If you are confused about choosing an NLU as per your CLAT 2026 rank, you can go through this article to get a detailed analysis of CLAT Rank vs NLU 2026. It will help you in shortlisting the best NLU as per your CLAT rank.

CLAT Rank vs NLU 2026: Law aspirants should select their preferred NLU based on their CLAT 2026 rank. Any applicant can develop a clear and useful admission pathway by knowing which NLU they can realistically seek depending on their projected or achieved CLAT rank. While other respectable NLUs offer possibilities to students with ranks as high as several thousand, leading NLUs like NLSIU Bangalore, NALSAR Hyderabad, and WBNUJS Kolkata usually close admissions within the top few hundred ranks. Numerous factors, such as category reservation, domicile quotas, seat matrix modifications, and yearly fluctuations in exam difficulty, influence this rank–NLG mapping.
A thorough grasp of CLAT Rank vs. NLU 2026 helps students maximize their preparation efforts, counseling decisions, and expectations during the admissions process in addition to providing guidance on potential universities. Students can get a clear view of their possibilities and make well-informed decisions at every step of CLAT counseling by using the most recent seat allocation forecasts and trends from prior years. The CLAT rank obtained by a student is an important factor when it comes to deciding whether or not the student will get admitted to their preferred NLU. The CLAT 2026 participating colleges release different CLAT 2026 cutoffs and students whose names appear on the CLAT merit list can then participate in the counselling round and get seats allotted in the top NLUs. However, the question remains intact - What rank should be obtained to get admission to the preferred NLU? Go through the information below to find out more details about CLAT ranks and marks.
Expected CLAT 2026 Rank vs NLUs
You can check the expected NLU vs Rank of CLAT 2026 from the below table.
| CLAT Rank Range | NLUs You Can Expect |
|---|---|
| 1 – 100 | NLSIU Bengaluru, NALSAR Hyderabad, WBNUJS Kolkata, NLUD (AILET only), NLU Jodhpur, GNLU Gandhinagar |
| 100 – 300 | WBNUJS Kolkata, NLU Jodhpur, NLIU Bhopal, HNLU Raipur, GNLU Gandhinagar |
| 300 – 600 | NLU Odisha (Cuttack), NLU Assam (A:NLUJA), DSNLU Visakhapatnam, TNNLU Tiruchirappalli, MNLU Mumbai (borderline) |
| 600 – 1000 | NLU Odisha, NLU Assam, DSNLU, TNNLU, MNLU Nagpur, MNLU Aurangabad |
| 1000 – 1500 | NLU Assam, DSNLU, TNNLU, MNLU Nagpur, MNLU Aurangabad, HPNLU Shimla |
| 1500 – 2500 | HPNLU Shimla, DNLU Jabalpur, DBRANLU Haryana, MNLU Aurangabad |
| 2500 – 4000 | DNLU Jabalpur, DBRANLU Haryana, HPNLU Shimla (some categories), MNLU Aurangabad |
| 4000 – 6000 | Lower NLUs for category candidates; General category may face difficulty |
| 6000 – 10000+ | Usually not eligible for NLUs (General), but category seats or domicile quota may help |
Previous Year CLAT Rank vs NLU
After the release of the CLAT result, candidates can check the exact cutoff for CLAT, however, we have presented the CLAT 2026 expected cutoff based on the previous years' CLAT cutoff trends. Candidates can take a look at the CLAT rank vs NLU analysis below:
Name of the NLU | CLAT 2025 Closing Rank Round 1 | CLAT 2024 Closing Rank Round 1 | CLAT 2023 Closing Rank Round 1 | CLAT 2022 Closing Rank after Round 5 | CLAT 2021 Closing Rank after Round 1 | CLAT 2020 Closing Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5233 | 97 | 107 | 13869 | 80 | 98 | |
National Academy of Legal Study and Research (NALSAR), University of Law, Hyderabad | 6528 | 161 | 167 | 16269 | 163 | 177 |
The West Bengal National University of Judicial Sciences (WBNUJS), Kolkata | 17377 | 262 | 244 | 12809 | 216 | 227 |
9763 | 341 | 344 | 7467 | 317 | 323 | |
14022 | 429 | 417 | 10805 | 348 | 470 | |
29588 | 1129 | 1073 | 25179 | 940 | 1012 | |
14393 | 409 | 407 | 17826 | 350 | 538 | |
National Institute of Advanced Legal Sciences (NUALS), Kochi | 34227 | 1117 | 1175 | 28235 | 978 | 1076 |
Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University (RMNLU), Lucknow | 21506 | 695 | 681 | 20391 | 600 | 738 |
23190 | 707 | 733 | 170 | 651 | 701 | |
23892 | 1080 | 988 | 34635 | 348 | 1052 | |
National University of Study and Research in Law (NUSRL), Ranchi | 36503 | 1336 | 1389 | 40538 | 1233 | 1290 |
44258 | 1374 | 1242 | 33540 | 1184 | 1256 | |
National Law University and Judicial Academy (NLUJAA), Guwahati | 45940 | 1474 | 1575 | 48523 | 1337 | 1584 |
Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University, (DSNLU) Vishakhapatnam | 42139 | 1233 | 1400 | 38481 | 1158 | 1518 |
1516 | 1401 | 1325 | 44427 | 1469 | 1799 | |
18972 | 547 | 533 | 43608 | 423 | 557 | |
18256 | 1631 | 1743 | 46407 | 1575 | 1947 | |
39273 | 1425 | 1483 | 40090 | 1276 | 1575 | |
43876 | 1773 | 1930 | 38853 | 1598 | 2005 | |
45127 | 1578 | 1699 | 48558 | 1533 | 2000 | |
40089 | 1714 | 1902 | 25003 | 1669 | 2074 |
Also Read: Key Features to Be Considered Before Taking Admission to a Law School
CLAT 2026 Cut Off for NLUs
CLAT 2026 seat allotment list will be prepared based on the rank obtained by the candidate in the exam. The candidates who are eligible for the CLAT counselling round will get invitation emails according to the names that appear on the merit list. Candidates will have an idea of their performance and the probable rank that they might get in the exam based on which they can get a better idea of the NLU that they will be allotted. The test-takers can analyse their rank if they go through the previous years' CLAT cutoffs. There are certain factors on which the CLAT cutoff will depend which are listed below:
- The total number of test-takers for the CLAT 2026 exam. Last year more than 70,000 law aspirants took the CLAT exam.
- The difficulty level of the CLAT 2026 question paper.
- The number of available seats in the NLUs - CLAT UG has 3241 seats and CLAT PG has 1248 seats.
- Many national law schools offer both domicile and national category-based reservations. Candidates who fall under the said category may benefit from the domicile reservation.
- Marks and ranks obtained by the candidates.
- The choice of college as given by the candidates.
Colleges for Direct Admission without CLAT
Due to the cut-throat competition and fixed seat intake, most of the candidates are unable to make it to the NLUs. However, getting a low CLAT rank does not put an end to the dream of pursuing law. Check out the colleges below that offer admission to aspirants without the CLAT score. You can click on the links provided below to directly apply for admission to the desired law college.
Law College | Location |
|---|---|
Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh | |
Chandigarh, Punjab | |
Mathura, Uttar Pradesh | |
Sonepat, Haryana | |
Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh | |
Neemrana, Rajasthan | |
Bangalore, Karnataka | |
Mehsana, Gujarat | |
Dehradun, Uttrakhand | |
Raipur, Chhattisgarh |
Also Read: Difference Between CLAT, AILET and LSAT
Importance of CLAT 2026 Cutoff
The CLAT cutoff is an important factor for students who want to get admitted to top NLUs. Find below the importance of the CLAT 2026 cutoff:
- By going through the CLAT cutoff, law aspirants get an idea of the rank they have to secure in order to get admitted to their preferred NLUs.
- Since the CLAT 2026 cutoff is prepared based on the categories of the students and the number of seats available, the candidates need to refer to the course he/ she is applying for admission.
- The factors determining the CLAT cutoff are important and students need to keep a check on these factors as well. These factors will play an important role in preparing the CLAT 2026 cutoff list.
CLAT is a pivotal law exam of the national level that is conducted every year to shortlist deserving candidates for legal education. Through the exam, aspirants get admission in the best government as well as private Universities in India. Check Private Law Colleges in India Accepting CLAT Scores to explore other college options besides NLUs.
Also Read : What is a Good Score in CLAT 2026?
Related Links | |
|---|---|
Stay tuned to CollegeDekho for more information on the CLAT 2026 exam!
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FAQs
Lower-ranked NLUs like HPNLU, DNLU, DBRANLU, Himachal/Nagpur/Aurangabad campuses, may be possible. Private universities also become strong options.
You may get NLU Jodhpur, GNLU Gandhinagar, NLU Delhi (AILET only), HNLU Raipur, RMLNLU Lucknow, depending on seat availability and domicile factors.
With a rank below 100, top NLUs such as NLSIU Bangalore, NALSAR Hyderabad, and WBNUJS Kolkata are highly probable, depending on category.
The CLAT rank predictor can calculate your estimated rank quickly and easily, the tool follows the CLAT 2024 style Rank Calculation Formula, and candidates can explore their college options.
The CLAT seat allotment list is prepared based on the rank obtained by the candidate in the exam. The candidates who are eligible for the CLAT counselling round will get invitation emails according to the names that appear on the merit list.
Some of the top NLUs that accept CLAT scores are the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bangalore, National Academy of Legal Study and Research (NALSAR), University of Law, Hyderabad, The West Bengal National University of Judicial Sciences (WBNUJS), Kolkata, National Law University (NLU), Jodhpur, Gujarat National Law University, (GNLU), Gandhinagar, Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (RGNUL), Patiala, National Law Institute University (NLU), Bhopal, etc.
The CLAT rank obtained by an individual becomes the deciding factor as to whether or not the aspirant will get the desired NLU. Each year various cutoffs of the CLAT are released by the participating colleges and students who clear the CLAT exam will get to see their names on the merit list and are provided with an admission seat in the top NLUs.
CLAT is an important national-level law entrance exam that is conducted by the Consortium of the NLUs every year to shortlist deserving candidates for legal education. Through the exam, aspirants get admission to National Law Universities, the best government as well as private Universities in India.
The CLAT cutoff gives the law aspirants an idea as to what rank they have to secure to get admission into NLU. Since the CLAT 2024 cutoff is prepared based on category and programme, the candidates need to refer to the course he/ she is applying for admission. These factors play an important role in preparing the CLAT cutoff list.
The colleges that provide direct admission without CLAT are Jagran Lakecity University (JLU) Bhopal, Chandigarh University (CU), Chandigarh, Sanskriti University Mathura, SRM University Delhi-NCR, Sonepat, Invertis University, Bareilly, Raffles University (RU), Neemrana, K.L.E. Society Law College, Bangalore, Ganpat University (GU), Mehsana, The Faculty of Law, ICFAI University (ICFAI LAW), Dehradun, etc.
Yes, there are some colleges that provide direct law admission without the CLAT score. Due to the cut-throat competition and fixed seat intake, most of the candidates are unable to make it to the NLUs. So, these candidates can try to take admission to these law colleges if their CLAT score is poor.
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