CLAT 2027 expected cut-offs: what changes for NLU aspirants

In short

The CLAT 2027 exam will be conducted on December 6, 2026.
Official CLAT 2027 cut-offs will be released during counselling rounds in January–February 2027.
OBC cut-offs are typically 3–6 marks lower than General category, while SC cut-offs are 18–25 marks lower.
NLSIU Bengaluru and NALSAR Hyderabad are expected to remain top choices for CLAT PG 2027, with ranks under 150 for the General category.
Expected cut-off marks for top NLUs are 100–113, with a safe score range of 65–78 for newer NLUs.

Candidates aspiring for admission to National Law Universities (NLUs) through CLAT 2027 are currently reviewing expected cut-off marks and ranks. These projections are based on previous year trends, as the official cut-offs will be released by the Consortium of NLUs during the counselling rounds in January–February 2027.

The CLAT 2027 exam is scheduled for December 6, 2026, and the cut-offs represent the minimum marks or All India Rank (AIR) required for admission to specific NLUs. These figures are not pre-declared but are determined after the counselling process, taking into account factors such as the merit list, candidate preferences, seat availability, and reservation policies.

Understanding CLAT 2027 Cut-Off Determination

The CLAT 2027 cut-off will be released category-wise, encompassing General, SC, ST, OBC, and PwD categories. The determination process involves compiling scores, releasing cut-off lists by each NLU, and publishing multiple allotment lists. A more difficult exam typically leads to a lower cut-off score, while an increase in applicants for the same number of seats tends to raise the cut-off.

Historically, OBC cut-offs are generally 3–6 marks lower than those for the General category. SC cut-offs are typically 18–25 marks lower than the General category, and ST cut-offs are usually the most relaxed. The official CLAT 2026 Round 1 result was declared on January 7, 2026, providing a recent reference point for aspirants.

Expected Cut-Off Trends for CLAT 2027

Based on CLAT 2026 actual cut-offs and CLAT 2025 trends, candidates can anticipate the expected cut-off ranges for CLAT 2027. For CLAT PG 2025, NLSIU Bengaluru and NALSAR Hyderabad were the top two choices, with ranks under 150 for the General category. The Round 2 CLAT PG 2025 cut-off saw noticeable rank relaxation across all categories, with many aspirants upgrading to higher NLUs, leading to a drop of 100–200 ranks in most institutions. Even with this, the top 5 NLUs still closed under 700 ranks in Round 2 of CLAT PG 2025.

For CLAT PG 2027, expected cut-off ranks for top 5 NLUs are likely to remain below 500, while mid-tier universities may close between 700–1000 ranks. The CLAT PG cut-off marks are expected to stay between 70–85 marks for top NLUs, assuming a moderate exam difficulty similar to 2026. The official CLAT 2027 cut-offs will be published on consortiumofnlus.ac.in with each round of counselling in January–March 2027.

CLAT 2027 Expected Cut-Off Overview

Candidates for CLAT 2027 are currently reviewing expected cut-off marks and ranks for admission to National Law Universities (NLUs). These projections are based on previous year trends, as the official cut-offs will be released by the Consortium of NLUs during the counselling rounds in January–February 2027. The CLAT 2027 exam is scheduled for December 6, 2026. The cut-offs represent the minimum marks or All India Rank (AIR) required for admission to specific NLUs and are not pre-declared but determined after the counselling process, considering factors like the merit list, candidate preferences, seat availability, and reservation policies.

The CLAT 2027 cut-off will be released category-wise, encompassing General, SC, ST, OBC, and PwD categories. Historically, OBC cut-offs are generally 3–6 marks lower than those for the General category, while SC cut-offs are typically 18–25 marks lower. ST cut-offs are usually the most relaxed. For CLAT PG 2025, NLSIU Bengaluru and NALSAR Hyderabad were top choices, with ranks under 150 for the General category. The Round 2 CLAT PG 2025 cut-off saw rank relaxation across all categories, with many aspirants upgrading to higher NLUs, leading to a drop of 100–200 ranks in most institutions. Even with this, the top 5 NLUs still closed under 700 ranks in Round 2 of CLAT PG 2025.

NLU Tier	Expected Closing Rank (General)	Expected Safe Score
Top Tier (NLSIU, NALSAR, NUJS)	Top 100–350	100–113 marks
Tier 2 (NLUJ, GNLU, RMLNLU)	350–1,500	90–100 marks
Tier 3 (HNLU, NLUO, NUSRL)	1,500–3,500	78–90 marks
Newer NLUs	3,500–6,000	65–78 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.

View all posts →