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CLAT Vs SLAT: Differences, Eligibility, Accepting Colleges, Syllabus, Difficulty Level

CLAT Vs SLAT: Differences, Eligibility, Accepting Colleges, Syllabus, Difficulty Level

Edited By Team Careers360 | Updated on Jun 21, 2024 11:28 AM IST | #CLAT

Most of the top law schools in India offer LLB admissions through entrance exams. Among the law entrance exams conducted in India, CLAT and SLAT are the most popular exams. Both CLAT and SLAT are considered gateways to some of the top law schools in India. Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is primarily conducted for admission to 24 prestigious National Law Universities (NLUs), whereas Symbiosis Law Admission Test (SLAT) is accepted by four law schools of Symbiosis International University (SIU).

The upcoming CLAT 2025 will be held in the first week of December. Whereas, SLAT will be held on May 5 and May 11, in online mode. Students looking for admission to top law schools can prepare for both these examinations simultaneously due to overlapping subjects. While the syllabi of both exams overlap with each other, there are many key differences between them in terms of difficulty level, mode of examination, exam pattern, and selection process. This article discusses the differences between the CLAT and SLAT in detail for better understanding for the students.

What are the key differences between CLAT and SLAT?

Differences

CLATSLAT

Conducting body

Consortium of NLUs

Symbiosis International (deemed university)

Mode of examination

Offline (pen and paper)

Online (computer-based)

Difficulty level

Very difficult

Moderately difficult

Exam duration

2 hours

1 hour

No. of questions asked

120

60

Total marks

120

60

Negative marking

-0.25

No negative marking

Seats available

3,243

1,080

Frequency of examination

Once a year

Twice a year

Selection process

Two-stage:

  • CLAT exam

  • Counselling

Three stage

  • SLAT exam

  • Written Aptitude Test (WAT)

  • Personal Interview (PI)

Eligibility criteria of CLAT and SLAT

The eligibility criteria for CLAT 2025 and SLAT are the same. The criteria are mentioned below:

  • The students should have completed their 12th class.

  • Students who are currently in 12 standard and are due to pass out in

  • The passing percentage of the 12th standard should be 45% for the general category and 40% for the SC/ST category.

  • There is no age limit to appear in the examination.

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CLAT and SLAT: Syllabus

The syllabus of CLAT and SLAT consists of 5 subjects each. The syllabus of both of the exams are quite similar but the pattern 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.

CLAT syllabus

SLAT syllabus

English language:

  • Meaning of words

  • The central theme of the passage

  • Concluding paragraphs

Reading comprehension:

  • Tenses

  • Prepositions

  • Conjunctions

  • Sentence improvement

Current affairs including general knowledge:

  • Institutions

  • Recent events, awards, and organizations

  • Historical events

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

  • Arguments and conclusions

  • Syllogisms

  • Puzzles

Quantitative technique:

  • Percentage

  • Average

  • Ratio

(Basic 10th standard maths)

Analytical reasoning

  • Data interpretations

  • Addition

  • Multiplication

  • Complete the series

CLAT vs SLAT: Which exam is more difficult?

The complex exam pattern and marking schemes of the CLAT make it more difficult than the SLAT examination. In the CLAT exam, students have to answer the questions from the passages given for each section. Candidates have to decipher the passages before selecting the right answers, and each wrong answer carries a negative marking of 0.25. On the other hand, questions asked in the SLAT exam are direct-objective type, and there is no negative marking.

CLAT vs SLAT: Selection process for admission

Both examinations are held for admission to top law schools in India. However, their selection process is slightly different from one another.

The CLAT exam is held in offline mode, in more than 130 exam centres across the country. The students have to appear in the examination. The CLAT results are announced soon after the examination. Then the Consortium of NLU conducts counselling for seat allotment, where the students are allotted NLUs based on their preferences and rank in the merit list.

Whereas the SLAT exam has three stages of the selection process. The first round is the SLAT examination that takes place in May. It carries 50% weightage in the selection process. After the result declaration, the admission process becomes decentralized as the participating institutes conduct the SLAT counselling separately. The second and third phase of the SLAT selection process includes a Written Aptitude Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI) conducted by each law school.

Previous year’s question paper analysis: CLAT vs SLAT

The exam pattern of CLAT and SLAT is different in the matter of the number of questions asked and the weightage given to each section. As per the previous year's paper of the SLAT, the number of questions asked in each section is equal. An equal number of questions in each section denotes that the marks that each section carries are the same. However, according to the analysis of the previous year’s question paper of the CLAT, each section has a different number of questions and marks weightage. In the CLAT exam, legal reasoning has the most number of questions whereas the quantitative section has the least. Let’s take a look at the table for more clarity about the pattern of question papers of both exams.

CLAT vs SLAT: Question Paper Comparision

Sections

CLAT

SLAT

English language

24

12

Current affairs - general knowledge

28

12

Legal reasoning

32

12

Logical reasoning

24

12

Quantitative technique/Analytical reasoning

12

12

Total questions

120

60

Participating institutes in CLAT and SLAT

Students take the CLAT examination to get admission to the top-ranked NLUs of India. Whereas, the SLAT examination is for those candidates who want to pursue law from top Symbiosis colleges. Below is the list of institutions that accept CLAT and SLAT scores.

CLAT participating universities

The list of colleges and institutes that accept the CLAT exam is given below:

  • National Law School of India University, Bengaluru

  • National Academy of Legal Studies and Research, Hyderabad

  • National Law Institute University, Bhopal

  • West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata

  • National Law University, Jodhpur

  • Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur

  • Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar

  • Gujarat National Law University, Silvassa

  • Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow

  • Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala

  • Chanakya National Law University, Patna

  • National University of Advanced Legal Studies, Kochi

  • National Law University, Cuttack

  • National University of Study and Research in Law, Ranchi

  • National Law University and Judicial Academy, Guwahati

  • Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University, Visakhapatnam

  • Tamil Nadu National Law School, Tiruchirappalli

  • Maharashtra National Law University, Mumbai

  • Maharashtra National Law University, Nagpur

  • Maharashtra National Law University, Aurangabad

  • Himachal Pradesh National Law University, Shimla

  • Dharamashastra National Law University, Jabalpur

  • Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Law University, Sonipat

  • National Law University, Tripura

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SLAT law schools

Four colleges accept SLAT scores of students, for their law course admission. The list of SLAT-participating law schools is given below.

  • Symbiosis Law School, Pune

  • Symbiosis Law School, Noida

  • Symbiosis Law School, Nagpur

  • Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad

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Seat matrix of CLAT and SLAT

The number of students who appear for CLAT is around 50,000 to 70,000. However, the seats are limited in the top-ranked law universities. The CLAT participating NLUs offer around 3300 seats in 5-year integrated LLB courses and around 1300 LLM seats.

CLAT participating NLUs, courses, and seats

NLUs

CoursesUG Intake

NLSIU Bengaluru

BA LLB (Hons)

300

NALSAR Hyderabad

BA LLB (Hons)

132

WBNUJS Kolkata

BA LLB (Hons)

132

NLIU Bhopal

BA LLB (Hons), B.Sc LLB, LLM

202 (BA LLB 134, B.Sc LLB 68)

NLU Jodhpur

BA LLB (Hons)

120

HNLU Raipur

BA LLB (Hons)

180

GNLU Gandhinagar

BA LLB(Hons.),BCom LLB(Hons.),BSc LLB (Hons.), BBA LLB(Hons), BSW LLB(Hons)

172 (total seats for all the courses)

GNLU Silvassa Campus

BA LLB (Hons)

66

RMLNLU Lucknow

BA LLB (Hons)

169

RGNUL Patiala

BA LLB (Hons)

180

CNLU Patna

BA LLB (Hons), BBA LLB (Hons)

138( 69 seats each for BA LLB and BBA LLB

NUALS Kochi

BA LLB (Hons)

60

NLUO, Odisha, Cuttack

BA LLB (Hons), BBA LLB (Hons)

180 (BA LLB 120, BBA LLB 60)

NUSRL Ranchi

BA LLB (Hons)

134

NLUJA Assam, Guwahati

BA LLB (Hons)

60

DSNLU Visakhapatnam

BA LLB (Hons)

138

TNNLU Tiruchirappalli

BA LLB (Hons), B.Com LLB (Hons)

120 (BA LLB 60 , B.Com LLB 60)

MNLU Mumbai

BA LLB (Hons) , BBA LLB (Hons)

100

MNLU Nagpur

BA LLB (Hons) , BBA LLB (Hons)

120 (BA LLB 60, BBA LLB 60)

MNLU Aurangabad

BA LLB (Hons) , BBA LLB (Hons)

120 (BA LLB 60, BBA LLB 60)

HPNLU Shimla

BA LLB (Hons) , BBA LLB (Hons)

120 (BA LLB 60, BBA LLB 60)

DNLU Jabalpur

BA LLB (Hons)

120

DBRANLU, Sonipat, Haryana

BA LLB (Hons)

120

NLUT Agartala

BA LLB (Hons)

60

Total


3243

Talking about SLAT, the law schools offer 1080 seats in BA LLB and BBA LLB courses. Around 20,000 candidates appear for SLAT exam every year. Refer to the table below for more clarity about the seat matrix of SLAT

SLAT participating SLS, courses, and seats

Name of colleges

Courses offered and seats

Total seats

Symbiosis Law School, Pune

BA LLB

120

300

BBA LLB

180

Symbiosis Law School, Noida

BA LLB

120

300

BBA LLB

180

Symbiosis Law School, Nagpur

BA LLB

120

240

BBA LLB

120

Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad

BA LLB

120

240

BBA LLB

120

Total

1080

CLAT vs SLAT: Exam schedule

The application form for the CLAT is usually released in the first week of July, and registration for the examination remains open till the first week of November. The CLAT examination is conducted in the first week of December.

Whereas, for the SLAT exam, the commencement of the application starts in December, and the registration window closes in April. The SLAT exam takes place in May. The SLAT is conducted twice in the same month, and if the student appears for both of the exams, the higher marks are counted for the final percentile calculation.

Also, check - Top Law Colleges in India

Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)

1. Is SLAT more difficult than CLAT?

No, CLAT is more difficult than SLAT. The higher number of candidates appear in CLAT which makes it more competitive.

2. What are CLAT and SLAT?

Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) and Symbiosis Law Admission Test (SLAT) are the two entrance examinations in which candidates appear to get admission to top-rated law universities.

3. Which is tough CLAT or CAT?

CAT examination is more tough to crack in comparison to CLAT. The CAT is the most important entrance examination to get admission to top management institutes. A very high number of applicants appear for the CAT every year which makes it competitive. Apart from that, the exam is also tough to crack because of the weightage given to the quantitative section.

4. Is CLAT easy to crack?

The CLAT exam is highly competitive and tough to crack. However, with the right strategy and hard work, cracking the exam is not that difficult.

5. Is 45 a good score for SLAT?

The cut-off of the SLAT examination is different for all the four colleges that come under the exam. It varies from 35 to 48.

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Questions related to CLAT

Have a question related to CLAT ?

Hello aspirant,

On its official website, the Consortium of NLUs will release CLAT sample papers 2025. By accessing the official website, consortiumofnlus.ac.in, and logging in with their user credentials, candidates can obtain the CLAT 2025 sample papers. One other learning tool that Careers360 has produced for candidates is a free PDF with 10 practice tests for the CLAT.

To get sample question papers, you can visit our website by clicking on the link given below.

https://law.careers360.com/articles/clat-sample-papers

Thank you

Hope this information helps you.

Hello,

Students who are giving the CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) in 2025 would typically get into college in the same year.

The process usually involves taking the exam, receiving results, participating in counseling or admissions processes, and then starting classes at the chosen law school. Therefore, students taking CLAT in 2025 would likely start their college education in the academic year starting in 2025 or 2026, depending on the specific timelines and admission procedures of the law schools they apply to.

Hope it helps you!

Greeting Student,

To prepare for current affairs for CLAT you can read daily newspapers like The Hindu, Hindustan Times and Indian Express. You can prefer apps like gk Today and Career Cloud. The LAw EX magazine. There are some examples of current affairs and tips to refer to for current affairs. https://testzone.smartkeeda.com/lawexmagazine/ https://www.gktoday.in/ https://careerscloud.in/ https://law.careers360.com/articles/clat-gk-questions https://law.careers360.com/articles/how-prepare-for-current-affairs-for-clat

Thank You.

Hello Yashita,

Since you're in Class 11 and aiming for CLAT UG 2026, you have a good amount of time to develop a strong foundation for the exam. Here are some tips to help you prepare for CLAT UG 2026 alongside your Class 11 studies:

Develop a Study Plan:

  • Balance: Create a balanced study plan that allocates time for both CLAT preparation and Class 11 subjects. Start with smaller chunks of dedicated CLAT study time and gradually increase as you get closer to the exam.

  • Consistency: Consistency is key.  Even 30-45 minutes of focused CLAT preparation daily can be more effective than sporadic cramming sessions.


Focus on Building Core Skills:

  • Reading Comprehension: Make reading a habit. Read newspapers, magazines, and articles from reliable sources. Practice comprehending complex passages and identifying key information.

  • Analytical & Logical Reasoning: Solve puzzles, play logic games (Sudoku, chess), and attempt practice questions to sharpen your analytical and logical thinking skills.

  • Vocabulary Building: Actively improve your vocabulary by learning new words daily. Use flashcards, mnemonics, or online resources to aid memorization.
  • Legal Awareness: Start familiarizing yourself with basic legal concepts and legal terminology. You can find introductory legal resources online or in libraries.


Utilize Resources:

  • NCERT Textbooks: While not specifically designed for CLAT, NCERT textbooks, particularly for English and Social Sciences, can strengthen your foundational knowledge in these areas.

  • CLAT Preparation Books: Purchase well-regarded CLAT preparation books to access practice questions, mock tests, and explanations for different CLAT sections.
  • Online Resources: Utilize free and paid online resources like practice tests, video lectures, and study materials for focused preparation.


    I hope this answer helps you. If you have more queries then feel free to share your questions with us we will be happy to assist you.

    Thank you and wishing you all the best for your CLAT preparation.

Hy aspirant,

Yes, you can definitely prepare for the CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) exams through self-study.

Here are some book recommendations and tips that may help you :-

  • Legal Aptitude for the CLAT and LLB Examinations by AP Bhardwaj.
  • Objective General Knowledge" by Lucent Publication.
  • Wren & Martin High School English Grammar and Composition.

Stay updated with current events, especially those related to legal and constitutional matters.

Read newspapers like The Hindu, The Indian Express, and magazines like Pratiyogita Darpan for current affairs.

Participate in online forums and discussion groups for CLAT aspirants to clarify doubts and exchange study tips.

View All

1111112=___________

Option: 1

123456654321


Option: 2

1234554321


Option: 3

123454321


Option: 4

12345654321


125 toffees cost Rs. 75, Find the cost of one million toffees if there is a discount of 40% on the selling price for this quantity.

 

Option: 1

Rs.3,00,000


Option: 2

Rs. 3,20,000


Option: 3

3,60,000


Option: 4

Rs.4,00,000


14. Find the present value (in Rs.) of Rs.3000 due after 5 years at 10% p.a. simple interest.

Option: 1

1500


Option: 2

1800


Option: 3

2000


Option: 4

2500


24. Raju took a loan at 8% per annum simple interest for a period of 5 years. At the end of five years he paid Rs.10640 to clear his loan. How much loan did he take?

Option: 1

Rs.8500


Option: 2

Rs.8000


Option: 3

Rs.7700


Option: 4

Rs.7600


'A' carelessly left an iron pole across a public road 300 m from that spot was a traffic signal indicating speed limit to be 20 kmph. B, riding a scooter at 80 kmph, noticed the protrusion from a distance, but still could not avoid it, collided with the pole and was injured. In an action by B against A.

Option: 1

B will lose as he was driving very fast


Option: 2

B will lose for some other reasons


Option: 3

B will succeed, because A was careless


Option: 4

B will succeed, because A could have avoided the mishap by putting up a warning


'A' was having a get together with his old friends and on his friend's suggestions, he consumed some alcohol. On his way back to home at night, 'A' heard some footsteps and turning back, he imagined he saw a figure moving towards him with a spear. In fact, it was only a man, 'B' with an umbrella, who was telling 'A' to walk carefully since 'A' appeared to be unsteady. However, 'A' proceeded to attack 'B' with an iron rod leading to grave injuries to 'B'. Is 'A' guilty of causing grievous hurt to 'B'?

Option: 1

No, 'A' is not guilty because in his intoxicated state, the umbrella appeared a spear to him and he exercised his right of private defence.


Option: 2

No, 'A' is not guilty because 'B' could have attacked 'A' with his umbrella


Option: 3

No, 'A' is not guilty because he was intoxicated on the suggestions of his friends and was incapable of knowing that he was savagely attacking a man, who was carrying only an umbrella


Option: 4

Yes, 'A' is guilty because he got intoxicated voluntarily and under the effect of this voluntary intoxication, he attacked and caused grievous injuries to 'B' who posed no threat to him in fart


'A"s cattle was being regularly stolen and 'A' was unable to apprehend the thief. One night, 'A' finally manages to catch 'B' untying his cow from the cowshed under the cover of darkness. 'A' slowly crept up to 'B' and slashed his neck with a sickle leading to the death of 'B' Is 'A' guilty of the offence of culpable homicide?

Option: 1

No, 'A' was only exercising his right of private defence of property


Option: 2

No, 'B' continued stealing of his cattle would have rendered his business inoperable


Option: 3

Yes, 'A' had no reasonable apprehension that 'A' could suffer any grievous hurt if he did not kill 'B'


Option: 4

Yes, 'A' should have first challenged 'B' to surrender before taking any steps to cause 'B's death


A, a 15 year old girl, having been rebuked by her mother leaves her house. At railway station she met the accused who takes her to his house. He provides her clothes, money and ornaments at his house and has sexual intercourse with the girl with her consent. What offence has been committed?

Option: 1

The mother is accused of maltreatment.


Option: 2

The accused is guilty of rape.  


Option: 3

The accused is not guilty.


Option: 4

None of the above.


A, a 15 year old girl, left her mother’s house and joined the accused because her mother has turned down the proposal of her marriage with the accused on the ground that she was too young. While she was with the accused he had sexual intercourse with her against her will. What offence has been committed?

Option: 1 None

Option: 2 None

Option: 3 None

Option: 4 None

A, a chain snatcher, forcibly pulled the ear rings from the ears of an old lady. Both the ear lobes were torn and the old lady suffered pain and suffering for over three weeks. For what offence can A be prosecuted? What offence have been committed?

Option: 1

He is guilty of theft.


Option: 2

A is guilty of voluntarily causing ‘grievous hurt’.


Option: 3

He is guilty of rash and negligent.


Option: 4

None of the above.


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