500 Rank in CLAT 2026; Expected NLUs for all Categories
Students who secure a 500 rank in CLAT 2026 are likely to score around 93.5 to 94 marks in the admission test. General category students are likely to be eligible to apply for all the NLUs with this rank, except for the Tier-1 institutes.
Some of the top NLUs that students can look for with a 500 rank in CLAT 2026 include Mumbai, Raipur, Lucknow and others. By analysing the previous years’ trends, students with an AIR 500 in CLAT 2026 are likely to be eligible for admission into the mid-tier NLUs. Students with the mentioned AIR are expected to score between 93.5 to 94 marks in the CLAT admission test. It is considered a good score for NLU admission for both the general and reserved category students. Apart from this, the reserved category students may also be eligible for top-tier NLU admission if they have secured an AIR 500.
The cutoff rank for NLU admission is usually determined by considering factors like the total number of seats for admission, CLAT exam difficulty level, normalisation of scores, and the total number of candidates who have appeared for the entrance test. The previous years’ trends also play an important role in determining the trends for opening and closing cutoff ranks for the current academic year. While the official data for the CLAT 2026 marks vs rank for NLU admission may slightly differ from the expected data provided here, students can still refer to the article in detail to get an idea of what to expect this year.
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Category-wise Expected NLU Admission Chances for 500 Rank in CLAT 2026
Students can take reference from the expected category-wise NLU admission chances provided here for AIR 500 in CLAT 2026. The following is likely to help all the enthusiastic candidates shortlist their desired list of NLUs for admission according to their CLAT 2026 scores.
Student Category | Name of the Institutes | Expected CLAT Opening Cutoff Rank Range |
General Category |
| AIR 300 to 455 |
Economically Weaker Sections |
| AIR 455 to 575 |
Scheduled Castes |
| AIR 515 to 815 |
Scheduled Tribes |
| AIR 515 to 815 |
Other Backward Classes |
| AIR 575 to 915 |
Also Read:CLAT 2026 Rank vs NLU: Detailed Analysis
So, students who have secured a 500 rank in the CLAT 2026 will find it easy to secure NLU admission across all the institutions, except for Bangalore, Kolkata and Hyderabad. On the contrary, those who are from the reserved category will also be eligible to apply for the top-tier NLU admission with the specified AIR in CLAT 2026.
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