CLAT admits you to 24 NLUs; AILET admits you to NLU Delhi only. AILET is the harder paper — roughly 110 seats against far more applicants per seat — and it is held a week or two before CLAT. There is no reason to choose: write both. The syllabi overlap almost entirely, and AILET is a second shot at a top-tier NLU in the same season.
Treating these as alternatives is the mistake. The real question is how to allocate the last month between two papers that share most of their preparation.
Side by side #
| CLAT | AILET | |
|---|---|---|
| Conducted by | Consortium of NLUs | NLU Delhi |
| Admits to | 24 NLUs | NLU Delhi only |
| Approx. seats | ~3,000+ across NLUs | ~110 (UG) |
| When | First/second Sunday of December | A week or two before CLAT |
| Sections | English, Current Affairs/GK, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, Quant | English, Current Affairs/GK, Logical Reasoning (no separate Legal Reasoning in recent pattern) |
| Difficulty | High | Higher — tougher GK, sharper reasoning |
| Competition per seat | Very high | Extreme |
Where the papers differ in practice #
AILET's GK is harder. It goes further into static general knowledge and reaches for less-covered current affairs than CLAT's passage-based approach.
AILET's reasoning is sharper and faster. The paper rewards candidates who are comfortable at speed rather than those who read carefully but slowly.
CLAT is more comprehension-driven. Every section hangs off a passage, including Quant, which AILET's recent patterns have not emphasised the same way.
- Prepare for CLAT as your base, then add two to three weeks of AILET-specific GK and reasoning practice before the AILET date.
- AILET comes first. Treat it as a full-dress rehearsal with a real prize attached — candidates who write AILET seriously report a calmer CLAT.
- Do not skip AILET because the odds look bad. One extra application fee for a shot at NLU Delhi is the best-value decision in the whole cycle.
Which to target #
If you can only excel at one, CLAT — it opens 24 institutes and more than 3,000 seats. But "target" is the wrong frame for AILET: it costs you a fortnight of extra GK work and one form.
CLAT vs AILET — frequently asked questions
Which is tougher, CLAT or AILET?
Can I give both CLAT and AILET?
Is AILET only for NLU Delhi?
Does AILET have a Legal Reasoning section?
How should I prepare for both CLAT and AILET?
Institutes that prepare for both in one batch.
Disclaimer: Seat counts and patterns are indicative and change each cycle. Verify on the Consortium of NLUs and NLU Delhi notifications.
