The CLAT 2026 cutoff is the minimum score required to secure admission in each of the 25 National Law Universities. Cutoffs vary significantly by NLU, category, and programme (UG vs PG). This guide gives you NLU-wise expected cutoffs for CLAT 2026 based on CLAT 2024 and 2025 actual cutoff trends, with category-wise breakdowns for General, OBC, SC, and ST aspirants.
What is the CLAT Cutoff?
The CLAT cutoff is the minimum rank or score at which a seat in a particular NLU closes during counselling. There are two types:
- Opening cutoff: The highest rank at which seats start filling (often the toppers)
- Closing cutoff: The last rank at which a seat was allotted in the final round — the number that matters most
All cutoff data below represents closing cutoffs (final allotment round) from CLAT 2024-2025 trends.
CLAT 2026 Expected Cutoff: Top 10 NLUs (General Category — UG)
| NLU | CLAT 2024 Closing Rank (Approx) | CLAT 2025 Closing Rank (Approx) | Expected 2026 Closing Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| NLSIU Bangalore (Rank 1) | 85-100 | 80-95 | 75-100 |
| NALSAR Hyderabad (Rank 2) | 180-220 | 175-215 | 170-220 |
| WBNUJS Kolkata (Rank 3) | 280-330 | 270-320 | 265-330 |
| NLU Jodhpur (Rank 4) | 380-440 | 370-430 | 360-440 |
| GNLU Gandhinagar (Rank 5) | 480-550 | 465-540 | 460-550 |
| RMLNLU Lucknow (Rank 6) | 580-680 | 565-660 | 555-670 |
| NLIU Bhopal (Rank 7) | 680-790 | 665-775 | 655-780 |
| HNLU Raipur (Rank 8) | 790-920 | 775-905 | 760-910 |
| RGNUL Patiala (Rank 9) | 900-1050 | 885-1030 | 870-1040 |
| CNLU Patna (Rank 10) | 1000-1180 | 980-1160 | 960-1170 |
CLAT 2026 Expected Cutoff: All 25 NLUs (General — UG)
| NLU | State | Expected CLAT 2026 Closing Rank (General) |
|---|---|---|
| NLSIU Bangalore | Karnataka | 75-100 |
| NALSAR University of Law | Telangana | 170-220 |
| WBNUJS Kolkata | West Bengal | 265-330 |
| NLU Jodhpur | Rajasthan | 360-440 |
| GNLU Gandhinagar | Gujarat | 460-550 |
| RMLNLU Lucknow | Uttar Pradesh | 555-670 |
| NLIU Bhopal | Madhya Pradesh | 655-780 |
| HNLU Raipur | Chhattisgarh | 760-910 |
| RGNUL Patiala | Punjab | 870-1040 |
| CNLU Patna | Bihar | 960-1170 |
| NLUO Cuttack | Odisha | 1100-1350 |
| NUALS Kochi | Kerala | 1250-1500 |
| NUSRL Ranchi | Jharkhand | 1400-1700 |
| NLUJAA Guwahati | Assam | 1550-1900 |
| DSNLU Visakhapatnam | Andhra Pradesh | 1700-2100 |
| Tamil Nadu NLU | Tamil Nadu | 1850-2300 |
| Maharashtra NLU Mumbai | Maharashtra | 2000-2500 |
| HPNLU Shimla | Himachal Pradesh | 2200-2800 |
| DBRANLU Sonepat | Haryana | 2400-3000 |
| DNLU Jabalpur | Madhya Pradesh | 2600-3200 |
| MNLU Nagpur | Maharashtra | 2800-3500 |
| MNLU Aurangabad | Maharashtra | 3000-3800 |
| MNLU Mumbai | Maharashtra | 3200-4000 |
| NUSRL Ranchi (PG) | Jharkhand | Separate PG merit |
| JNAFAU (Affiliated) | Telangana | Varies |
Note: The above cutoffs are estimates based on CLAT 2024-2025 trends. Actual CLAT 2026 cutoffs depend on the difficulty of the paper, total applicants, and seat matrix. Always refer to the official Consortium of NLUs website for final allotment data.
CLAT 2026 Cutoff: Category-wise for Top 5 NLUs
| NLU | General | OBC | SC | ST | PWD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NLSIU Bangalore | 75-100 | 150-200 | 400-550 | 800-1100 | 200-400 |
| NALSAR Hyderabad | 170-220 | 300-400 | 700-900 | 1400-1800 | 400-600 |
| WBNUJS Kolkata | 265-330 | 450-580 | 1000-1300 | 2000-2600 | 600-850 |
| NLU Jodhpur | 360-440 | 600-750 | 1300-1700 | 2600-3300 | 800-1100 |
| GNLU Gandhinagar | 460-550 | 750-950 | 1600-2100 | 3200-4000 | 1000-1400 |
CLAT Score vs Rank: What Score Gets What Rank?
| CLAT Score (out of 120) | Expected Rank (Approx) | NLUs Accessible (General) |
|---|---|---|
| 108-115 | 1-20 | NLSIU Bangalore (guaranteed) |
| 103-108 | 20-80 | NLSIU, NALSAR |
| 98-103 | 80-200 | NALSAR, WBNUJS |
| 93-98 | 200-400 | WBNUJS, NLU Jodhpur, GNLU |
| 88-93 | 400-700 | GNLU, RMLNLU, NLIU Bhopal |
| 82-88 | 700-1200 | HNLU, RGNUL, CNLU Patna |
| 75-82 | 1200-2000 | NLUO, NUALS, NUSRL |
| 68-75 | 2000-3500 | NLUJAA, DSNLU, Tamil Nadu NLU |
| 60-68 | 3500-6000 | Lower-ranked NLUs, state affiliates |
Factors That Affect CLAT 2026 Cutoff
- Paper difficulty: A tougher paper lowers cutoffs; an easier paper pushes cutoffs up
- Total applicants: More aspirants = higher competition = higher cutoffs for the same ranks
- Seat availability: Increase in NLU seats can lower cutoffs; reduction pushes them up
- Counselling rounds: Cutoffs drop in later rounds as candidates upgrade or opt out
Home State Quota and Its Impact on CLAT Cutoff
Most NLUs reserve 25-50% of seats for students domiciled in that state. For example:
- WBNUJS Kolkata reserves seats for West Bengal domicile students
- GNLU Gandhinagar has a Gujarat state quota
- RMLNLU Lucknow has a Uttar Pradesh state quota
State quota cutoffs are often significantly lower than general merit cutoffs. An Uttar Pradesh domicile student may get RMLNLU at a rank of 2,000-3,000 where the general merit cutoff is 550-670. Always check the home state quota for NLUs in your state.
CLAT PG (LLM) Cutoff 2026
| NLU | Expected PG Closing Rank 2026 (General) |
|---|---|
| NLSIU Bangalore | 1-5 |
| NALSAR Hyderabad | 1-15 |
| WBNUJS Kolkata | 1-25 |
| NLU Jodhpur | 1-40 |
| GNLU Gandhinagar | 1-60 |
| RMLNLU Lucknow | 1-80 |
PG CLAT has far fewer aspirants (roughly 15,000 vs 80,000 for UG). Top NLU PG seats are accessible to CLAT PG rank holders in the top 50-100.
How to Check Official CLAT 2026 Cutoff
Official cutoffs are released by the Consortium of NLUs on consortiumofnlus.ac.in after each counselling round. The process:
- CLAT 2026 result declared → merit list published with scores and ranks
- Seat allotment Round 1 → first allotment letter with reporting cutoffs
- Seat allotment Round 2, 3, 4, 5 → cutoffs shift as candidates upgrade/withdraw
- Final allotment round → closing cutoff for each NLU and category confirmed
FAQs on CLAT 2026 Cutoff
What is the expected CLAT 2026 cutoff for NLSIU Bangalore?
Based on CLAT 2024-2025 trends, the NLSIU Bangalore closing rank for General category UG is expected to be around 75-100. You need a score of approximately 103+ out of 120 to have a strong chance.
Is 80 marks enough for CLAT 2026?
80 marks out of 120 (approximately rank 700-1200) would give you access to NLUs like HNLU Raipur, RGNUL Patiala, and CNLU Patna in the General category. For SC/ST categories, 80 marks can open top-5 NLU seats.
What is a good rank in CLAT?
Any rank below 500 in General category is considered a very good CLAT rank, giving access to India’s top 5-6 NLUs. Rank below 100 is exceptional — NLSIU or NALSAR territory.
Do cutoffs change every year?
Yes — CLAT cutoffs fluctuate by 50-200 ranks each year based on paper difficulty, aspirant numbers, and seat matrix. The trends above are estimates; always check official Consortium data for actual cutoffs.