NLU Delhi admits through AILET (All India Law Entrance Test), not CLAT. AILET is a separate exam with its own registration and timeline. Students can attempt both CLAT and AILET in the same cycle.
National Law University Delhi, Dwarka, New Delhi. A rapidly ascended top-3 law school with the most powerful locational advantage in Indian legal education — the Supreme Court, top law firm headquarters, and the seat of government.
National Law University Delhi was established in 2008 by an Act of the Delhi legislature. In barely 15 years, it has risen to be considered a top-3 law school in India, alongside NLSIU Bangalore and NALSAR Hyderabad. This rapid ascent is almost entirely attributable to one factor: location. Delhi is where Indian law happens — the Supreme Court sits here, most top-tier law firms have their headquarters or largest offices here, and the machinery of government and policy is concentrated here.
NLU Delhi admits students to its five-year BA LLB (Hons.) programme exclusively through AILET — the All India Law Entrance Test. It is the only major NLU that does not accept CLAT scores. This means students who want both NLU Delhi and other NLUs as options must register for and prepare for two separate entrance exams. In practice, most serious CLAT aspirants also attempt AILET, since the preparation overlap is substantial and the additional registration is straightforward.
The intake is approximately 110 students per year — smaller than NLSIU (180) or GNLU (200). This smaller batch size, combined with the Delhi location, creates a tight-knit cohort with strong placement outcomes. The student-to-opportunity ratio is favourable, particularly for corporate law placements and litigation apprenticeships.
The campus is in Dwarka, a planned sub-city in southwest Delhi connected to the rest of the capital by the Delhi Metro. While the campus itself is more compact than some NLUs, the city access compensates decisively. Students can attend Supreme Court hearings, visit law firm offices, attend policy conferences, and participate in the broader Delhi legal community with relative ease.
AILET is a 90-minute exam with 150 questions carrying 150 marks. The exam tests English Language, General Knowledge & Current Affairs, Legal Aptitude, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Techniques — broadly the same subjects as CLAT, but with important differences in approach.
The most significant difference is that AILET is not entirely passage-based. While CLAT moved to a fully passage-based format in 2020, AILET retains standalone MCQs — particularly in the GK and Legal Aptitude sections. This means AILET rewards factual knowledge more directly than CLAT does. Students preparing for AILET alongside CLAT should allocate additional time to factual GK revision: specific dates, names, provisions, and legal concepts.
The General category cutoff for AILET is approximately 65–70 marks out of 150, which translates to roughly 43–47% accuracy. The paper is designed to be challenging, and negative marking (0.25 per wrong answer) means that the effective scoring threshold is higher than the raw cutoff suggests. Precision matters — wild guessing is penalised.
AILET registration is separate from CLAT. The exam is typically held in May or June, close to the CLAT date. Check the NLU Delhi website for exact dates and registration deadlines each year. There is no conflict in attempting both exams, and most students targeting the top NLUs do so.
The annual fee at NLU Delhi is approximately ₹2,50,000, which includes tuition, hostel, mess, and institutional charges. Over the five-year BA LLB programme, the total cost is roughly ₹12.5 lakh. This places NLU Delhi at the higher end of NLU fee structures — comparable to NLSIU Bangalore and higher than NALSAR or NUJS.
The Delhi cost of living adds to the overall financial commitment. While hostel and mess fees are fixed, incidental expenses in Delhi are higher than in Hyderabad or Kolkata. However, given the placement outcomes — median packages of ₹15–20 LPA — the return on investment is among the strongest of any NLU. Most graduates recover their five-year cost within the first year of employment.
NLU Delhi offers merit-based and need-based financial assistance. Government scholarship schemes for SC/ST and EWS categories are accepted. Students should explore scholarship options during the admission process — the university's financial aid office provides guidance on available schemes.
NLU Delhi's placement record is, by many metrics, the strongest in the country. The combination of a small batch (approximately 110 students), the Delhi location, and aggressive law firm recruiting creates exceptionally favourable placement outcomes. Every major Tier 1 law firm recruits from NLU Delhi: AZB & Partners, Trilegal, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, Khaitan & Co, S&R Associates, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas, JSA, and others.
The median placement package is approximately ₹15–20 LPA, with top offers exceeding ₹25 LPA. What distinguishes NLU Delhi from other NLUs is the breadth of opportunities beyond law firm placements. The proximity to the Supreme Court makes NLU Delhi the top choice for students interested in litigation — several Supreme Court advocates actively recruit juniors from NLU Delhi. Policy roles in government, think tanks, and regulatory bodies are also more accessible from Delhi than from any other NLU location.
International placements and LLM admissions at top global law schools (Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Yale, Columbia) are a growing trend. NLU Delhi graduates are well-represented in international LLM cohorts. The Delhi location also facilitates interactions with international law firms and organisations that have offices in the capital.
NLU Delhi's Dwarka campus is compact but functional. The campus includes academic blocks, hostels, a library, a moot court hall, and sports facilities. Hostel accommodation is mandatory. The Dwarka Sector 14 Metro station provides connectivity to the rest of Delhi, making the campus practically accessible even though Dwarka itself is in the southwest periphery of the city.
The campus is smaller than the sprawling grounds at NALSAR, GNLU, or even NLSIU. Students who prioritise large, green, self-contained campuses may find NLU Delhi lacking in that regard. But the tradeoff is city access — and for most law students, access to courts, firms, government offices, and Delhi's professional network is a more valuable daily resource than campus acreage.
Student societies are active. The moot court committee, debate society, law review, legal services clinic, and various academic and cultural committees contribute to campus life. NLU Delhi teams are highly competitive in moot court circuits. The smaller batch size means students have a higher probability of participating in competitive moots and receiving faculty mentorship.
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Common questions about AILET, admission, fees, placements, and campus life at NLU Delhi.
No. NLU Delhi does not accept CLAT scores. Admission to NLU Delhi is exclusively through the All India Law Entrance Test (AILET), conducted separately by NLU Delhi. AILET is a distinct exam with its own registration, pattern, and timeline. Students can — and commonly do — attempt both CLAT and AILET in the same admission cycle, as the exams are usually held on different dates.
AILET (All India Law Entrance Test) is the entrance exam conducted by NLU Delhi for admission to its BA LLB, LLM, and PhD programmes. Unlike CLAT, which is accepted by 22+ NLUs, AILET is only for NLU Delhi. Key differences: AILET has 150 questions for 150 marks (vs CLAT's 120/120), AILET includes a short answer/essay component in some years, and the question style differs — AILET tends to test more specific legal knowledge and GK compared to CLAT's passage-based format.
The General category AILET cutoff is approximately 65–70 marks out of 150. This translates to roughly 43–47% accuracy. While the percentage may seem modest, AILET is a demanding paper — the questions are more factual and specific than CLAT, and the negative marking (0.25 per wrong answer) penalises guessing. The cutoff varies year to year depending on paper difficulty.
Since CLAT and AILET overlap significantly in syllabus (English, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, GK, Quantitative Techniques), most of your CLAT preparation applies to AILET as well. The key additional preparation for AILET is: (1) more factual GK — AILET tests specific facts more than CLAT's passage-based approach, (2) legal knowledge — AILET may test basic legal concepts directly, not just through passages, and (3) practicing AILET-specific past papers to adjust to the different question style and timing.
NLU Delhi has arguably the strongest placement record in the country, rivalling or exceeding NLSIU Bangalore in some metrics. The median package is approximately ₹15–20 LPA, with top offers exceeding ₹25 LPA. The Delhi location is the key factor: most top law firms have their headquarters or major offices in Delhi, and the proximity to the Supreme Court creates unmatched litigation placement opportunities. Top recruiters include AZB & Partners, Trilegal, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, Khaitan & Co, S&R Associates, and many others.
The annual fee at NLU Delhi is approximately ₹2,50,000, covering tuition, hostel, mess, and other charges. Over the 5-year BA LLB programme, the total cost is roughly ₹12.5 lakh. NLU Delhi is at the higher end of NLU fee structures, but the placement outcomes — median ₹15–20 LPA — make the return on investment among the best for any undergraduate programme in India.
This is the most debated question in NLU circles and there is no definitive answer. NLU Delhi has the locational advantage (Delhi — Supreme Court, law firm HQs, government), arguably stronger placement numbers in recent years, and a more urban campus experience. NLSIU has the legacy advantage (founded 1986 vs 2008), the #1 NIRF ranking, a larger and more established alumni network, and Bangalore's growing legal market. Most career outcomes are comparable. The choice often comes down to city preference and whether you value legacy or location more.
National Law University Delhi was established in 2008 through an Act of the Delhi legislature. Despite being significantly newer than NLSIU (1986) and NALSAR (1998), NLU Delhi rose rapidly to top-3 status, driven primarily by its Delhi location and the resulting placement advantages. The university's rapid ascent is one of the most notable developments in Indian legal education in the past two decades.
NLU Delhi's campus is located in Dwarka, a sub-city in southwest Delhi. The campus is smaller than some NLUs but functional, with hostels, a library, moot court hall, and academic blocks. The Dwarka location is well-connected by Delhi Metro to the rest of the city, making courts, law firms, and Delhi's cultural and professional ecosystem easily accessible. The campus is urban and compact — students who prefer large, green campuses may find it lacking, but the city access more than compensates for most.
No. NLU Delhi is not part of the CLAT consortium and does not participate in CLAT counselling. The only way to get admission to NLU Delhi's BA LLB programme is through the AILET exam. This is a separate application, separate exam, and separate counselling process. You must register for AILET separately even if you have already registered for CLAT.
Our CLAT preparation covers the overlap. We help you bridge the AILET-specific gaps alongside.