There is no single law entrance in India. CLAT covers 24 NLUs, AILET covers NLU Delhi, CUET UG covers law at central universities like BHU and Jamia, MH CET Law covers Maharashtra, LSAT—India covers a set of private universities, and each state runs its own CET. If you want a five-year law degree, you should be writing three to five of these, not one — the syllabi overlap heavily and each is a separate seat.
Candidates who write only CLAT have one shot at law in a whole year. Here is the full board.
The national and multi-university exams #
| Exam | Admits to | When | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| CLAT | 24 NLUs | December | The main route; 3,000+ seats |
| AILET | NLU Delhi only | Late Nov / early Dec | ~110 UG seats; harder GK |
| CUET UG | BHU, Jamia, central universities | May | Law through the general CUET route |
| LSAT—India | Jindal, UPES, and other private universities | Jan / May | No GK section — reasoning and reading only |
| SLAT | Symbiosis law schools | Two slots, Dec–May | Pune and Noida campuses |
The state entrances #
| Exam | State |
|---|---|
| MH CET Law (5-yr and 3-yr) | Maharashtra |
| AP LAWCET / TS LAWCET | Andhra Pradesh, Telangana |
| KLEE | Kerala |
| PU LLB entrance | Punjab / Chandigarh |
| DU LLB | Delhi University (3-year only) |
State entrances usually carry a domicile advantage that dramatically lowers the effective bar for home-state candidates — often the single best-value application on a candidate's list.
- LSAT—India has no GK section. If Current Affairs is your weakness, it is disproportionately worth writing.
- CUET UG is worth taking regardless: you are likely writing it anyway for other courses, and it opens law at central universities.
- Check your state CET first. Domicile quotas frequently admit at ranks far below any national cut-off.
- Preparation overlaps almost completely — English, reasoning, legal aptitude and current affairs. The marginal cost of a fourth application is a form and a fee.
Which combination to write #
A sensible list for most candidates: CLAT + AILET + your state CET + CUET UG, with LSAT—India added if GK is a weakness or private universities interest you. That is four to five forms covering entirely separate seat pools in a single season.
Law entrance exams in India — frequently asked questions
Which are the main law entrance exams in India?
Is CLAT the only law entrance exam?
Which law entrance exam is easiest?
Can I use the same preparation for all law entrances?
Which law entrance should I write besides CLAT?
Institutes preparing for CLAT, AILET and state CETs together.
Disclaimer: Exam lists, dates and participating institutes change each cycle. Verify on official notifications.
