CLAT 2027: Apply for 3,520 UG seats across 26 NLUs by October 18

In short

CLAT 2027 will facilitate admissions to 26 National Law Universities, up from 24 in 2026.
NLU Tripura and NLU Meghalaya were added in April 2026, each offering 60 undergraduate seats from the 2027-28 session.
The total number of undergraduate seats available through CLAT 2027 is approximately 3,520.
NLSIU Bangalore is projected to increase its BA LLB intake for 2027, potentially to around 180 seats from 120.
CLAT 2026 General Category cutoff ranks for top NLUs are estimated based on past trends, with NLSIU Bangalore expected between AIR 90-110.

The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 2027 will see an expanded landscape for aspiring law students, with 26 National Law Universities (NLUs) now admitting students through the examination. This marks an increase from the 24 NLUs that participated in the CLAT counselling process as of 2026.

consortiumofnlus.ac.in homepage — Official website: consortiumofnlus.ac.in

The Consortium of NLUs announced in April 2026 the inclusion of NLU Tripura (Agartala) and NLU Meghalaya (Shillong), effective from the 2027–28 academic session. These additions contribute to an approximate total of 3,520 undergraduate (BA LLB and other integrated LLB) seats available across the participating institutions for CLAT 2027.

Expansion of Participating NLUs and Seat Matrix

The addition of NLU Tripura and NLU Meghalaya to the Consortium of NLUs in April 2026 marks a growth in the opportunities available for law aspirants. Each of these new institutions will offer 60 undergraduate seats, contributing to the overall seat pool for the 2027–28 academic session.

Also, National Law School of India University (NLSIU) Bangalore, consistently ranked #1 by NIRF and considered the oldest and most prestigious NLU, is reportedly expanding its undergraduate intake for 2027. The institution is expected to increase its BA LLB seats from 120 to potentially around 180, further impacting the total number of available seats.

CLAT Cutoff Trends for Top NLUs

CLAT cutoffs are subject to annual fluctuations influenced by factors such as the number of applicants, exam difficulty, seat matrix, and the entry of new NLUs. Cutoffs also vary across different categories (General, OBC, SC, ST, EWS, PwD) and for home-state domicile pools. NLU Delhi, however, continues to conduct its own entrance examination, AILET, and does not use CLAT scores for admissions.

Historically, NLSIU Bangalore maintains the highest CLAT cutoff, with its General-category closing rank typically within the top 150 All-India ranks. NALSAR Hyderabad’s General-category closing rank usually hovers around the top 250, while WBNUJS Kolkata sees closing ranks around the top 400. NLU Jodhpur’s General-category closing rank is generally around 600, and GNLU Gandhinagar’s is around 750. A rank under 100 is generally required for NLSIU Bengaluru in the General category, while for NLU Jodhpur and NLIU Bhopal, ranks between 500-1000 are typically competitive. Beyond rank 2000, most Tier 1 and Tier 2 NLUs become inaccessible in the open category.

Estimated CLAT 2026 General Category Cutoffs

Based on trends from the past two years, estimated General Category Cutoff Marks and Ranks for CLAT 2026 have been projected for various NLUs. For NLSIU Bangalore, the expected closing rank for CLAT 2026 is estimated to be between AIR 90–110, corresponding to an approximate cutoff marks range of 99–97. NALSAR Hyderabad is anticipated to have a CLAT 2026 closing rank between AIR 130–170, with an estimated marks range of 98.8 – 96.5 marks.

The CLAT score versus rank relationship is not linear and is influenced by the difficulty of the paper and the total number of candidates. The CLAT PG 2026 exam is scheduled to be conducted on December 07, 2025.

CLAT 2026 General Category Expected Cutoff Ranks and Marks
NLU	Expected Closing Cutoff Rank Range of General Category	Expected Cutoff Marks
NLSIU Bangalore	90 – 110	99 – 97 marks
NALSAR Hyderabad	130 – 170	98.8 – 96.5 marks
WBNUJS Kolkata	260 – 310	96.5 – 95 marks
NLU Jodhpur	330 – 390	94.8 – 94 marks
GNLU Gandhinagar	380 – 430	94 – 93.5 marks
NLIU Bhopal	420 – 480	93.5 – 92.8 marks
MNLU Mumbai	500 – 600	92.5 – 91.5 marks
HNLU Raipur	730 – 820	90.5 – 89.5 marks
RMLNLU Lucknow	680 – 760	91 – 90 marks
NLU Odisha	900 – 1000	89 – 88 marks
RGNUL Punjab	1100 – 1250	87 – 86 marks
NUALS Kochi	1100 – 1250	87 – 86 marks
CNLU Patna	1200 – 1350	86.5 – 85.5 marks
MNLU Nagpur	1300 – 1450	86 – 85 marks
NUSRL Ranchi	1400 – 1600	85 – 84 marks
TNNLU Trichy	1500 – 1700	84.5 – 83.5 marks
MNLU Aurangabad	1500 – 1650	84.5 – 83.8 marks
DSNLU Visakhapatnam	1500 – 1650	84.5 – 83.8 marks
NLU Sonepat	1600 – 1750	84 – 83 marks
NLU Assam	1600 – 1850	84 – 82.5 marks
DNLU Jabalpur	1700 – 1900	83.5 – 82 marks
HPNLU Shimla	1800 – 2100	82.8 – 81.5 marks
ILNU / IILUER Goa	2000 – 2300	81.5 – 80.5 marks
NLU Agartala	2100 – 2300	81.2 – 80.5 marks
NLU Silvassa	11,500 – 13,000	55 – 50 marks

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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