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 Answer Key LIVE: Objection facility closes; NLU colleges, cut-offs, result dateDec 12, 2025 | 10:45 PM IST

To check your CLAT 2026 result online, go to the Consortium of NLUs official website consortiumofnlus.ac.in, log in with your credentials, mobile number and password.

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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.

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

Jain University, Bangalore - Law Admissions 2026

NAAC A++ Approved | Curriculum Aligned with BCI & UGC

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 ?

Hello,

NUJS is among the top tier law colleges in the country. A high score in CLAT is required to get into NUJS. For you, getting into NUJS is possible but challenging. The cut off for general category often is very high (+90), but you WB domicile improves your chances for admission. Keep an eye on the final rank list and cut off.

Thank you.

Hello

With a score of 91.5 in CLAT UG 2026, your expected All India Rank would likely fall somewhere around AIR 500 to 1,000, based on previous years’ trends. The exact rank can shift depending on how tough the paper was and how other students performed. Since you belong to the OBC category, your category rank will be even better. This score definitely keeps you in a competitive range for several NLUs.

CLAT RANK PREDICTOR 2026

Hello,

CLAT or Common Law Admission Test is conducted for admission to top tier law colleges in India. The exam is conducted by Consortium of National Law Universities. While NLU's are generally not available for admission at this rank but there are many private colleges which offer good legal education and placements. JINDAL, UPES, Amity Law School, Lovely Professional University, IFIM Law School, Alliance University and many more. For more information you can check out the official website of Careers360.

https://law.careers360.com/articles/top-colleges-other-nlus-accepting-clat-scores

Thank you.

If you are expecting around 80 marks in CLAT 2026, your chances will mainly depend on that year’s overall difficulty level and how the marks translate into ranks. In most years, a score around 80 usually places candidates somewhere in the mid-rank range, which means that the top NLUs like NLSIU Bengaluru, NALSAR Hyderabad or WBNUJS Kolkata are generally difficult to get at this score. However, some of the newer or mid-tier NLUs may still be possible depending on cut-offs, reservation category, and seat availability during later rounds. Students with similar scores in past years have sometimes received calls from NLUs such as NLU Jabalpur, NLU Assam, NLU Tripura, NLU Aurangabad, or NLU Shimla, but the exact possibilities shift every year. Treat this score as competitive but not in the top bracket, and wait for the official ranks to get a clearer picture of which options are realistically open. All the best!

https://law.careers360.com/articles/nlu-cutoff

Hello aspirant,

With 64.5 marks in CLAT 2026 and EWS+UP domicile, getting a top NLU may be difficult because EWS cutoffs are usually high. However, you may still have chances in the newer or mid-tier NLUs, depending on this year's overall scoring trend. NLUs like NLU Tripura, NLU Shimla or NLU Jabalpur sometimes open seats for EWS candidates at lower scores. It's best to wait for the official ranks and counselling lists, as seats shift during later rounds.

FOR REFERENCE : https://law.careers360.com/articles/clat-cutoff

THANK YOU