AILET 2026 Exam Pattern: Marking Scheme, Sections, Duration and Question Paper Pattern

AILET 2026 (All India Law Entrance Test) is a pen-and-paper (OMR-based) test conducted by National Law University, Delhi (NLU Delhi) for admission to its BA LLB (Hons) programme. The exam comprises 150 multiple-choice questions across three sections, to be answered in 120 minutes, for a total of 150 marks. AILET 2026 was held on December 14, 2025, and the AILET 2027 notification released in July 2026 confirms the same MCQ-based, pen-and-paper format continues for the next cycle, with the exam scheduled for December 13, 2026.

• AILET 2026 is a 120-minute pen-and-paper (OMR-based) test with 150 MCQs for a total of 150 marks.
• The exam has 3 sections: Section A — English Language (50 questions), Section B — Current Affairs & GK (30 questions), and Section C — Logical Reasoning (70 questions).
• A correct answer earns +1 mark; a wrong answer deducts 0.25 marks — four wrong answers cancel out one correct answer.
• Section C: Logical Reasoning carries the highest weightage with 70 questions for 70 marks — nearly half the total score.
• No prior legal knowledge is required — AILET does not have a standalone Legal Aptitude section; legal principles appear only as reasoning context in Section C.
• AILET 2026 was held on December 14, 2025 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM; there is no sectional time limit within the exam.
• The AILET 2027 notification released in July 2026 confirms the same 150-question, 120-minute, pen-and-paper pattern for the next cycle (exam date: December 13, 2026).

AILET Exam Pattern 2026: Overview

AILET 2026 follows a purely objective, multiple-choice format conducted in pen-and-paper (OMR) mode. The three-section structure tests English language skills, general awareness, and logical reasoning ability — with no requirement for prior legal knowledge. Students use an OMR sheet to mark responses using a black or blue ballpoint pen.

AILET 2026 is a 120-minute pen-and-paper test with 150 MCQs for a total of 150 marks, conducted by NLU Delhi for BA LLB (Hons) admission.

AILET Exam Pattern 2026: Important Dates

AILET 2026 was held on December 14, 2025. All events for the 2026 academic cycle are complete. The AILET 2027 notification, released in July 2026, confirms the next exam is scheduled for December 13, 2026 — maintaining the same annual December cycle.

Note: Dates for AILET 2027 marked "Expected" are tentative and based on the historical scheduling pattern. Students must check the official website for confirmed dates once announced.

AILET 2026: Detailed Exam Pattern

AILET 2026 distributes its 150 questions across three sections, with Logical Reasoning (Section C) alone accounting for 70 marks — nearly 47% of the total score. There is no sectional time limit; students manage their own time across all three sections within the 120-minute window.

No prior legal knowledge is required for AILET 2026 — the exam does not include a standalone Legal Aptitude section.

Note: Duration is shared across all sections — individual section rows show "—" because there is no sectional time cap. Students can attempt questions in any order within the 120-minute total.

AILET 2026 uses OMR sheets for recording answers. Students must darken the correct bubble with a black or blue ballpoint pen. Using correction fluid, overwriting, or darkening more than one option per question may invalidate that response.

AILET Marking Scheme 2026

AILET 2026 uses a +1 / −0.25 marking scheme applied uniformly to all 150 questions. Every correct response earns one full mark. Every incorrect response deducts 0.25 marks — meaning four wrong answers cancel out one correct answer. Unattempted questions attract no penalty at all.

Negative marking of 0.25 marks applies to all 150 MCQs in AILET 2026 — avoid random guessing, especially in Logical Reasoning where passage-based questions can tempt hasty incorrect responses.

If two students score identically, NLU Delhi applies tie-breaking in this order: (1) higher marks in Section C (Logical Reasoning), (2) the candidate who is senior in age, and (3) a computerised draw of lots. Section C performance is therefore the primary tie-breaker — an additional reason to prioritise it during preparation.

AILET Subject-Wise Exam Pattern 2026

AILET 2026’s 150 marks are spread across three subject areas. The distribution is deliberately unequal: Logical Reasoning alone carries 47% of the total marks, making it the section that most directly determines your AILET rank.

Section A: English Language (50 Questions | 50 Marks)

Section A tests reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, and verbal fluency. With 50 questions for 50 marks, it is the second-largest section. Speed matters — many questions here are passage-based, so reading efficiency is as important as language knowledge.

Section B: Current Affairs & General Knowledge (30 Questions | 30 Marks)

Section B tests awareness of national and international events from approximately the 12–18 months before the exam. With 30 questions for 30 marks, it is the smallest section — but consistent daily news reading throughout the year is the only reliable preparation strategy.

Section C: Logical Reasoning (70 Questions | 70 Marks)

Section C is AILET’s dominant section, contributing 70 marks out of 150. It tests analytical and critical thinking through a blend of logic puzzles, syllogisms, and passage-based reasoning. Legal principles may appear as passage context to test logical aptitude — students are not expected to know or apply actual legal rules.

AILET Question Types 2026

All 150 questions in AILET 2026 are single-correct MCQs — each question has four options with exactly one correct answer. There are no numerical, multiple-correct, or subjective questions anywhere in the paper. The format remains uniform across all three sections.

All 150 questions in AILET 2026 are single-correct MCQs — there are no numerical, subjective, or multiple-correct answer types in this exam.

AILET Exam Pattern: Changes in 2026 vs Previous Year

The AILET 2026 exam pattern was unchanged from AILET 2025. NLU Delhi retained the three-section, 150-question, 120-minute pen-and-paper structure. The AILET 2027 notification released in July 2026 confirms the same format will continue for the next cycle (exam on December 13, 2026), making this one of the most predictable and stable law entrance test structures among Indian national universities.

The AILET exam pattern is stable entering 2027: the July 2026 notification confirms 150 questions, 120 minutes, and 0.25 negative marking continue unchanged for the next cycle.

How to Prepare Based on AILET Exam Pattern

AILET preparation must mirror the actual paper: 150 MCQs in 120 minutes, with Logical Reasoning carrying 70 of those marks. You get an average of 48 seconds per question. Speed, accuracy, and selective skipping are all part of the strategy.

1. Make Section C (Logical Reasoning) your first priority: With 70 questions worth 70 marks, this section alone can define your rank. Master syllogisms, analogies, blood relations, and critical reasoning. When legal principles appear as passage context, you apply logic — not legal knowledge — so practise reasoning with unfamiliar passages.
2. Target Section A (English Language) for consistent scoring: 50 questions for 50 marks makes this the second-largest contributor. Build reading speed through daily comprehension practice. Vocabulary and sentence-correction questions are fast to solve once you are well-drilled — aim to finish Section A in under 35 minutes.
3. Build a daily current affairs habit for Section B (GK): 30 questions on events from the previous 12–18 months require consistent preparation. Legal judgments, constitutional developments, government schemes, and science-technology news are historically high-yield areas for AILET.
4. Practise on OMR sheets, not just digital mocks: AILET uses a pen-and-paper OMR format. Practise full 150-question mock tests on printed OMR sheets to build accuracy in bubble-filling and avoid errors that cost marks under time pressure.
5. Apply disciplined negative-marking strategy: With -0.25 per wrong answer, use a simple rule — attempt only if you can eliminate at least two of the four options. If you get five questions wrong by blind guessing, you lose 1.25 marks for zero gain.
6. Use the tie-breaker insight as motivation: Section C (Logical Reasoning) score is the first tie-breaker NLU Delhi uses when two students share the same total. A stronger Section C score can determine your final rank position when overall scores are close at the cutoff.
7. Practise with previous year AILET papers: NLU Delhi makes papers from 2008 to 2025 available on the official website. Work through the last five years under timed, OMR-simulated conditions to understand the real question style, difficulty level, and how passage sets are structured in Section C.

Source: National Law University Delhi — AILET 2026 BA LLB Exam Details