and patterns, preparing for both gives you a wider safety net and better chances of securing a seat at a top NLU.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Who conducts AILET?

Answer: AILET is conducted by NLU Delhi.

Question: Who conducts CLAT?

Answer: CLAT is conducted by the Consortium of NLUs.

Question: Is there an age limit for appearing in CLAT or AILET?

Answer: No. Both CLAT and AILET have no upper age limit to attend the exam.

Question: How many NLUs are taking part in CLAT 2027?

Answer: 26 NLUs of India will take CLAT 2027 scores for admission into UG and PG programs.

Question: Do CLAT and AILET have the same syllabus?

Answer: No, the syllabi of both exams are different. CLAT has five sections, and also a maths section. Meanwhile, AILET only has three sections.

Question: Which is better, CLAT or AILET?

Answer: Both exams are equally good because they provide opportunities for admission to major NLU in India. CLAT applicants can gain admission to 24+ NLUs, while AILET candidates can only gain admission to NLU Delhi.

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