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CLAT and AILET both are the big two law entrance exams in India. There are a few ‘difference between CLAT and AILET’ exams based on the exam pattern and difficulty level. More than 60,000 candidates appear in the CLAT exam every year. Approximately 19,000 candidates compete in the AILET exam.
In CLAT, roughly 20 students compete for a place at NLUs, whereas in AILET, approximately 100 candidates compete for a seat at NLU, Delhi. Both CLAT and AILET are extremely tough entrance tests for law schools. Read all the information about the CLAT and AILET exams in this post to get clarification about the complexity of these exams.
Difference between CLAT and AILET: Overview
The CLAT exam is administered for admission to 25 National legal Universities (NLUs) in India, as well as other legal schools that accept CLAT scores. The CLAT exam serves 2,644 undergraduate seats and 914 graduate seats.
Every year, the National Law University Delhi conducts the AILET, a national-level All India Law Entrance Test, to admit students to B.A.LLB. and LLM programs. Almost 110 BA LLB slots, 70 LLM seats, and 18 PhD seats are reserved for AILET. See the highlights of both exams below.
Difference between CLAT and AILET Exam | ||
Parameters | AILET | CLAT |
Exam Authority | NLU, Delhi | Consortium of NLUs |
Objective | to get admission to NLU Delhi | to get admission into the rest NLUs in India |
Courses | Admissions to UG, PG, and PhD courses | Both undergraduate and postgraduate courses. |
Number of Participating Institutes | NLU (Delhi) | 24 NLUs (may change later) |
Exam Duration | 120 minutes | 120 minutes |
Number of Questions | 150 | 120 |
Number of Seats Offered (last year) | 123 (110 seats excluding PwD) | 3353 |
Location of Campuses | Delhi | all over India |
Application Fee | Rs. 3500 | Rs. 4000 |
PSU Recruitment | No | Yes |
Difference between CLAT and AILET Eligibility
CLAT and AILET have different eligibility criteria based on the marks. However, students must first determine their CLAT and AILET eligibility before applying for the exam. To apply for CLAT, students must obtain 45% in 10+2 examinations (40% for restricted categories). However, AILET requires a minimum of 50% in the 10+2 exam.
CLAT and AILET Difference based on Exam Pattern
Candidates can learn the exam pattern of the CLAT and AILET exams in table form here.
CLAT and AILET Exam Pattern Difference | ||
Subject | CLAT 2025 Exam Pattern |
Features of AILET 2024
|
Exam mode | CLAT is conducted in a paper-based test mode. |
AILET is also conducted in a paper-based test mode.
|
Type of questions | Objective-type of question-based Reading Comprehension passages of about 300-450 words. |
The questions are completely multiple-choice based in all sections.
|
Exam timings | 3:00-5:00 PM. | 10:00-11:30 AM. |
Test duration | 120 minutes | 90 minutes |
Total questions | 120 |
There are 150 MCQs in total.
|
Negative Marking
|
– 0.25 | – 0.25 |
Read in more detail here – CLAT Exam Pattern and AILET 2025 Exam Pattern
Difference between CLAT and AILET Syllabus
The Common Law Admission Test, sometimes known as CLAT, is an annual national law entrance exam. This offline exam tests your knowledge in five areas: English Language, Current Affairs, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, and Mathematics.
The primary distinction between AILET and CLAT is that AILET does not include a portion on Quantitative or Mathematics, whereas CLAT includes. CLAT GK is based on passages, whereas AILET GK is based on broad statements or one-liners. Typically, AILET is tougher.
Difference Between CLAT and AILET Syllabus | |
CLAT Syllabus 2025 | AILET Syllabus 2025 |
CLAT vs AILET Section Wise Weightage
Here we have separately given the exam sections and how many questions are asked in the exam.
CLAT and AILET Section Wise Marks Weightage | ||
Subjects | Question and Marks for AILET |
Question and Marks for CLAT
|
English Comprehension | 50 questions (1 mark each) |
28-32 (1 mark each)
|
Quantitative Techniques | Removed |
13-17 (1 mark each)
|
General Knowledge | 30 questions (1 mark each) |
35-39 (1 mark each)
|
Logical Reasoning | 70 questions of 1 mark each |
28-32 (1 mark each)
|
Legal Aptitude/ Reasoning | Removed |
35-39 (1 mark each)
|
Total | 150 questions and marks |
120 questions and marks
|
Which is tough CLAT or AILET?
Before taking the law entrance exams, LLB applicants want to know which ones are hardest to pass AILET or CLAT.
- If you compare the number of applications per seat, AILET has less seats than CLAT.
- The difficulty level of the CLAT question paper and AILET question paper can be understood by the fact that the latter exam has harder questions in Legal Aptitude. That question is based on basic legal concepts.
- Furthermore, the Consortium has updated the CLAT exam pattern to include more comprehensive types of questions, making it easier for candidates.
- CLAT Exam concentrates on finishing the exam quickly to finish within the allotted time, even though the questions are rather challenging. According to the new CLAT pattern, you must enhance your reading ability to read and comprehend the chapter in one sitting.
So, Which exam is harder AILET or CLAT?
In the AILET exam, The difficulty level is slightly greater than CLAT and other legal entrance exams. The number of students applying far exceeds the number of available places. Admission to NLU Delhi is more difficult because it is one of India’s top five universities. However, it is crucial to note that most applicants apply for the both AILET and CLAT exams.