AILET

Overview

AILET (All India Law Entrance Test) is conducted by National Law University (NLU) Delhi for admission to its BA LLB (Hons) and LLM programmes. The exam is held in offline (pen-and-paper) mode with a duration of 90 minutes. The question paper comprises 150 multiple-choice questions carrying 1 mark each, totalling 150 marks. Each wrong answer attracts a negative marking of 0.25 marks; unattempted questions carry no penalty.

Section-wise Breakdown (2024–2025)

Marking Scheme

• Correct answer: +1 mark
• Wrong answer: −0.25 marks
• Unattempted question: 0 marks

Important Notes

AILET does not have section-wise time limits; candidates may attempt sections in any order within the 90-minute window. The paper is set in English only. NLU Delhi typically releases the official answer key within a few days of the exam, and candidates can raise objections against any question during the challenge window.

1. English Language (35 Questions)

• Reading Comprehension — unseen passages from literary, legal, and social contexts
• Grammar — subject-verb agreement, tenses, voice, narration
• Vocabulary — synonyms, antonyms, word in context, one-word substitutions
• Error Detection and Sentence Correction
• Para Jumbles and Sentence Rearrangement
• Fill in the Blanks (grammar and vocabulary based)
• Idioms and Phrases

2. Current Affairs & General Knowledge (35 Questions)

• National and International Events (last 12–18 months)
• Indian Polity — Constitution, Parliament, Judiciary, recent amendments
• Legal News — landmark Supreme Court and High Court judgements
• Government Schemes and Policies (e.g., PM-JANMAN, Viksit Bharat)
• Awards and Honours — Bharat Ratna, Padma Awards, Nobel Prize, Booker Prize
• Sports — ICC events, Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games
• Science and Technology — ISRO missions, space exploration, recent innovations
• Environment and Ecology — COP summits, biodiversity reports
• Static GK — Indian History, Geography, Economy basics

3. Legal Reasoning (35 Questions)

• Legal Principles and Factual Situations — applying given legal rule to facts
• Contract Law — offer, acceptance, consideration, void/voidable contracts
• Tort Law — negligence, defamation, nuisance, strict liability
• Constitutional Law — fundamental rights, directive principles, writs
• Criminal Law — IPC concepts: mens rea, actus reus, culpable homicide, theft
• Indian Evidence Act — admissibility, burden of proof
• Family Law — Hindu Marriage Act, Muslim Personal Law basics
• Legal Maxims — commonly tested Latin maxims (e.g., Res Ipsa Loquitur, Volenti Non Fit Injuria)

4. Logical Reasoning (35 Questions)

• Analogies — word-based and concept-based
• Blood Relations and Family Tree Problems
• Syllogisms — all/some/no type deductive reasoning
• Series Completion — number and letter series
• Coding-Decoding
• Seating Arrangement and Ordering
• Critical Reasoning — strengthening/weakening arguments, assumptions, inferences
• Statement and Conclusion
• Direction Sense

5. Quantitative Techniques (10 Questions)

• Arithmetic — percentage, profit and loss, simple and compound interest
• Ratio and Proportion
• Time, Speed and Distance
• Basic Algebra — linear equations
• Data Interpretation — bar graphs, pie charts, tables
• Number System — HCF, LCM, divisibility

Know the Exam Pattern

AILET 2025 consists of 150 questions across English (35), Current Affairs & GK (35), Legal Reasoning (35), Logical Reasoning (35), and Quantitative Techniques (10). Each correct answer carries 1 mark; each wrong answer incurs a penalty of 0.25 marks. Time management is critical with 90 minutes for 150 questions.

Recommended Books by Subject

• Legal Reasoning: Legal Aptitude for CLAT & AILET by A.P. Bhardwaj; Bare Acts (IPC, CrPC, Constitution) for passage-based questions
• English: Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis; High School English Grammar by Wren & Martin
• Current Affairs & GK: Monthly Manorama Yearbook 2025; daily reading of The Hindu or Indian Express; Lucent's General Knowledge
• Logical Reasoning: A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning by R.S. Aggarwal
• Quantitative Techniques: NCERT Maths (Classes 8–10); Quantitative Aptitude by R.S. Aggarwal

Study Schedule

Dedicate a 4–5 month preparation window. Spend the first two months on concept building — allocate 2 hours daily to Legal Reasoning and Current Affairs each, and 1 hour each to English and Logical Reasoning. Reserve the final 6–8 weeks exclusively for mock tests, previous years' papers (AILET 2019–2024), and revision of weak areas.

Mock Test Strategy

Attempt at least 20 full-length AILET-specific mock tests under timed conditions. After each test, spend equal time on analysis — identify recurring error types (misread passages, silly calculation mistakes) rather than simply reattempting questions. NLU Delhi releases official sample papers; prioritise these over generic CLAT mocks, as AILET's Legal Reasoning passages differ in style.

Important Topics

• Legal Reasoning: Constitutional law principles, tort law, contract law, recent Supreme Court judgments (2023–2025)
• Current Affairs: National and international events of the last 12 months, legal news, new legislation (e.g., BNS, BNSS, BSA replacing IPC, CrPC, Evidence Act)
• English: Reading comprehension, grammar correction, vocabulary in context

Focus on the New Criminal Laws

AILET 2025 Legal Reasoning sections are likely to include passages based on the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) 2023, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) 2023, which replaced the IPC, CrPC, and Indian Evidence Act respectively from July 2024. Familiarise yourself with key provisions and differences.

Exam-Day Tips

• Carry your AILET admit card and one valid photo ID (Aadhaar, passport, or school ID) to the NLU Delhi examination centre.
• Attempt high-accuracy sections first (English, Logical Reasoning) to bank marks before tackling Legal Reasoning passages.
• Skip and return — do not spend more than 60 seconds on any single question in the first pass.
• With 0.25 negative marking, avoid blind guessing; use elimination to narrow to two options before committing.

AILET Counselling — Conducted by NLU Delhi

Unlike CLAT (conducted by the Consortium of NLUs), AILET is conducted exclusively by National Law University Delhi (NLU Delhi) for admission to its own BA LLB (Hons.) programme. Counselling is also managed entirely by NLU Delhi — there is no centralised authority like JoSAA or MCC involved.

1. Result Declaration

   NLU Delhi declares the AILET result and merit list on its official website (nludelhi.ac.in) shortly after the exam. Candidates can download their scorecards and check their All India Rank (AIR).

2. Counselling Registration

   Shortlisted candidates (based on AIR and category cut-offs) must register for counselling online at nludelhi.ac.in within the notified window. A non-refundable counselling registration fee is payable at this stage.

3. Document Verification

   Candidates must upload and subsequently present original documents for verification, including: Class 10 and 12 mark sheets and certificates, category certificate (SC/ST/OBC/PwD if applicable), domicile certificate where required, and passport-size photographs.

4. Seat Allotment — Round 1

   NLU Delhi releases the first seat allotment list based on merit and category. AILET seats are available under the following categories: General/EWS, SC, ST, OBC (Non-Creamy Layer), PwD, and NRI/NRI-sponsored. The total intake for BA LLB (Hons.) is 110 seats.

5. Fee Payment and Provisional Admission

   Candidates allotted a seat must pay the first-year tuition and hostel fee online within the stipulated deadline to confirm provisional admission. Failure to pay within the deadline results in forfeiture of the allotted seat.

6. Subsequent Rounds / Waiting List

   If seats remain vacant after Round 1 (due to non-payment or withdrawals), NLU Delhi releases a second allotment list or activates the waiting list. Candidates on the waiting list should remain available and keep documents ready during this period.

7. Physical Reporting

   Finally, admitted candidates must physically report to NLU Delhi's campus in Dwarka, New Delhi, on the designated date for document verification, biometric registration, and commencement of the academic session. Original documents and all fee payment receipts must be carried at this stage.

Note: NLU Delhi does not participate in the CLAT counselling process. Candidates who qualify AILET but also appear for CLAT must manage both counselling processes independently if they wish to compare options across NLUs.