CLAT vs AILET vs SLAT: Key Differences & Similarities

CLAT vs AILET vs SLAT: Key Differences & Similarities

Ritika JonwalUpdated on 05 Sep 2025, 06:09 PM IST

CLAT, AILET, and SLAT are the three biggest law entrance exams in India. The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 2026 offers admission to 24+ NLUs, AILET is the key to NLU Delhi, and Symbiosis Law Admission Test (SLAT) opens doors to Symbiosis Law Schools. While all three test your aptitude for Legal Studies, they differ in exam pattern, difficulty level, and the kind of opportunities they unlock. In this article, we break down CLAT v/s AILET v/s SLAT 2026 so you can decide which path suits your goals best.

LiveCLAT 2026 First Seat Allotment LIVE: Consortium of NLUs merit list at consortiumofnlus.ac.in on Jan 7, updatesJan 6, 2026 | 10:48 PM IST

Around 96.83% of undergraduate candidates and 92.45% of postgraduate candidates appeared for the CLAT 2026 examination.

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CLAT vs AILET vs SLAT: Key Differences & Similarities
CLAT v/s AILET v/s SLAT

CLAT v/s AILET v/s SLAT 2026 - Exam Syllabus

The syllabus of CLAT and SLAT 2026 consists of 5 subjects each. The syllabus of both exams are quite similar, but the patterns of the questions asked differ. One of the major differences between the questions asked in the exam is that CLAT focuses more on passage-based questions. Check the table for a detailed syllabus of CLAT v/s AILET v/s SLAT 2026.

CLAT syllabus

AILET syllabus

SLAT syllabus

English language:

  • Meaning of words

  • The central theme of the passage

  • Concluding paragraphs

English language:

  • Comprehension

  • Grammar, sentence correction and vocabulary

Reading comprehension:

  • Tenses

  • Prepositions

  • Conjunctions

  • Sentence improvement

Current affairs including general knowledge:

  • Institutions

  • Recent events, awards, and organisations

  • Historical events

Current affairs including general knowledge:

  • Recent national and international events of significance from various fields such as politics, business, sports, awards, arts and culture.

General knowledge:

  • Recent events in India

  • Recent news of international affairs

Legal reasoning:

  • Objective behind paragraph

  • Supreme Court verdicts

  • Basic legal terminologies

  • Concluding the passage

-

Legal reasoning:

  • Legal terms

  • Fundamental rights

  • Important laws and acts

  • Legal aptitude

Logical reasoning:

  • Draw relationships and analogies

  • Marking true statement based on the passage

Logical Reasoning

  • Logical Skills

  • Analytical reasoning skills

Logical reasoning

  • Arguments and conclusions

  • Syllogisms

  • Puzzles

Quantitative technique:

  • Percentage

  • Average

  • Ratio

(Basic 10th standard maths)

-

Analytical reasoning

  • Data interpretations

  • Addition

  • Multiplication

  • Complete the series

CLAT v/s AILET v/s SLAT: Exam Overview

Here’s a comparison table for CLAT 2026 v/s AILET 2026 v/s SLAT 2026 in tabular format.

Differences

CLAT

AILET

SLAT

Conducting body

Consortium of NLUs

NLU Delhi

Symbiosis International (deemed university)

Mode of examination

Offline (pen and paper)

Offline

Online (computer-based)

Difficulty level

Very difficult

Difficult

Moderately difficult

Exam duration

2 hours

2 hours

1 hour

No. of questions asked

120

150

60

Total marks

120

150

60

Negative marking

-0.25

-0.25

No negative marking

CLAT vs AILET vs SLAT 2026: Preparation Comparison Table

Given below is the Comparative Preparation table for CLAT v/s AILET v/s SLAT 2026. It highlights the focus areas, difficulty level and important Key Tips.

Exam

Key Focus Areas

Difficulty Level

Ideal Prep Hours/Day

Tips

CLAT 2026

Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, Legal Reasoning (passage-based), Current Affairs with context

Very Difficult (Speed + Accuracy)

5–6 hrs

Focus on time-bound mocks

AILET 2026

Legal Knowledge (Constitution, Torts, Contracts), Fact-based GK, Logical Reasoning Sets, Advanced Quant

Difficult (Law + Knowledge heavy)

6–7 hrs

Extra focus on Legal Doctrines

SLAT 2026

Aptitude + Communication Skills, Basic Legal Reasoning, GK Mix, Logical Puzzles

Moderate (Balanced aptitude)

3–4 hrs

Prepare for WAT + PI (writing & speaking practice)

CLAT vs AILET vs SLAT 2026: Similarities

  • Core Subjects: English/Verbal Ability, GK & Current Affairs, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, Quant/Analytical Ability.

  • Skill Tested: Reading comprehension, critical thinking, time management, and accuracy.

  • General Knowledge & Current Affairs: All require awareness of national & international events.

  • Legal Aptitude: Each exam tests knowledge of law basics (Constitution, torts, contracts, rights).

  • Mock Test Strategy: All three demand repeated practice with timed mock tests and previous year papers.

Amity University-Noida Law Admissions 2026

Among top 100 Universities Globally in the Times Higher Education (THE) Interdisciplinary Science Rankings 2026

UPES Integrated LLB Admissions 2026

Ranked #18 amongst Institutions in India by NIRF | Ranked #1 in India for Academic Reputation by QS Rankings | 16 LPA Highest CTC

CLAT vs AILET vs SLAT 2026: Difference

Here’s the decoding edge for CLAT v/s AILET v/s SLAT 2026.

Exam

Key Difference

Skill Tested

CLAT 2026

Passage-based questions dominate → comprehension + reasoning > rote knowledge

Tests speed reading and logical inference under time pressure.

AILET 2026

Legal knowledge is heavier → factual, doctrinal, and GK-driven

More emphasis on law-heavy sections and deep GK recall compared to CLAT.

SLAT 2026

Personality assessment included (WAT + PI) → not just MCQs

Judges' communication, confidence, and overall aptitude, which CLAT/AILET ignore.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Which exam includes a personality assessment?
A:

SLAT has WAT (Writing Ability Test) + PI (Personal Interview).

Q: Which exam gives more importance to legal reasoning?
A:

AILET emphasises legal reasoning and GK more than CLAT and SLAT.

Q: Which exam has the fewest questions?
A:

SLAT has 60 questions, while CLAT has 120 and AILET has 150.

Q: Which exam has negative marking?
A:

CLAT and AILET have −0.25 per wrong answer, SLAT has none.

Q: Which exam is considered toughest among CLAT, AILET, and SLAT 2026?
A:

AILET 2026 is generally tougher due to more legal and General Knowledge-heavy questions.

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Questions related to CLAT

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to CLAT ?

Since you scored 8000 AIR in CLAT, getting into top NLUs may not be possible, so it is a good idea to look for affordable and good law colleges.


State government law colleges are usually low in fees, and have decent reputation. Some options include Government Law College, Mumbai, Faculty

Yes you can get addmission into UPES dehradun with the clat rank of 8037

Through the below college predictor you will get the list of best collges based on your rank:

CLAT College Predictor 2026 (Free) - https://law.careers360.com/clat-college-predictor

Hope it helps

With 67 marks in and SC rank 415 in CLAT, you have a very good chance of getting admission in CNLU Patna BA LLB. The SC category cut-off at Patna NLU  are usually much lower than the general category, so your rank is well within the likely range. Final admission

HELLO,

For CLAT 2026 counselling , the only official registration window announced by the Consortium of NLUs was from 17 Dec 2025 to 27 Dec 2025 that was last date to register and pay the fee. There are no additional or alternate registration dates released for 2026 beyond this window.

With an AIR of 34724 and OBC category rank of 7153, chances of getting a seat in DSNLU Visakhapatnam are low in early rounds. However, since you are already invited for counselling, there may be some chance in later rounds depending on seat vacancy and cut-off movement. You should participate