CLAT vs AILET vs SLAT: Strategic Analysis of Law Entrances

For law aspirants in India, the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is the primary gateway, but it is not the sole determinant of a legal career. Identifying the right mix of examinations is crucial for creating a balanced portfolio of options ranging from Tier-1 National Law Universities (NLUs) to specialized private institutions.

This analysis compares the major law entrance examinations based on Difficulty, Acceptance, and Career Value.

CLAT: The Gold Standard

The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is the centralized entrance for 24 of the 26 National Law Universities (NLUs).

• Scope: Covers top-tier institutes like NLSIU Bangalore, NALSAR Hyderabad, and WBNUJS Kolkata.
• Pattern: Focuses on Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, and Current Affairs. It is less about “Legal Knowledge” and more about “Legal Aptitude.”
• Strategy: This is the non-negotiable “Plan A” for every serious aspirant. A rank here guarantees the NLU tag, which dominates corporate law firm recruitment.

AILET: The Elite Outlier

The All India Law Entrance Test (AILET) is conducted exclusively for NLU Delhi, which does not accept CLAT scores.

• Difficulty: Often considered tougher than CLAT due to stricter time constraints and nuanced questions.
• Risk/Reward: With only ~120 seats, the selection ratio is brutal. It should be treated as a “High Risk, High Reward” attempt.
• Aspirant Profile: Students aiming for the absolute top tier (Litigation/Judiciary focus) must attempt this.

SLAT & LSAT-India: The Private Alternatives

• SLAT (Symbiosis): Entrance for Symbiosis Law Schools (Pune, Noida).
  • Pros: Easier than CLAT; Symbiosis Pune has placement records rivaling top NLUs.
  • Cons: High tuition fees (~₹20 Lakhs+).
• LSAT-India: Accepted by private universities like Jindal Global Law School.
  • Pros: Focuses purely on logic (no GK/Math). Jindal provides elite global exposure.
  • Cons: Extremely expensive (₹30 Lakhs+), making ROI a critical calculation.

MH-CET Law: The State Champion

Conducted for Maharashtra law colleges, including the prestigious GLC Mumbai and ILS Pune.

• The Advantage: These colleges have incredibly low fees and are located in legal hubs (Mumbai/Pune), offering immense internship opportunities with top law firms and the High Court.
• Strategy: The ultimate backup plan. If CLAT goes wrong, GLC Mumbai offers a comparable career trajectory at 1/10th the cost.

Conclusion

The Optimal Exam Portfolio:

1. Primary Target: CLAT (The main goal).
2. Elite Shot: AILET (For NLU Delhi).
3. Safety Net: MH-CET Law (For GLC/ILS) or SLAT (If budget permits).

Core Insight: Do not put all eggs in the CLAT basket. The syllabus overlap is >80%. Preparing for CLAT automatically prepares you for the others, but writing the others insures your year against a single bad day.