CLAT Vs SLAT: Differences, Accepting Colleges, Difficulty Level
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
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 2026.
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CLAT 2026 will conducted on December 7, 2025 at the CLAT test centres allotted to candidates. However, the SLAT 2026 was held on Decmeber 20 and 28, 2025 at different SLAT test centres in India.
Candidates can prepare for SLAT from Class 11 by practising topics from which questions are asked in the exam. The topics of subjects from which questions are asked in SLAT are Logical Reasoning, Legal Reasoning, Analytical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension (English), and General Knowledge. Under the General Knowledge subject, SLAT aspirants also need to study static GK related to History, Geography, Indian and International Politics, and United Nations Organisation (UNO) and its bodies, and current affairs. To study the mentioned subjects for SLAT preparation from Class 11, candidates can purchase books containing sample papers, practice tests, and mock tests based on the SLAT syllabus and pattern. They can devote 1-2 hours every day to SALT preparation. Preparing for the SLAT from Class 12 can provide aspirants with a competitive edge because they will have more than a year to prepare for the entrance exam effectively.
The important topics for the different sections of the SLAT exam are different. The important topics are Reading Comprehension, Synonyms, Antonyms, Foreign Words/Phrase, International events, UN bodies, Major developments in the areas of sports, geopolitics, and important environmental agreements, Current affairs, Eminent personalities, Sports, and Awards and honours. The important topics related to the SLAT Legal Reasoning section are Legal terms, Indian Constitution and 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 Politics.
- What is CLAT?
- What is SLAT?
- CLAT Vs SLAT: Basic Differences
- CLAT 2026 Exam Pattern
- SLAT 2026 Exam Pattern
- CLAT Application 2026
- SLAT Application 2026
- CLAT Syllabus 2026
- SLAT Syllabus 2026
- SLAT 2026: Colleges and Courses
- CLAT 2026: Colleges and Courses
- Which is easier, CLAT or SLAT?
- Which Exam Should I Take: CLAT or SLAT?
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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28 Feb '26
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All About NLU Courses - Five-Year LLB, LLB, LLM, PhD in Law and Distance Law Courses
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.
There is no maximum time limit to start preparation. Candidates can start preparing for the SLAT exam any time when they decide to sit for it. You can refer to previous year papers for the exam overview.
The number of SLAT practise sets depends on the number of practise sets an aspirant solves. If you want to solve fewer practise sets, then one month is enough to practise them. However, if you want to solve 30–40 practise sets of SLAT, then you need 2-3 months to do so. This much time will allow you to solve one practise set multiple times. As a result, you will learn about almost all the important concepts and topics from which questions are asked in the SLAT exam. Aspirants preparing for the SLAT also need to know the SLAT syllabus and practise topics related to it to score well in the entrance exam.
To prepare for this section, read the SLAT question banks from prior years. Try to stay focused as you practise SLAT mock exams and sample papers. Go through the Analytical Reasoning section important topics.
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CLAT 2026 Exam Pattern
The exam pattern of CLAT 2026 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 |
|
| Type of questions |
Multiple choices questions |
| Total questions |
60 questions |
| Total marks |
60 marks |
Also Read:
All the Details about CLAT Pattern
SLAT 2026 Exam Pattern
Check out the following exam pattern for SLAT 2026:
| Particulars | SLAT 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
CLAT Application 2026
To fill out the CLAT application form 2026, candidates need to use the following steps:
- Visit the official website of the Consortium of NLUs.
| Consortium of NLUs Website Link |
|
| CLAT Consortium of NLUs Direct Link |
https://consortiumofnlus.ac.in/clat-2026/participating_universities.html |
- Register online for CLAT
- Fill out the CLAT application form
- Update your preference regarding NLUs
- Pay CLAT application fee 2026
CLAT Application Fee 2026
| Category |
CLAT Application Fee (in INR) |
Mode of Payment |
|---|---|---|
| General/OBC/PwD/NRI/PIO/OCI |
4,000 |
Online:
|
| SC/ST/BPL |
3,500 |
|
| Previous years CLAT question papers |
500 |
- Review the application form and then submit it
SLAT Application 2026
To fill out the SLAT application form 2026, 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 2026 and institute (SLS fee)
SLAT Fee 2026
| 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 2026
The Consortium of NLUs has provided the syllabus for CLAT UG 2026 and CLAT PG 2026. Candidates who want to appear in CLAT 2026 can check the CLAT syllabus for their respective courses below:
CLAT Syllabus 2026 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
|
| Skills tested |
|
| 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 2026 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
|
| Skills tested | Awareness of various aspects of current affairs and GK, including
|
| 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:
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 2026 Syllabus for Quantitative Techniques
The details about the syllabus of Quantitative Techniques for CLAT 2026 have been provided below:
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Number of questions asked | 13 - 17 |
| Weightage | 8.66 - 11.33% |
| Type of questions asked | The section will include:
These items will be followed by a series of questions |
| Skills tested | The section will test the candidate's ability to:
|
| 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 2026 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
|
| Skills tested |
|
| 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 2026 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.
|
| Skills tested |
|
| 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:
|
CLAT Logical Reasoning Important topics
- Analogies
- Relationships
- Syllogism
- Cause & Effect
- Premises & Conclusion
- Inferences
SLAT Syllabus 2026
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 2026 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:
Best Books for SLAT Preparation
SLAT 2026: 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 2026: 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 2026:
Admission to UG Courses through CLAT 2026
| UG Courses |
NLUs offering UG course |
|---|---|
| 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 |
|
| NLU Jodhpur, GNLU Gandhinagar, CNLU Patna, NLU Odisha, HPNLU Shimla, NLU Aurangabad, NLU Nagpur, |
|
| NUJS West Bengal, GNLU Gandhinagar, NLU Bhopal |
|
| GNLU Gandhinagar, TNNLU Tiruchirapalli |
|
| Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) LLB |
GNLU Gandhinagar |
Admission to PG Courses through CLAT 2026
| PG courses |
NLUs offering PG courses |
|---|---|
| Three-year LLB course |
NLSIU Bangalore (Introduced in 2022), National Law University Odisha (Introducing in 2023) |
| 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 |
| 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:
| MH CET Law | AIBE |
| AP LAWCET | TS LAWCET |
The Symbiosis Law Admission Test authority does not provide subtle details about the SLAT syllabus. Thus, the syllabus for SLAT cannot be specified accurately. The exam authority only shares the details associated with the sections related to the SLAT question paper, which are Analytical Reasoning, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, General English, and General Knowledge. Thus, candidates only study to prepare for relevant sections along with mathematics (of level up to Class 10) and current affairs to prepare for SLAT.