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Difference Between CLAT and AILET Syllabus 2027: What to Study for Both Exams
Students aspiring for a 5-year LLB have two primary options: Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) and All India Law Entrance Test (AILET). The CLAT exam is conducted for admissions to 26 National Law Universities and IIULER Goa, while AILET is conducted solely for admissions to NLU Delhi. Most law aspirants apply for both entrance exams together, as both are of equal importance. Preparing for both the exams together means candidates can prepare for some common topics together and then cover the extra topics for each exam separately. In this article, we discuss the basic differences between the CLAT and AILET syllabus, how to prepare for both exams together and more.
CLAT vs AILET - Syllabus Comparison
Parameter | CLAT UG | AILET UG |
Conducting body | Consortium of NLUs | NLU Delhi |
Total questions/time | 120 Qs in 120 min (1 min/Q) | 150 Qs in 120 min (0.8 min/Q) |
No. of sections | 5 | 3 |
Sections | English, Current Affairs & GK, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Techniques | English, Current Affairs & GK, Logical Reasoning |
English weightage | 18% (22–26 Qs) | 33% (50 Qs), largest single section |
Current Affairs & GK weightage | 25% (28–32 Qs), passage-driven | 20% (30 Qs), direct/factual |
Reasoning weightage | Legal (25%) + Logical (20%) = 45%, split into two distinct skills | Logical alone = 47% (70 Qs), single biggest section on the paper |
Math/Quant | Yes, 10% (10–14 Qs), Class 10 level | None |
Question format | Almost entirely passage-based (20,000 words to read), even Legal & Logical Reasoning are comprehension-driven | Mostly standalone/direct questions, Logical Reasoning is not passage-heavy |
Legal Reasoning as own section | Yes, dedicated section, principle + fact pattern, no prior legal knowledge needed | No, folded into Logical Reasoning, not weighted separately |
Core skill rewarded | Reading speed + comprehension stamina + rule-application | Raw logical/analytical speed + recall accuracy |
Marking scheme | +1 correct, −0.25 wrong | +1 correct, −0.25 wrong |
Mode | Offline (pen-paper) | Offline (pen-paper) |
Common Topics in CLAT and AILET syllabus
The AILET and CLAT syllabus has many common topics. Candidates can cover these topics in one go if they are preparing for CLAT and AILET together. For example in the English Language section, both these exams comprise passages. Similarly, the current affairs and general knowledge section of both these exams have common topics that can be studied together. Coming to logical reasoning, topics like Analogies, Syllogisms, Statement-conclusion, Blood relations, Coding-decoding, Direction sense etc are common in both CLAT and AILET. The table below shows the common topics between CLAT and AILET.
CLAT and AILET Syllabus: Overlapping Topics
Section | Common Topics |
English Language | Reading comprehension, Vocabulary, Grammar, Synonyms/Antonyms, Fill in the blanks, Para jumbles, Idioms & phrases, Error spotting |
Current Affairs & General Knowledge | National news, International news, Government schemes, Awards & honours, Sports, Books & authors, Static GK, Important appointments, Legal/constitutional current affairs |
Legal/Logical Reasoning | Analogies, Syllogisms, Statement-conclusion, Blood relations, Coding-decoding, Direction sense, Series completion, Critical reasoning, Argument analysis, Legal principle-fact application |
Quantitative Techniques | Percentages, Ratio & proportion, Averages, Profit & loss, Data interpretation, Basic algebra, Simple/compound interest |
How to prepare for CLAT and AILET together?
Most of the candidates aiming for top law schools prepare for these exams together. There is no separate preparation required for both these exams as they have overlapping topics. Here is a recommended strategy to prepare for CLAT and AILET together:
Focus on building a common core
The English Language, Current Affairs & GK and Reasoning are common subjects in both these exams. Candidates must focus on building a solid foundation in both subjects. The types of questions might be different in these exams, but the core concepts remain the same. For example, for the English Language section, candidates must inculcate the habit of reading passages and answering questions. Similarly, for other subjects, candidates must cover all the core basics first, then dive deeper. Here is a basic preparation strategy for these common topics:
How to cover the Core Basics of Common Subjects?
Section | What to do |
English | Daily RC passages (build inference speed for CLAT, grammar/vocab accuracy for AILET). Do vocabulary + grammar drills 15-20 min/day. |
Current Affairs & GK | Maintain one monthly CA compilation (last 6-12 months). Read editorials daily for CLAT's analytical style; revise static GK separately for AILET's direct-fact style. |
Reasoning (core logic) | Master syllogisms, analogies, coding-decoding, blood relations, direction sense, common to both. Practice these as standalone question sets, not just passages. |
Don’t Forget the Subject-Specific Preparation
While the majority of the topics for both these exams might be the same, candidates must still leave room for subject-specific preparation. For example, the AILET legal reasoning is more speed-based, while CLAT follows a principle + fact pattern in this section. Similarly, for English Language, candidates must focus on reading longer passages, while for AILET, students must focus more on question-per-minute speed. Here is a simple guide for CLAT and AILET subject-specific preparation:
CLAT and AILET Subject-wise Preparation
For CLAT | For AILET |
Practice Legal Reasoning daily, principle + fact pattern sets (this is CLAT's highest-weightage, most distinct section) | Drill pure speed-based Logical Reasoning, puzzles, arrangement, calendar/clock, non-verbal reasoning |
Do Quant 15-20 min/day, percentages, ratios, DI, profit-loss (Class 10 level is enough) | Push English grammar accuracy higher, AILET weighs it more than CLAT's. |
Train for long passages (500+ words), CLAT's biggest bottleneck is reading stamina | Train for question-per-minute speed, 150 Qs/120 min leaves less time per question |
Separate Mock Test Strategy for both
Candidates must note that mock tests are the real key for acing both the exams. Candidates must focus on solving as many CLAT and AILET mock tests as they can. If they are preparing for both exams together, they can choose to solve the mock test papers for both these exams alternately. In the initial phase of preparation, candidates can practice mock tests weekly and can increase the frequency as per their pace in the final phases of preparation.
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Have a question related to CLAT ?
Hello Dear Student,
With a CLAT AIR of 19,688 as an OBC candidate, your chances of securing a seat in regular counselling rounds are extremely low. Your best prospects lie in participating in the vacant seats/spot rounds of universities that feature regional or state quotas, specifically the Tamil Nadu National
Hello Student,
Can you please clarify as to what are you trying to ask?
Hello Dear Student,
Yes, you are eligible to pursue a 5-year BA LLB program. The Bar Council of India has removed the upper age limit for admission to integrated law courses, and NIOS is a recognized board. If you are not appearing for CLAT , you can apply to several
Hello, Thanks for the question.
You can find the CLAT previous year question papers using the link provided below on this page.
https://law.careers360.com/articles/clat-previous-year-question-papers
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https://law.careers360.com/articles/clat-2026-download-last-5-year-question-paper-pdf
https://law.careers360.com/download/sample-papers/clat-sample-paper-answer-key-careers360
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