6 Major Entrance Exams in Law Which Are Equally Important as CLAT

CLAT 2026 is scheduled on December 7th and is a gateway to 25 NLUs in the country. It is considered one of the most competitive entrance examinations in the country, seeing around 60,000-75,000 applicants for merely 5,790 seats every year. With the annual tuition fee for the undergraduate law programmes at NLUs ranging from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 4 lakh every year, a growing number of students are looking for other imperative law entrance examinations in India, which can help increase their chances of getting admission into a credible academic institution.

CLAT PG scores are also accepted by a number of government organisations, such as Coal India and Oil India, apart from recruitment into the JAG branch of the Indian Army. Further, IIULER, Goa, established by the Bar Council of India Trust, has started giving admissions based on scores obtained in CLAT.

A major alternative test to CLAT which will be held in near future is AICLET, which is popularly known as the All India Common Law Entrance Test. Being an all-India level test, it aims at mainly analyzing the legal aptitude, analytical ability, and logical reasoning of an applicant. The test is gaining fast momentum among students seeking admission in the private and semi-government law colleges offering BA LLB, BBA LLB, and LLB courses. According to education experts, AICLET is increasing the access to legal education among students who barely miss the admission in NLUs.

Another important entrance test is AILET, conducted by National Law University, Delhi. It is to be noted that CLAT score is not considered for admission by NLU, Delhi. So, AILET is a very crucial alternative option for the students aiming for this prestigious institution. It is scheduled to be held on December 14 from 2 pm - 4 pm through online mode. It will offer BA LLB (Hons), LLM, and PhD, with only 110 seats for the undergraduate course.

The NLAT conducted by NMIMS also remains a popular choice. The NMIMS, with campuses in Mumbai, Indore, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chandigarh, conducts its examination in March for which applications start in December. NMIMS continues to be a favorite among top law aspirants with its modern teaching methods, global exposure, and strong training in corporate law.

Similarly, SLAT is conducted for admission to the BA LLB and BBA LLB courses offered at the Symbiosis campuses in Pune, Noida, Hyderabad, and Nagpur. The test will be conducted on December 20 and December 28 while applications can be submitted till November 30. The Symbiosis Law Schools have earned their due reputation for their infrastructure, academic flexibility, and placement record. The MH CET Law, conducted by Maharashtra State CET Cell, is a gateway to prestigious government institutions like Government Law College (GLC), Mumbai, and ILS Law College, Pune. 

The application process starts in December, with the exam scheduled for April. It is considered the best option among students for pursuing legal education inexpensively with bright career prospects. Besides this, CUET admits students for the law courses offered at Delhi University and Banaras Hindu University. CUET is held online in CBT mode in May, whose application process starts in March. It extends a single-window opportunity to the candidates for applying to multiple central universities. These six law entrance examinations, other than CLAT, offer a number of promising pathways for aspirants to build a successful legal career in India.