CLAT Vs SLAT: Differences, Accepting Colleges, Difficulty Level

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Updated on Dec 26, 2024 08:25 IST

If you want to develop your career in the field of law, you must have heard about CLAT and SLAT. They are the top law entrance exams. If you are confused between the two law entrance exams, this article is for you. Learn about the differences between CLAT and SLAT based on their exam patterns, application processes, syllabuses, accepting colleges, and courses offered through them here.

CLAT Vs SLAT - Differences Between Them: CLAT and SLAT are two significant entrance exams in the law stream. Law graduates and legal professionals have a great understanding of these two law entrance exams. However, a student currently studying in school or who has just completed Class 12 and wants to pursue law may not be aware of the difference between CLAT and SLAT. They might struggle to determine which law entrance exam is right for them.To help in this situation, this article explains the differences between CLAT and SLAT by focusing on specific parameters such as exam pattern, application process, syllabus, colleges accepting the two entrance exams, and courses offered through them. Moreover, this article is also for readers who want to know more about CLAT 2025 and SLAT 2025.

CLAT 2025 was conducted on December 1, 2024 at the CLAT 2025 test centres allotted to candidates. However, the SLAT 2025 was held on Decmeber 13 and 15, 2025 at different SLAT 2025 test centres in India.

Q: What is a good rank for CLAT?

Students who wish to be admitted to this university should strive for a score of roughly 70% (80-84 marks) or above under the revised pattern. Because the CLAT cut-off marks are lower for reserved categories, a rank of about 4000 would be suitable for admission. According to CLAT 2024 analysis, candidates from the general category should aim for a score of 90 or more in order to be admitted to one of the top three NLUs. In CLAT 2024, 60–70 points are considered a decent score for SC/ST categories. The Consortium of NLUs will release the closing rank of candidates for each round at the time of CLAT counselling.

Q: What is a good score for SLAT?

A good score for SLAT results depends on the cut-off of the Symbiosis Law School in which you want to enrol. For example, if a candidate scores a 91.5 percentile in the SLAT exam in a particular year and he or she wants to get admission to SLS Pune, which accepts candidates with a minimum percentile of 75, a 91.5 percentile is definitely a good score for admission to SLS Pune. Thus, to ensure whether percentile scores obtained by candidates in the SLAT exam are good or not, they need to check the cut-off score of the SLS (SLS Pune, SLS Nagpur, SLS Noida, and SLS Hyderabad) in which they want to apply for a 5-year LL.B. Course.

Q: Which is the most difficult section of SLAT?

The most difficult section of SLAT cannot be specified because the difficulty level of a subject or exam section is different for all candidates. For example, some candidates have expertise in Logical Reasoning and Analytical Reasoning. Thus, these two sections of the SLAT exam will be easier for them than other exam sections. It can be said that the difficulty level of a SLAT section for a candidate is based on his or her expertise in it. If we analyze the sectional difficulty for SLAT based on the patterns of question papers from previous years, General Knowledge is the most difficult section because questions in this section can be asked from anywhere from static GK topics to current affairs.

What is CLAT?

All law aspirants must have heard about the CLAT entrance exam from someone. This is the most important law entrance exam. Learn about the CLAT exam below:

CLAT Full Form - Common Law Admission Test

CLAT, or Common Law Admission Test, is a national-level entrance exam conducted by the Consortium of National Law Universities for admission to undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) law courses offered by National Law Universities, or NLUs, other than NLU Delhi and other affiliate colleges.
CLAT is conducted for admission to 5-year integrated LLB, LLB (3-year LLB) and LLM courses.
A total of 24 NLUs accept CLAT scores for admission to 5-year LLB courses. However, 21 NLUs offer admission to PG law courses or LLB and LLM through the entrance exam.
Many law colleges accept CLAT UG and CLAT PG for admission.

Note: For admission to National Law University, Delhi (NLU Delhi), aspirants need to appear in AILET exam.

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What is SLAT?

SLAT is also a good choice for students who want to develop a career in the field of law. Learn about this law entrance exam below:

SLAT Full Form - Symbiosis Law Admission Test

SLAT, or Symbiosis Law Admission Test, is a common entrance exam for law conducted by Symbiosis International University for admission to BA LLB (Hons), BBA LLB (Hons), BA LLB and BBA LLB courses offered by its four law schools, Symbiosis Law School Pune (SLS Pune), Symbiosis Law School Hyderabad (SLS Hyderabad), Symbiosis Law School Noida (SLS Noida), and Symbiosis Law School Nagpur (SLS Nagpur).
Few colleges other than SLSs accept SLAT scores for admission to integrated law courses.

CLAT Vs SLAT: Basic Differences

Find out the basic differences between CLAT and SLAT below:

CLAT is held mainly for admission to UG and PG law courses taught at 24 NLUs and other affiliated colleges. However, SLAT is prominently conducted for admission to SLSs.
CLAT is conducted in a pen-and-paper-based offline mode. SLAT is conducted in online mode (computer-based) at the test centres allocated to candidates.

Apart from the basic differences between the CLAT exam and the SLAT exam mentioned above, the main differences between them based on their exam pattern, application process, syllabus, and colleges that accept their scores have also been discussed. Check out these differences in the next section of the article.

Q: When should I start preparing for CLAT 2026?

The ideal time to start preparing for the CLAT exam varies from person to person and depends on several factors such as your familiarity with the subject, the level of understanding of the topics covered in the syllabus, and the amount of time and effort you can devote to the preparation. However, as a general guideline, it is recommended that you start preparing for the exam at least 6-8 months before the exam date. This will give you sufficient time to cover the entire syllabus, revise the important topics, solve mock tests and previous year papers, and identify your strengths and weaknesses. If you are already familiar with the subject and have a good understanding of the topics covered in the syllabus, you can start preparing for the exam 3-4 months before the exam date. However, if you are new to the subject or need to improve your understanding of the topics, you may need to start preparing earlier. It is important to note that the CLAT exam is a highly competitive exam, and the level of competition is increasing every year. Therefore, it is important to start preparing early and stay consistent with your preparation. With a focused approach and consistent effort, you can increase your chances of qualifying for the CLAT exam.

Q: Is CLAT LLM exam tough or easy?

CLAT is one of the highly competitive law exam and is considered to be one of the toughest exams to clear. However, aspirants should not worry, as with the right preparation and attitude you can definitely ace in the CLAT exam. The toppers of CLAT have suggested that aspirants should trust BA LLB books and a habit to read newspaper daily to crack the CLAT PG exam. The difficulty level of CLAT paper is usually moderate. For complete insights on CLAT paper difficulty level, check analysis for current and previous years above.

Q: Which is the No. 1 university in CLAT?

Since 2018, the National Law School of India University in Bengaluru has maintained its position as the top-ranked law college in India according to the NIRF rankings.

Q: How do I start preparing for CLAT 2026?

To start preparing for CLAT 2026 there is no right time. However, as per experts, one should have began their CLAT preparation at least five or six months before the exam. If they began CLAT preparation early, then they will have sufficient bandwidth to complete the CLAT syllabus and also to attempt the previous year’s CLAT Question Paper. This will help them to know their strengths and weaknesses and also where they are committing the mistakes. Given below are some steps to help you start your preparation:

Make a monthly and weekly timetable
Keep your syllabus handy
Ensure you cover all topics and concepts
Revise it at regular intervals
Attempt mock tests and previous years’ sample papers frequently
Follow the proper marking scheme as there are negative marks for each incorrect answer in the actual CLAT 2025 Exam. This practice will help you to know your actual score and your weak points

Q: What are the best sources to prepare for SLAT?

The best sources to prepare for the SLAT are the books that have content based on the SLAT syllabus. Check out the list of these books below:

Guide to Symbiosis Law Admission Test - SLAT by Disha Experts
A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning by RS Aggarwal
Legal Aptitude and Legal Reasoning byAndhra PradeshBhardwaj
Verbal and Non Verbal Reasoning by RS Aggarwal
Quick Learning Objective General English by RS Aggarwal

Also Read:

CLAT 2025 Exam Pattern

The exam pattern of CLAT 2025 has been mentioned as follows:

Exam Features	Details
Exam mode	Computer-based test mode / Online proctored (To be confirmed)
Exam level	National level exam
Test duration	60 minutes
Test medium	English
Subjects	Logical Reasoning Legal Reasoning Analytical Reasoning Reading Comprehension General Knowledge
Type of questions	Multiple choices questions
Total questions	60 questions
Total marks	60 marks

Also Read:

All the Details about CLAT Pattern 2025

SLAT 2025 Exam Pattern

Check out the following exam pattern for SLAT 2025:

Particulars	CLAT Exam Pattern Highlights
Exam mode	Pen-and-paper exam
Exam duration	Two hours
Test language	English
Type of questions	Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs)
Exam subjects	Five (English Language, Current Affairs including General Knowledge, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Techniques)
Total questions	120 MCQs
Maximum marks	150 marks
Marking scheme	+1 for correct answer -0.25 for incorrect answer

Also Read:

Everything about SLAT Pattern 2025

CLAT Application 2025

To fill out the CLAT application form 2025, candidates need to use the following steps:

Visit the official website of the Consortium of NLUs.

Consortium of NLUs Website Link	https://consortiumofnlus.ac.in/clat-2025/
CLAT Consortium of NLUs Direct Link	https://consortiumofnlus.ac.in/clat-2025/participating_universities.html

Register online for CLAT
Fill out the CLAT application form
Update your preference regarding NLUs
Pay CLAT application fee 2025

CLAT Application Fee 2025

SLAT Application 2025

To fill out the SLAT application form 2025, the following steps must be followed:

Visit the website of the Symbiosis Law Admission Test (SLAT)

SLAT application form can also be filled on the websites of SLSs.

SLAT Website Link	https://www.slat-test.org/
SLS Pune Website Link	https://www.symlaw.ac.in/
SLS Nagpur Website Link	https://www.slsnagpur.edu.in/
SLS Noida Website Link	https://www.symlaw.edu.in/
SLS Hyderabad Link	https://www.slsh.edu.in/

Register for SLAT and create SLAT Login ID and Password
Login using SLAT ID and Password
Fill out SLAT application form
Pay SLAT application fee 2025 and institute (SLS fee)

SLAT Fee 2025

Category	Fee (in INR)
SLAT registration fee	INR 2250
The programme fee for each programme	INR 1000

Review your form and then submit it

CLAT Syllabus 2025

The Consortium of NLUs has provided the syllabus for CLAT UG 2025 and CLAT PG 2025. Candidates who want to appear in CLAT 2025 can check the CLAT 2025 syllabus for their respective courses below:

CLAT Syllabus 2024 for English Language

CLAT UG syllabus for English Languages has been mentioned below:

Particulars	Details
Number of questions asked	28-32
Weightage	18.66 - 21.33 %
Type of questions asked	Passage-based questions Length - Each passage will be around 450 words. Source - The passages will be derived from contemporary or historically significant fiction and non-fiction writing. Estimated time needed to read a passage - 5-7 minutes. Questions - Each passage will be followed by a series of questions
Skills tested	Comprehension and language skills. Ability to read and comprehend the arguments and viewpoints discussed in the passage. The capacity to draw inferences and conclusions The ability to summarise a passage. The ability to compare and contrast various arguments or viewpoints Comprehension of words and phrases.
Question areas	May cover various topics, including technical and scientific matters. No prior knowledge is needed.
Difficulty level	12th Standard

Important topics

Correcting Incorrect Grammar Sentences
Synonyms & Antonyms
Tenses
Fill in the Blanks
Spotting Grammatical Errors
Active & Passive Voice

Also Read:

CLAT Syllabus 2025 for Currents Affairs including General Knowledge

Check out the CLAT Syllabus for Current Affairs and General Knowledge below:

Features	Details
Number of questions asked	35-39
Weightage	23.33 - 26 %
Type of questions asked	Passage-based questions Length - Each passage will be around 450 words. Source - The passages will be derived from news, journalistic sources, and other non-fiction writing. Prior knowledge of law subjects - While questions may include examination of legal information or knowledge, you don't need any prior knowledge to answer these questions. The answers to each question will be hidden in the passage. Estimated time needed to read a passage - 5-7 minutes. Questions - Each passage will be followed by a series of questions
Skills tested	Awareness of various aspects of current affairs and GK, including Contemporary events of national and international significance Arts and culture International affairs Historical events of continuing significance
Question areas	- News, journalistic sources, and other non-fiction writing - Intended to test your depth of understanding of issues and events of significance, rather than mere fact or trivia-based knowledge of such issues and events. Questions may ask you to: Fill in missing information in blanks Identify causes and consequences of the events described in the passages Answer questions about personalities and events associated with the events in the passage Answer questions about awards, recognitions, and other events of significance associated with persons mentioned in the passage. Answer questions related to laws and other events of legal significance (such as judgments) associated with events mentioned in the passage. Questions may also relate to matters associated with events mentioned in the passage. While the focus will be on recent and current events, some questions with historical significance may also be asked. These questions will gauge your understanding of the causes of such events.

CLAT 2025 Syllabus for Quantitative Techniques

The details about the syllabus of Quantitative Techniques for CLAT 2025 has been provided below:

Particulars	Details
Number of questions asked	13 - 17
Weightage	8.66 - 11.33%
Type of questions asked	The section will *include*: Short sets of facts or propositions Graphs Other textual material Pictorial or diagrammatic representations of numerical information These items will be followed by a series of questions
Skills tested	The section will test the candidate's ability to: Derive, infer, and manipulate numerical information Apply 10th standard mathematical operation, including ratios and proportions, basic algebra, mensuration, and statistical estimation.
Question areas	Number theory and basic arithmetic Averages and Percentages Ratio and Proportion Mixtures and alligations Time and work Time, distance, and speed Fractions and equations Monetary evaluations Probability Permutation and combinations
Difficulty level	10th standard

CLAT 2025 Syllabus for Legal Reasoning

Refer to the following syllabus to prepared for the Legal Reasoning section of CLAT:

Particulars	Details
Number of questions asked	35-39
Weightage	23.33 - 26 %
Type of questions asked	Passage-based questions Length - Each passage will be around 450 words. Source - The passages may relate to fact situations or scenarios involving legal matters, public policy questions, or moral philosophical inquiries. Prior knowledge of law - No prior knowledge is needed to answer these passage-based questions. The answers will be hidden in the passage. However, general awareness of contemporary legal and moral issues may help you better apply general principles or propositions to the given fact scenarios. Estimated time needed to read a passage - 5-7 minutes. Questions - Each passage will be followed by a series of questions
Skills tested	Identify and infer the rules and principles set out in the passage Apply such rules and principles to various fact situations; and Understand how changes to the rules or principles may alter their application to various fact situations.
Question areas	Questions will be based on: - News articles and books associated with topics of law - Certain passages will be created specifically for the exam - the candidate has to find the facts and applicable rules. Until 2019, the proposition and factual context were clearly presented. - The purpose is not to test the knowledge of law but the application of rules to a factual context based on the constraints presented to you.
Difficulty level	12th Standard

CLAT Legal Reasoning Important topics

Legal Maxims
Important Supreme Court Judgments
Legal GK
Indian Constitution
Important Acts and Amendments of the Legislature
Current Affairs

CLAT Syllabus 2025 for Logical Reasoning

The syllabus for the Logical Reasoning section of the CLAT exam has been provided below:

Particulars	Details
Number of questions asked	28-32
Weightage	18.66 - 21.33 %
Type of questions asked	Passage-based questions. Length - Each passage will be around 300 words. Questions - Each passage will be followed by a series of questions
Skills tested	Recognize an argument, its premises, and conclusions; Read and identify the arguments set out in the passage; Critically analyze patterns of reasoning, and assess how conclusions may depend on particular premises or evidence; Infer what follows from the passage and apply these inferences to new situations; Draw relationships and analogies, identify contradictions and equivalence and assess the effectiveness of arguments.
Question areas	Sources include opinion and editorial pieces from newspapers and magazines, and essays on moral philosophy available online and in various books. Some passages will be created specifically for the exam. Examples of source material include: Ethics in the real world - 82 brief essays on Things That Matter by Peter Singer Articles and Editorials taken from The Economist, a leading international newspaper History for Health published by the Telegraph Where I am - An editorial published in the Indian Express.

CLAT Logical Reasoning Important topics

Analogies
Relationships
Syllogism
Cause & Effect
Premises & Conclusion
Inferences

SLAT Syllabus 2025

The SET exam authority does not specify a syllabus for SLAT. Candidates can prepare for this entrance exam by referring to the SLAT exam pattern. Although, they can develop a strategy for the SLAT preparation 2025 by studying the important subjects for the exam mentioned below:

SLAT is conducted for undergraduate level courses, therefore, the syllabus will of Class 12th level only. Check the syllabus for SLAT 2025 for each subject is given as under:

SLAT Syllabus for General English

Reading Comprehension
Word Usage
Vocabulary
Grammar
Inference-based questions
Synonyms
Antonyms
Foreign Words/Phrase
Para Jumbles

SLAT Syllabus for General Knowledge

Indian Ancient, Medieval and Modern History
International events
UN bodies
Major developments in the areas of sports, geopolitics and important environmental agreements
Current affairs
Eminent personalities
Sports
Awards and honours

SLAT Syllabus for Legal Reasoning

Legal terms
Indian Constitution, its structure, sections and schedules
Contracts and Constitutional Law
Torts
Vicarious Liability
Contracts and Constitutional Law
IPC and the CrPC
Strict Liability
Law of Crimes
International Law
Intellectual Property Rights
Legal Awareness covering Constitutional Law and Polity

Also Read:

SLAT 2025 Preparation

Best Books for SLAT Preparation

SLAT 2025: Colleges and Courses

The colleges that accept the scores of the SLAT have been mentioned below, along with the seat intake for each course:

SLS	Total Number of Seats	Total Number of Course-Wise Seats
SLS Pune	300	BBA LLB - 180 BA LLB - 120
SLS Nagpur	240	BBA LLB - 120 BA LLB - 120
SLS Hyderabad	240	BBA LLB - 120 BA LLB - 120
SLS Noida	300	BBA LLB - 180 BA LLB - 120

CLAT 2025: Colleges and Courses

Admission to different courses at NLUs is offered through CLAT UG and CLAT. Thus, check out below various UG and PG law courses offered by NLUs through CLAT 2025:

Admission to UG Courses through CLAT 2025

UG Courses	NLUs offering UG course
Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of Law (BA LLB) Hons.	NLU Delhi, NLSIU Bangalore, NLU Hyderabad, NUJS West Bengal, HNLU Raipur, GNLU Gandhinagar, RMNLU Lucknow, RGNUL Panjab, CNLU Patna, NUALS Kochi, NLU Odisha, NUSRL Ranchi, NLUJAA Assam, DSNLU Visakhapatnam, TNNLU Tiruchirapalli, MNLU Mumbai, MNLU Nagpur, MNLU Aurangabad, HPNLU Shimla, DNLU Jabalpur, Dr B R Ambedkar NLU Sonepat, NLIU Bhopal, NLU Tripura, NLU Jodhpur, GNLU Silvassa, NUALS Kochi
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) LLB Hons.	NLU Jodhpur, GNLU Gandhinagar, CNLU Patna, NLU Odisha, HPNLU Shimla, NLU Aurangabad, NLU Nagpur,
Bachelor of Science (BSc) LLB	NUJS West Bengal, GNLU Gandhinagar, NLU Bhopal
Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) LLB	GNLU Gandhinagar, TNNLU Tiruchirapalli
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) LLB	GNLU Gandhinagar

Admission to PG Courses through CLAT 2025

PG courses	NLUs offering PG courses
Three-year LLB course	NLSIU Bangalore (Introduced in 2022), National Law University Odisha (Introducing in 2023)
Master of Law (LLM)	RMNLU Lucknow, GNLU Gandhinagar, HNLU Raipur, NLU Jodhpur, NUJS West Bengal, NLIU Bhopal, NLSIU Bangalore, RGNUL Panjab, CNLU Patna, NUALS Kochi, NLU Odisha, NUSRL Ranchi, NLUJA Assam, DSNLU Visakhapatnam, TNNLU Tiruchirapalli, MNLU Mumbai, MNLU Nagpur, MNLU Aurangabad, HPNLU Shimla, DBRANLU, Sonepat
Doctor of Law (LLD)/ PhD in Law	HNLU Raipur, NLIU Bhopal, NLSIU Bangalore, GNLU Gandhinagar, RGNUL Panjab, CNLU Patna, NLUJA Assam, TNNLU Tiruchirapalli, HPNLU Shimla, NUALS Kochi, MNLU Mumbai
Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree	NLSIU Bangalore, NLU Odisha

Which is easier, CLAT or SLAT?

Evidently, CLAT is more difficult than SLAT because its syllabus is very long and difficult. Moreover, a higher number of candidates appear in the CLAT exam, due to which its difficulty level is higher than that of the SLAT.

However, candidates also need to know that the exam pattern of the SLAT is similar to the exam pattern of the CLAT. The CLAT exam is just a higher or more advanced version of the SLAT. Thus, if a candidate studies sincerely for CLAT, he or she can crack SLAT as well.

Which Exam Should I Take: CLAT or SLAT?

If you want to get admission to one of the Symbiosis Law Schools, you need to take the SLAT. On the other hand, if you want to study at an NLU or other top law colleges in India, you need to take the CLAT.

Also Read:

Learn about other top law entrance exams:

LSAT India	AIBE
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MH CET Law	DU LLB Entrance Exam

About the Author

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