CLAT vs AILET: Which is Tougher?

CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) and AILET (All India Law Entrance Test) are two prominent entrance exams for law programs in India. While both exams serve as gateways to prestigious law schools, they differ in terms of their conducting bodies, scope, and focus. Deciding which exam is better ultimately depends on individual preferences and goals.

CLAT is conducted by a consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) in India. It is a widely recognized exam accepted by many law schools across the country. CLAT assesses a candidate's aptitude in various areas, including English, general knowledge, legal aptitude, logical reasoning, and mathematics. The exam aims to evaluate a candidate's understanding of legal principles, logical reasoning skills, and proficiency in the English language. CLAT offers the advantage of providing access to numerous NLUs, allowing candidates the opportunity to explore a wide range of law schools.

On the other hand, AILET is conducted by the National Law University, Delhi. It is specifically designed for admission to NLU Delhi, which is known for its esteemed law program. AILET focuses on testing a candidate's proficiency in English, general knowledge, legal aptitude, logical reasoning, and mathematics. The exam is renowned for its rigor and is considered challenging. AILET offers the advantage of targeting admission specifically to NLU Delhi, which is a prestigious institution with a reputation for excellence in legal education.

Determining which exam is better depends on various factors such as the candidate's preferences, targeted law schools, and career aspirations. Here are some considerations:

Scope: CLAT provides access to a larger number of law schools as compared to AILET, which is limited to NLU Delhi. If a candidate seeks a wider range of options, CLAT may be a better choice.

Difficulty Level: AILET is generally regarded as more challenging due to its rigorous nature. If a candidate is confident in their abilities and seeks to prove their mettle through a demanding exam, AILET may be preferable.

Specific Institution: If a candidate aspires to join NLU Delhi, appearing for AILET is essential since it exclusively grants admission to NLU Delhi's law program.

It is crucial for candidates to thoroughly research the exam patterns, syllabi, and requirements of the law schools they are interested in. They should also consider their own strengths, weaknesses, and preferences before making a decision. Additionally, proper preparation, including practicing sample papers, seeking guidance, and enrolling in coaching programs if required, can significantly enhance performance in both exams.

Also Read: Important Topics for CLAT 2024 English Language Section

CLAT vs AILET: Exam Pattern

The following are the primary variations and similarities in the exam pattern of the AILET UG and CLAT UG examinations:

The below-tabulated data shows the difference between CLAT PG 2024 and AILET PG 2024 exam pattern:

CLAT vs AILET: Syllabus

The detailed topic-wise prescribed syllabus for the CLAT and AILET examinations (for both the UG & PG courses) is mentioned below:

CLAT UG Syllabus

The common law admission test for the admissions to the undergraduate law programs at various NLUs and law colleges encompasses topics like the English Language, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, Current Affairs, and General Knowledge. All the questions will be MCQ-based and will be of the 12th standard level except for the Quantitative Aptitude section which will incorporate questions of the 10th standard level. The CLAT UG is a comprehension-based test. Multiple-choice questions from the comprehension texts are asked in each segment. To answer the questions, candidates must carefully read the passage. Questions can be posed from diagrams that depict data or information in sections such as math and logical reasoning.

Let’s look at the section-wise details of the CLAT UG 2024 syllabus:

CLAT UG English Language Syllabus

The following are the important points to be considered for the CLAT UG English Language syllabus:

• Questions from this section will be comprehension/passage-based with multiple choices out of which candidates need to choose one correct answer.
• The total weightage of this section in the CLAT UG question paper is 20%
• Comprehension passages will be 350-450 words drawn from important historical/contemporary events based on fiction/non-fiction writing.
• Candidates will be tested on the following abilities:
  • The capability to make judgments and draw conclusions
  • The ability to summarize a section
  • Determine arguments and points of view
  • Language and comprehension abilities
  • Meanings of words and phrases
• The comprehension-based passages and questions will be of the 12th standard

CLAT UG General Knowledge and Current Affairs Syllabus

Candidates must note the following key points for the general knowledge and current affairs section of the CLAT UG syllabus:

• Comprehension-based questions on modern and trending current affairs topics including general knowledge questions from news, articles, historical events, etc.
• To fare well in this, candidates must read newspapers and magazines daily, and also study books like Pratiyogita Darpan, Lucent’s General Knowledge, and NCERT books for a primary understanding of geography, history, economics, and Indian polity.
• Candidates must be aware of the following important topics:
  • Significant current events in India and around the world
  • Culture and the arts
  • International relations
  • Historical occurrences of lasting importance
• The total weightage of this section is 25% of the CLAT UG question paper.

CLAT UG Legal Reasoning Syllabus

The following points must be noted down for the CLAT UG Legal Reasoning section of the question paper:

• The total weightage for the Legal Reasoning section is 25% in the CLAT UG question paper.
• The questions will be comprehension-based MCQ questions with only one correct answer and the comprehension passages will be of 350-450 words.
• Candidates preparing for this section must focus on the following key areas:
  • Identify and deduce the passage's laws and principles.
  • Apply rules and principles to different factual situations.
  • Understanding of how modifications to rules or principles affect their application to various real-life scenarios.
  • General understanding of current legal and moral concerns.
• The content of the passages will be based on situations or scenarios involving legal concerns, public policy issues, or moral philosophical dilemmas.

CLAT UG Logical Reasoning Syllabus

A few of the important highlights of the logical reasoning syllabus are as follows:

• The total weightage of this section in the question paper is 20%
• Questions will be passage-based MCQs of three hundred words long
• The passage content will consist of puzzles, relationships, diagrams, sets and arguments, among others
• Following are the skills that will be tested based on this section in the CLAT UG exam:
• Ability to critically examine patterns of reasoning and understand how conclusions may be influenced by specific premises or evidence
• Determine what follows from the passage and apply your findings to new scenarios.
• Make connections and analogies.
• Capability to recognize arguments, their premises, and infer conclusions
• Identify and evaluate inconsistencies and equivalence, as well as the effectiveness of arguments.
• The question paper standard will be of class 12th level.

CLAT UG Quantitative Techniques Syllabus

Below listed are the important components of the CLAT UG quantitative techniques syllabus:

• The total weightage of this section is 10%
• The types of questions that will be asked in the CLAT UG question paper from this section are as follows:
  • Numerical questions based on texts, diagrams, and pictures
  • Questions based on sets of facts, graph-based questions, and prepositions.
• The following skills will be tested through this section of the CLAT UG exam:
  • Ability to derive, deduce, and modify numerical data from passages, graphs, or different forms of representations.
  • Ability to use numerous tenth-grade mathematical operations.
• The question paper will be of the 10th standard level.

AILET UG Syllabus

NLU Delhi has deleted two topics from the AILET exam format this year, namely Elementary Mathematics and Legal Aptitude. As a result, the AILET 2024 syllabus will be divided into three sections: English Language, Logical Reasoning, and Current Affairs and General Knowledge. AILET exam's sectional weightage has also been altered. The section-wise detailed syllabus of the AILET UG examination is mentioned below:

AILET UG English Language Syllabus

• Antonyms
• Synonyms
• Idioms and Phrases
• Jumbled Words and Sentences
• Fill in the Blanks
• Comprehension Passages
• Choosing the Correct Word

AILET UG Current Affairs and General Knowledge Syllabus

• Current Affairs
• History
• Geography
• General Science
• Economics
• Civics

AILET UG Logical Reasoning Syllabus

• Statement & Arguments
• Statement & actions
• Assertion – Reason
• Syllogism
• Number test
• Direction and distance test
• Coding and Decoding
• Blood Relationships
• Ranking
• Analogy
• Statement & Conclusions
• Statement & Assumptions

CLAT PG Syllabus vs AILET PG Syllabus

CLAT PG and AILET PG exams have almost similar subjects as far as LLM programme admission is concerned. Let’s look at the tabulated data below to understand the difference between the CLAT PG and AILET PG entrance examination syllabus:

CLAT vs AILET: Subject-Wise Marks Distribution

In this section, we have covered the subject-wise marks distribution of CLAT and AILET 2024 exams

CLAT UG vs AILET UG Subject-Wise Marks Distribution

The subject-wise distribution of marks for CLAT UG and AILET UG examinations are tabulated below:

CLAT PG vs AILET PG (Subject-wise distribution of marks) 

The subject-wise marks distribution for the CLAT PG 2024 examination is mentioned below:

The subject-wise distribution of marks for the AILET PG 2024 exam is mentioned below:

CLAT vs AILET: Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for the CLAT 2024 (UG & PG) and AILET 2024 (UG & PG) are similar and are as follows:

CLAT UG vs AILET UG

• Candidates must have passed 10+2 or its equivalent examination from a recognized school board with a minimum aggregate of 45% (40% aggregate marks in case of SC/ ST/ Persons with disabilities).
• Aspirants appearing for their 10+2 exam may also apply for both the law examinations.

CLAT PG vs AILET PG

• Candidates must have completed either a 3-year or a 5-year LLB degree program with a minimum aggregate percentage of 50% (45% in case of SC/ ST/ Persons with disabilities)
• Candidates appearing for their final year LLB exam are also eligible to apply

CLAT vs AILET: Application Fees 

There is a slight difference between the application fee for CLAT and AILET examination. The application fee difference can be noted from the table below:

In the country, three categories of schools and universities accept CLAT scores: 22 NLUs, private colleges connected with the CLAT Consortium, and other private law colleges, whereas, NLU Delhi is the only participating institute for AILET. A few of the top institutes accepting CLAT and AILET scores are tabulated below:

Also Read:CLAT 2024 100 Days Preparation Strategy & Study Plan

CLAT vs AILET: Difficulty Level 

Applicants seeking to determine the difficulty level of law entrance examinations often wonder which one poses the greatest challenge. In terms of candidate-to-seat ratio, AILET emerges as the more formidable test when compared to CLAT. Each year, over 50,000 students sit for the CLAT exam, competing for 2,801 undergraduate seats and 1,132 postgraduate seats. In contrast, the AILET exam attracts more than 18,000 candidates vying for 123 undergraduate seats and 81 postgraduate seats. Consequently, a smaller number of candidates contend for seats in the CLAT (both undergraduate and postgraduate) examination, while a larger pool competes for seats in the AILET exam, making it a tougher competition when compared to CLAT.

Furthermore, it is important to note that the AILET undergraduate examination has recently removed two sections—elementary mathematics and legal reasoning—which gives the CLAT exam an advantage in terms of the difficulty level of sections like legal reasoning and quantitative aptitude, which are present in the CLAT undergraduate question paper. The exclusion of these two significant and challenging topics from the AILET undergraduate exam results in an overall less complex examination compared to the CLAT undergraduate exam.

In regard to the CLAT postgraduate versus AILET postgraduate exam, the latter is slightly more demanding due to the inclusion of more challenging problems in Legal Aptitude/Reasoning, which delve into core legal themes. Additionally, the CLAT Consortium has made revisions to the exam paper to facilitate candidates by increasing the number of comprehensive questions, thereby making the exam relatively easier.

It is important for applicants to consider these factors and the specific requirements of the law schools they aim to join when making a decision about which exam to take.

CLAT vs AILET - Which is Hard?

Law aspirants who are appearing for AILET and CLAT try to understand which of the two exams is tough to crack. Both CLAT and AILET are the two most competitive and challenging law entrance exams that thousands of candidates appear for every year. If you look at the number of available seats compared to the test-takers, then AILET is quite tougher than CLAT. 

Most candidates fill up AILET and CLAT forms as the exam pattern are almost identical for both. Candidates are advised to appear for both exams and then choose their preferred National Law University based on their exam scores. If you are applying for undergraduate law programs, you should appear for both CLAT UG and AILET UG entrance exams. Appearing for both exams will give you more law college options to choose from for admission. As the basic syllabus is the same, candidates should pass both tests with a good score after a year of preparation.

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