CLAT
Updated: Oct 9, 2026
CLAT 2026-2027 Cutoff: NLU-Wise Opening & Closing Ranks, Category Trends
The CLAT Cutoff refers to the minimum All India Rank (AIR) and corresponding marks required by a candidate to secure admission into a particular National Law University (NLU). The Consortium of NLUs publishes the cutoff in the form of Opening Ranks (OR) and Closing Ranks (CR) at the end of each round of the centralized allotment process.
Cutoffs vary widely across NLUs based on institutional reputation, state domicile quotas, reservation policies, and candidate preferences.
Key Factors Determining CLAT Cutoffs
- Total Number of Test Takers: Competition intensity and total candidates appearing in the exam.
- Difficulty Level of the Paper: Higher paper difficulty leads to lower raw mark cutoffs, though percentile ranks remain competitive.
- Seat Intake: Total approved seats available across UG (approx. 3,300+ seats) and PG (approx. 1,400+ seats) programmes in participating NLUs.
- Institutional Preference & Tier: Premier institutions like NLSIU Bengaluru, NALSAR Hyderabad, and WBNUJS Kolkata close within the top 100 to 300 ranks for general category.
- Reservation Policies: Category-wise seat allocations (SC, ST, OBC, EWS, Women, PwD, and State Domicile quotas).
Tier-Wise Classification of Participating NLUs
Participating law universities are broadly grouped into three competitive tiers based on candidate preference and closing rank trends:
Tier 1 NLUs (Top Premier League • AIR 1 to 450 for General Category)
- NLSIU Bengaluru: Closes around AIR 90–105 for General All India seats.
- NALSAR Hyderabad: Closes around AIR 160–180.
- WBNUJS Kolkata: Closes around AIR 240–270.
- NLU Jodhpur: Closes around AIR 330–360.
- NLIU Bhopal: Closes around AIR 400–450.
- GNLU Gandhinagar: Closes around AIR 420–460.
Tier 2 NLUs (Established Institutions • AIR 450 to 1,500)
- RMLNLU Lucknow, RGNUL Patiala, CNLU Patna, NLUO Cuttack, and NUALS Kochi.
Tier 3 NLUs (Newer & Emerging Institutions • AIR 1,500 to 3,500+)
- NUSRL Ranchi, NLUJA Assam, DSNLU Visakhapatnam, TNNLU Tiruchirappalli, MNLU Mumbai, MNLU Nagpur, MNLU Aurangabad, HPNLU Shimla, DNLU Jabalpur, DBRANLU Sonipat, and NLUT Agartala.
Expected Cutoff Ranks for Top NLUs (General All India Category)
| National Law University (NLU) | UG Expected Closing Rank (General) | PG Expected Closing Rank (General) |
|---|---|---|
| NLSIU Bengaluru | AIR 90 – 105 | AIR 70 – 90 |
| NALSAR Hyderabad | AIR 150 – 180 | AIR 120 – 150 |
| WBNUJS Kolkata | AIR 240 – 275 | AIR 180 – 220 |
| NLU Jodhpur | AIR 330 – 370 | AIR 250 – 300 |
| GNLU Gandhinagar | AIR 400 – 460 | AIR 320 – 380 |
| NLIU Bhopal | AIR 420 – 480 | AIR 350 – 410 |
| RMLNLU Lucknow | AIR 680 – 750 | AIR 480 – 550 |
| RGNUL Patiala | AIR 1,000 – 1,150 | AIR 700 – 850 |
| NLU Odisha, Cuttack | AIR 1,050 – 1,200 | AIR 800 – 950 |
| CNLU Patna | AIR 1,300 – 1,450 | AIR 900 – 1,100 |
| MNLU Mumbai | AIR 500 – 580 | AIR 400 – 480 |
| Newer NLUs (Average) | AIR 2,000 – 3,200 | AIR 1,400 – 2,200 |