Is AILET tougher than CLAT?

Is AILET Tougher than CLAT?: CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) and AILET (All India Law Entrance Test) are two popular law entrance exams in India. While both examinations are used to gain admission to top legal schools, they differ in terms of their administration, breadth, and focus. Individual interests and goals ultimately determine which exam is superior.

CLAT consists of 5 sections, while AILET has 3. This makes a direct impression that CLAT would be tougher as it has more sections and an increased syllabus. However, that’s not entirely true.

There are many differences between the two exams, including the number of available seats, the exam pattern, the number of candidates appearing, etc. So, let’s dive into reading the details.

CLAT vs AILET Exam Overview

Given below is the exam pattern difference between CLAT and AILET.

CLAT vs AILET: Section-wise Distribution

CLAT consists of five sections, namely:

• English Language
• Current Affairs including GK
• Legal Reasoning
• Logical Reasoning
• Quantitative Techniques

Meanwhile, AILET has only 3 sections in total.

• English Language
• Current Affairs including GK
• Logical Reasoning

CLAT, having two extra sections, does increase the syllabus by quite a bit. Especially when you consider its Legal Reasoning and Quantitative Techniques, which are two of the more challenging sections in the exam. However, as we’ve seen, CLAT only has 120 questions in total. Meanwhile, AILET has 150. The question distribution for sections is given below.

Click the buttons below to read in detail about CLAT and AILET.

CLAT vs AILET: Difficulty Level

Coming back to the primary question, is AILET Tougher than CLAT?

Applicants often wonder which law entrance exam is tougher- CLAT or AILET. In terms of competition, AILET is generally considered tougher because it offers significantly fewer seats at NLU Delhi, leading to a much higher level of competition per seat. CLAT, while highly competitive, provides access to multiple participating NLUs, which gives candidates comparatively broader admission opportunities.

Students Attempting CLAT

In the latest cycle, 75,000+ candidates applied for the undergraduate exam and 17,000+ for the postgraduate exam. In terms of seat availability, CLAT offers admission across multiple participating NLUs, with approximately 4,000+ undergraduate seats and over 1,500 postgraduate seats.

Students Attempting AILET

AILET, on the other hand, receives almost 23,000+ people competing for 120 undergraduate places and 81 postgraduate seats. 

Section Differences

Although the exam pattern differences are already outlined above, their impact on difficulty is important to understand. AILET is often considered more speed-intensive because candidates must solve more questions within the same overall duration, which increases time pressure. CLAT, on the other hand, may feel broader and more demanding in terms of coverage because it includes additional areas such as Legal Reasoning and Quantitative Techniques.

PG Exam

At the postgraduate level, both CLAT PG and AILET LL.M. can be challenging in different ways. While candidates may perceive AILET LL.M. as more demanding due to its analytical legal focus, the actual difficulty often depends on the year’s paper pattern and the candidate’s command over core legal subjects.

Furthermore, the Consortium of NLUs has revised the exam paper to help applicants by increasing the number of thorough questions, making the exam comparatively simpler. When deciding which test to take, candidates should examine these variables as well as the unique requirements of the law schools they wish to attend.

Is AILET tougher than CLAT?

All this brings us back to the main question: Is AILET tougher than CLAT? Well, unfortunately, the answer isn’t straightforward. Kind of like, Yes and No. 

If we look at the common goal of both exams, which is getting admission into an NLU in India, then AILET is inarguably tougher than CLAT because of the sheer competition. However, that’s not all, as the answer changes on an individual basis.

Both entrance exams have nearly identical exam patterns. Candidates are encouraged to take both tests and then select their chosen National Law University depending on their exam results.

If you want to apply to undergraduate law studies, you should take both the CLAT UG and the AILET UG admission examinations. If you take both examinations, you will have more law school alternatives to choose from. Candidates should pass both examinations with a decent score after a year of preparation because the essential content is the same.

Also read: CLAT vs. AILET

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Who conducts AILET?

AILET, which stands for All India Law Entrance Test, is conducted once every year, usually in the second week of December, by NLU Delhi.

Question: Who conducts CLAT?

Answer: CLAT, which stands for Common Law Admission Test, is conducted once every year, usually in the first week of December, by the Consortium of National Law Universities (CNLUs).

Question: Is there any age limit to appear for the CLAT or AILET exam?

Answer: There is no age limit to appear for both exams as long as you meet the eligibility criteria. 

Question: Is the syllabus for AILET and CLAT the same?

Answer: No, the syllabi for the two examinations are not the same. CLAT is divided into five sections, while AILET has three.

Question: Which is better, CLAT or AILET?

Answer: Both exams grant you admission into top law schools in the country. AILET has a bit more competition because of limited seats while CLAT has more sections and a harder syllabus. 

Question: How many NLUs are taking part in CLAT? 

Answer: CLAT scores are used by 26 NLUs for admission into law courses all around India.