A 1000 rank in CLAT 2026 can actually be quite a good rank, even though it may feel like a borderline position for many students. The admission chances vary a lot depending on the category, the NLU, and also how competitive the exam is that year. Many students worry that a CLAT 2026 rank close to 1000 might not be able to get them a decent National Law University, but going by previous opening and closing ranks, this range still holds good potential, especially for the newer and mid-tier NLUs.
Over the past few admission cycles, several NLUs have had closing and even opening ranks of around 600, 800, 1000, and even beyond. This means the expected NLUs for 1000 rank in CLAT 2026 are not limited to just a couple of options; instead, they cover a wide spread across India. The exceptions are the top-tier NLUs such as NLSIU Bangalore and NALSAR Hyderabad, where the general category cutoffs usually remain extremely high. Their closing ranks often end way before 200, and sometimes even earlier, depending on the year’s difficulty level and competition.
For example, NLSIU Bangalore’s general category cutoff is expected to be around the 100-120 range for CLAT 2026. Meanwhile, the reserved category cutoffs for NLSIU and NALSAR are expected to be quite relaxed, sometimes even beyond 900 or 1000, giving OBC, SC, ST and other reserved category students a comparatively better chance. So, a CLAT rank of around 1000 may still keep reserved-category aspirants in the running for the top two NLUs, depending on the reservation matrix and seat movement.
Most of the other NLUs usually keep their opening and closing ranks anywhere from the mid-hundreds to the early thousands. Colleges like GNLU Gandhinagar, NUJS Kolkata, RMLNLU Lucknow, and NLIU Bhopal generally close at around the 200-600 range. But because cutoffs change every year and depend on demand, some students with a 1000 rank in CLAT 2026 may still get a small chance at these NLUs, especially if they fall under a reserved category or if seats remain during later rounds.
Also Read:
1000 Rank in CLAT 2026: NLU Admission Chances
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Below is the detailed category-wise admission chances in NLUs for someone getting around 1000 rank in CLAT 2026.
Category | NLUs |
|---|---|
General |
|
SC |
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ST |
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OBC |
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EWS |
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Also Read:
Preparing for Law Colleges After CLAT 2026 Success
This analysis becomes especially useful when filling NLU preferences during counselling. Looking at past years, some NLUs admit students around 900, 1000, and even 1200 or 1500. So instead of worrying, candidates should focus on realistic expectations and understand that mid-tier and newer NLUs usually provide good opportunities even at ranks around 1000.
Also Read I CLAT 2026 Marks vs Rank I
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