Should You Prepare for AILET Along with CLAT?
- himanshilawprep
- 7 days ago
- 6 min read
When students start preparing for law entrance exams, the first name they hear is CLAT. It is one of the most well-known entrance tests for law in India. But while preparing for CLAT, many students also come across another exam, AILET. This is the exam for NLU Delhi, which is one of the top three law colleges in India.
At this point, most students have the same question “Should I prepare for AILET along with CLAT?” It sounds like a simple yes or no question, but it actually needs a little deeper thinking. Let’s understand both exams, how they are similar, how they are different, and whether preparing for both is a good idea.
Don’t worry you don’t need to be scared or feel confused. We’ll break everything into simple points so that you can decide what works best for you.
What Is CLAT?
CLAT stands for the Common Law Admission Test. It is conducted every year by the Consortium of National Law Universities. Students who clear this exam get admission into the 22 National Law Universities across India, such as NLSIU Bangalore, NALSAR Hyderabad, and others. If you are aiming for a top law school, you must clearly understand what is CLAT and how it works.
CLAT tests your understanding in five main subjects - English, Current Affairs including General Knowledge, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Techniques (which is just a fancy name for basic maths). All the questions are comprehension-based. This means you will get long paragraphs and have to answer questions based on what you read.
You get two hours to complete the exam. There are 120 questions in total. The idea is not just to know facts, but to understand, apply, and think logically.
What Is AILET?
AILET stands for the All India Law Entrance Test. This exam is conducted by NLU Delhi, a very prestigious law college that does not accept CLAT scores. If you want to study at NLU Delhi, you need to appear for AILET.
AILET also checks your knowledge in similar subjects: English, Current Affairs and General Knowledge, Logical Reasoning, and Legal Aptitude. However, the style of the exam is a bit different. AILET has 150 questions and the level of speed required is higher because the questions are more direct and less comprehension-based.
So, even though the subjects look the same on paper, the way questions are asked is not the same in both exams.
1. Why Do Students Consider Preparing for Both?
This is an important question. Most students wonder if giving both exams is worth it. And the answer depends on your preparation style and goals. But many students across India do prepare for both exams, and here’s why.
First, giving both exams gives you more chances. CLAT gives you entry into 22 law colleges, and AILET gives you a chance to study at NLU Delhi - one of the best. If you clear both, you have more options in hand. If one exam does not go well, the other may save the year. That’s always a smart move.
Second, the syllabus of both exams is very similar. You don’t need to study different books or learn different subjects. Your preparation for one exam also helps in the other. Of course, you’ll have to practise the different paper styles, but the topics are almost the same.
Third, if your goal is to get into the top 3 law colleges in India, then skipping AILET is like skipping a golden opportunity. NLU Delhi is right there at the top, and it’s not wise to miss that chance just because the exam is different.
2. Are There Differences Between CLAT and AILET?
Yes, there are some differences you should keep in mind. The most important one is the pattern of questions.
CLAT focuses more on long passages. You’ll read comprehension passages and answer questions based on them. The exam checks your understanding, analysis, and reasoning. You need to have good reading speed and strong comprehension skills to do well.
On the other hand, AILET has more direct questions. You don’t get long passages as often. Instead, the questions come quickly, one after another. You have to think and answer fast. Time pressure is high in AILET because you have to answer 150 questions in 2 hours. That means less than a minute per question.
So, while CLAT tests how well you understand things deeply, AILET checks how fast and accurately you can answer.
3. Can You Prepare for Both Exams at Same Time?
The good news is - yes, you absolutely can prepare for both exams at the same time. Thousands of students do this every year, and many of them crack both exams. But you have to prepare smartly.
You do not need two separate routines. You only need to make a few adjustments.
Your main preparation can stay focused on CLAT. Since CLAT has more colleges and is slightly more reading-heavy, keeping CLAT 2027 as your base is a good idea. Read newspapers, improve your comprehension, practise logical and legal reasoning daily, and revise current affairs every week.
Once you’re comfortable with your CLAT preparation, you can slowly begin practising AILET-style questions once or twice a week. This includes direct vocabulary questions, factual current affairs, grammar questions, and logical reasoning puzzles that are slightly different from CLAT’s format.
This way, your base remains the same, and you build on it to cover AILET too.
4. What Does an Ideal Weekly Routine Look Like?
Let’s say you’re already preparing for CLAT. Here’s how you can make small changes to your week and include AILET:
From Monday to Thursday, focus on reading comprehension, legal reasoning, current affairs, and basic maths all of which help in CLAT.
On Friday, practise English grammar, vocabulary, and one-liner current affairs this helps in AILET.
On Saturday, attempt a full mock test alternate between CLAT and AILET each week.
On Sunday, do analysis and revise your mistakes. Don’t just solve learn from your errors.
This kind of plan is balanced, doable, and will help you prepare for both exams without any panic.
5. Why Are Mock Tests So Important?
Mock tests play a very big role in both CLAT and AILET preparation. These tests show you what the real exam will feel like. You’ll learn how to manage your time, avoid silly mistakes, and improve your speed.
It is a good idea to take at least one CLAT and one AILET mock every week. After every mock, sit down and check which questions you got wrong. Try to find out why - did you read the question too fast? Did you guess and lose marks? Did you not understand the topic?
This kind of analysis is where real improvement happens.
6. What Extra Things Should You Do for AILET?
While most of your preparation will be common, AILET needs a little extra practice in some areas.
You should focus more on:
Vocabulary: Learn 5-10 new English words daily. Use them in sentences so you don’t forget.
Grammar: Practise sentence correction, fill-in-the-blanks, and error spotting.
Logical reasoning: Solve direction sense, coding-decoding, series, and puzzles.
One-liner current affairs: AILET does not give passages for current events. It asks direct questions.
Speed building: Try solving small question sets in a time limit. For example, 10 grammar questions in 7 minutes.
By doing just 2-3 hours of such practice every week, your AILET preparation will stay on track.
7. What Should You Do in the Last Month?
In the final 30 days before the exams, your focus should be on revision and mock tests. Do not try to learn too many new things at this stage.
Try to attempt a full-length mock test every alternate day. On the days when you’re not taking a mock, revise current affairs, go through vocabulary lists, and solve previous year papers.
Most importantly, stay calm. Many students improve their performance just in the last month by staying consistent and focused.
Also checkout Benefits of Joining Online CLAT Coaching
8. Should You Prepare for AILET Along with CLAT?
Now we come back to the big question - should you prepare for both?
The answer is yes, if:
You are serious about getting into the best law colleges.
You started preparing early or still have 3–4 months.
You are comfortable with English and logic-based subjects.
You are ready to take one extra mock test per week.
You can skip AILET if:
You started very late and are struggling to cover even the basics of CLAT.
You get too stressed or confused while managing both.
Your only target is a specific NLU through CLAT.
But for most students, giving both exams is a smart choice. One preparation can give you two big opportunities. That’s a good deal.
Final Thoughts
Preparing for law entrance exams is not about studying 12 hours a day. It’s about understanding the pattern, practising regularly, and staying consistent. AILET and CLAT are both important exams, and preparing for both can increase your chances of success.
You don’t need two different lives to prepare for two exams. You just need one smart plan and a regular routine. Keep it simple, stay focused, and believe in your efforts.
Remember, law is not just about knowing the rules. It’s also about using them smartly. And this is your first step toward doing just that.
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