Quick Answer
AILET 2027 Complete Guide: Exam Pattern, Preparation and How It Differs From CLAT
AILET (All India Law Entrance Test) is harder than CLAT — same syllabus but tighter questions, more reasoning, and only one exam per year (December 13 for AILET 2027). This guide covers the complete pattern, section strategy, and how AILET differs from CLAT so you can prepare for both simultaneously.
The AILET pattern
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 35–40 | 35–40 | ~30 min |
| Current Affairs & General Knowledge | 15–20 | 15–20 | ~15 min |
| Logical Reasoning | 35–40 | 35–40 | ~35 min |
Total: 150 questions, 150 marks, 120 minutes. Marking: +1 correct, −0.25 wrong.
Note: AILET 2027 pattern may be updated — check the official notification at nationallawuniversitydelhi.in.
How AILET differs from CLAT
| Feature | CLAT | AILET |
|---|---|---|
| Total questions | 120 | 150 |
| Duration | 120 min | 120 min |
| Difficulty | Moderate (comprehension-heavy) | Harder (more reasoning, less reading) |
| Negative marking | −0.25 | −0.25 |
| Legal reasoning | Dedicated section (~35 Q) | Integrated into Logical Reasoning |
| Quantitative techniques | Yes (data-based) | No |
| Competition | ~60,000 for 17 NLUs | ~15,000 for 1 NLU (NLU Delhi) |
Section 1: English Language
What AILET tests: Vocabulary (synonyms, antonyms, one-word substitution), grammar (error spotting, sentence correction), and reading comprehension (shorter passages than CLAT but more direct questions).
Strategy
- Vocabulary is 15–20 questions. AILET tests harder words than CLAT — prepare from previous year papers + any law entrance vocabulary book. Learn 20 words/day.
- Grammar is 10–12 questions. Focus on subject-verb agreement, tenses, articles, prepositions, and idioms.
- RC is 8–10 questions from 2–3 short passages. Unlike CLAT’s inference-heavy passages, AILET’s RC questions are more factual — locate the answer in the passage.
Section 2: Current Affairs & General Knowledge
What AILET tests: Static GK (history, geography, polity, science) and current affairs (last 6–8 months). Unlike CLAT (which gives passages), AILET asks direct one-liner questions.
Strategy
- Static GK is 60% of this section. Focus on: Indian Constitution (fundamental rights, Parliament, judiciary), Indian history (modern focus), geography (rivers, mountains, states), and basic science.
- Current affairs is 40%. Cover the last 8 months: legal news (Supreme Court judgments, new laws), national events, international summits, awards, sports. Our daily current affairs digests cover exactly this.
- Legal current affairs is AILET-specific: Know recent Supreme Court judgments, new legislation, and constitutional amendments. CLAT doesn’t emphasise this as much.
Section 3: Logical Reasoning (the AILET differentiator)
What AILET tests: Critical reasoning (assumptions, arguments, conclusions), analytical reasoning (puzzles, seating arrangements, syllogisms), and legal reasoning principles integrated throughout.
Strategy
- Critical reasoning is 15–18 questions: Identify assumptions, strengthen/weaken arguments, draw conclusions. This is the hardest part — practise 10 questions/day.
- Analytical reasoning is 12–15 questions: Puzzles, coding-decoding, blood relations, directions, seating. These are practicable — the more you solve, the faster you get.
- Legal reasoning is 8–10 questions: Same principle-application format as CLAT, but shorter passages. Apply the 4-step technique from our CLAT Legal Reasoning guide.
The 25-day plan (CLAT Dec 6 → AILET Dec 13)
| Days | Focus | Daily |
|---|---|---|
| 1–10 | CLAT preparation (comprehension + legal reasoning + quant) | 3 hours |
| 11–12 | CLAT exam (Dec 6) + rest + quick review | — |
| 13–18 | AILET-specific: vocabulary sprint + static GK + critical reasoning drills | 3.5 hours |
| 19–23 | AILET full mocks (2/day) + error analysis | 4 hours |
| 24–25 | Taper: formula sheets + GK one-liners + sleep | 2 hours |
The 3 rules of AILET success
- AILET rewards reasoning over reading. CLAT is a reading test; AILET is a thinking test. If your CLAT preparation focused on reading speed, shift to critical reasoning practice.
- Static GK decides the paper. AILET’s GK section is 60% static — unlike CLAT where everything is current-affairs based. Spend a full week on Constitution, history, and geography.
- 150 questions in 120 minutes = 48 seconds per question. This is faster than CLAT (60 seconds/question). Practise with a timer from Day 1 — if a question takes more than 60 seconds, skip it.
Exam angle
How the exam uses this: AILET tests precision thinking under extreme time pressure. Build your reasoning and reading foundation with timed mock tests — the same skills (critical reasoning, vocabulary, comprehension) transfer from your CLAT preparation.
FAQ
Can I prepare for both CLAT and AILET together? Yes — 80% of the syllabus overlaps. The key differences: AILET has no quantitative section, harder vocabulary, more static GK, and faster time pressure. Adjust in the week between the two exams.
What’s a good AILET score? NLU Delhi’s BA LLB cutoff typically ranges 90–110 out of 150 for the General category. Aim for 100+ to be competitive.
Is AILET harder than CLAT? Yes, for three reasons: more questions in the same time, harder vocabulary, and only one NLU (NLU Delhi) vs CLAT’s 17 NLUs — so the competition-to-seat ratio is higher.
Quick revision
- Vocabulary is 15–20 questions.: AILET tests harder words than CLAT — prepare from previous year papers + any law entrance vocabulary book. Learn 20 words/day.
- Grammar is 10–12 questions.: Focus on subject-verb agreement, tenses, articles, prepositions, and idioms.
- RC is 8–10 questions: from 2–3 short passages. Unlike CLAT’s inference-heavy passages, AILET’s RC questions are more factual — locate the answer in the passage.
- Static GK is 60% of this section.: Focus on: Indian Constitution (fundamental rights, Parliament, judiciary), Indian history (modern focus), geography (rivers, mountains, states), and…
- Current affairs is 40%.: Cover the last 8 months: legal news (Supreme Court judgments, new laws), national events, international summits, awards, sports.
- Legal current affairs is AILET-specific: Know recent Supreme Court judgments, new legislation, and constitutional amendments. CLAT doesn’t emphasise this as much.
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