AILET: Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Eligibility and Preparation

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AILET (All India Law Entrance Test) is the entrance exam conducted by National Law University Delhi for admission to its five-year BA LLB (Hons.) program. NLU Delhi does not take part in CLAT, so AILET is the only way into its undergraduate law program. The same exam cycle also covers NLU Delhi’s LLM and PhD admissions through separate papers.

The BA LLB paper is an offline, two-hour test with 150 multiple-choice questions across English, Current Affairs and GK, and Logical Reasoning. There is a penalty of 0.25 marks per wrong answer. AILET is usually held in December, around the same time as CLAT.

AILET at a glance

Full name	All India Law Entrance Test (AILET)
Conducted by	National Law University Delhi
Exam level	National
Held	Once a year, usually in December
Mode	Offline, pen-and-paper
Duration	2 hours
Subjects	English Language, Current Affairs and General Knowledge, Logical Reasoning
Total marks	150
Negative marking	0.25 marks deducted per wrong answer
Languages	English
Leads to	BA LLB (Hons.) at National Law University Delhi
Official website	nationallawuniversitydelhi.in

AILET important dates

These dates update automatically from Kosuki’s exam calendar. “Announced” dates come from the official notice; “Expected” months are based on past years.

!Dates can change. Always confirm on the official website. Report a wrong date · How we check dates

What is AILET?

AILET is a single-university exam. Its score is used by NLU Delhi, which has a small undergraduate intake, so competition for each seat is intense. Some other law colleges have accepted AILET scores in past years, but the main purpose of the exam is admission to NLU Delhi.

Most students prepare for AILET and CLAT together, since the skills overlap. The key differences: AILET has no separate Legal Reasoning section, it gives Logical Reasoning nearly half the marks, and it asks 150 questions in the same two hours that CLAT gives for 120.

AILET eligibility

• You must have passed Class 12 or an equivalent exam, or be appearing for it in the year of the test.
• You need at least 45% marks in Class 12, or 40% if you belong to the SC, ST or PwD category.
• There is no upper age limit.
• Students from any stream can apply.
• Foreign nationals have a small number of separate seats with their own eligibility rules; check the NLU Delhi notice.
• Appearing candidates must show proof of passing with the required marks at the time of admission.

AILET exam pattern

The AILET exam pattern for BA LLB has three sections and no separate time limit for each. You get 48 seconds per question on average, so AILET is a speed test as much as a reasoning test.

Section	Questions	Marks
English Language	50	50
Current Affairs and General Knowledge	30	30
Logical Reasoning	70	70
Total	150	150

AILET marking scheme

• +1 mark for each correct answer.
• 0.25 marks deducted for each wrong answer.
• No marks deducted for unanswered questions.
• If two candidates tie, NLU Delhi has in recent years looked first at the Logical Reasoning score, then at age (the older candidate ranks higher), and finally at a computerized draw of lots.

AILET syllabus

NLU Delhi describes the areas tested rather than a chapter-wise syllabus. Based on the official structure and past papers:

• English Language: reading comprehension passages, grammar, vocabulary, sentence correction and word usage.
• Current Affairs and General Knowledge: national and international events from roughly the past year, plus static GK on polity, history, geography, economy and science.
• Logical Reasoning: critical reasoning (arguments, assumptions, conclusions, strengthening and weakening), analytical reasoning (arrangements, puzzles, blood relations, directions, series, coding-decoding), and legal-style reasoning on given principles in some years.

AILET result and counseling

NLU Delhi publishes a provisional answer key after the exam, takes objections, and then releases the result and merit list, usually within a few weeks. The merit list is category-wise.

Admission then runs through online counseling rounds managed by NLU Delhi. Shortlisted candidates are contacted, submit documents for verification, and confirm the seat by paying the fee within the deadline. Later rounds fill seats left vacant. Since AILET and CLAT counseling overlap in time, decide in advance which seat you would prefer.

How to prepare for AILET

With 70 of the 150 marks in Logical Reasoning, your score depends heavily on that one section. Plan your weeks around it.

• Spend the largest share of practice time on Logical Reasoning, covering both critical reasoning passages and analytical puzzles.
• Build reading speed. English is 50 marks, and the paper overall gives you under a minute per question.
• Keep monthly current affairs notes and revise static GK. AILET asks more direct factual questions than CLAT’s passage format.
• Be careful with negative marking. Attempt a question when you can eliminate at least two options, and skip pure guesses.
• Solve previous AILET papers in the current three-section format and take full-length, two-hour mocks. Track section-wise accuracy to see where guessing is costing you. Kosuki can keep your mock scores and preparation status in one place.
• If you are taking CLAT too, prepare Legal Reasoning for CLAT, but give the final weeks before AILET extra reasoning and speed practice.
• In the final month, practice a fixed section order in mocks, for example English first, then Logical Reasoning, then GK, so you do not lose time deciding on exam day.

How to apply for AILET

1. Visit the NLU Delhi admissions website and register with your email and mobile number.
2. Fill in personal, academic and category details.
3. Upload your photo, signature and category certificates as required.
4. Choose your exam center preferences.
5. Pay the application fee online and submit the form.
6. Download the admit card when released and check your center and reporting time.
7. After the result, follow the counseling notices on the NLU Delhi website.

AILET FAQs

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Sources

• nationallawuniversitydelhi.in
• www.lawentrance.com/ailet/exam-pattern
• www.lawentrance.com/ailet

Last reviewed September 2026 against the official National Law University Delhi notice and information brochure. Exam rules can change from year to year, so always confirm details on the official website before you apply. Kosuki is independent and is not connected with any exam body. Spotted something out of date? Write to contact@kosuki.com.