The CLAT 2026 exam was conducted today, 7 December 2025, and aspirants are now eagerly waiting for the expected cut off for top NLUs. Based on the CLAT 2025 cut-offs, previous-year admission trends, difficulty level analysis, and insights from leading education platforms such as Career360, the expected CLAT 2026 cut off for leading National Law Universities (NLUs) is likely to see a moderate rise.
This article provides expected CLAT 2026 cut off marks, actual CLAT 2025 cut-offs, and a year-wise comparison for General, OBC, and SC/ST categories to help students set a clear target score out of 120.
The Provisional Answer key of CLAT 2026 Exam is out on 10th December 2025 at 5:00 PM. To check the detailed information and also to download the answer key, click the link below
CLAT 2026 Exam Provisional Answer Key: Download PDF |
CLAT 2026 Expected Cut Off for Top NLUs
The expected cut-offs are calculated based on exam difficulty, previous-year data, and seat availability.
Expected CLAT 2026 Cut-Off (General Category)
| NLU | Expected Rank | Expected Score (Out of 120) |
| NLSIU Bangalore | 1–120 | 98+ |
| NALSAR Hyderabad | 120–260 | 95+ |
| WBNUJS Kolkata | 260–450 | 92+ |
| NLU Jodhpur | 450–800 | 88+ |
| GNLU Gandhinagar | 800–1200 | 86+ |
| NLIU Bhopal | 1200–1700 | 84+ |
| HNLU Raipur | 1700–2600 | 82+ |
| RMLNLU Lucknow | 2600–3300 | 80+ |
| NLU Odisha (Cuttack) | 3300–4200 | 78+ |
| CNLU Patna | 4200–5200 | 75+ |
Note: Category-wise cut-offs will be lower depending on reservation norms.
CLAT 2026: Previous Year CLAT 2025 Cut Off
Check out the first merit list for different NLUs for CLAT 2025.
| CLAT 2025 Participating NLUs | Opening Rank | Closing Ranks |
| National Law School of India University, Bangalore | 1 | 16544 |
| NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad | 17 | 7713 |
| The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata | 57 | 29717 |
| The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata | 299 | 18509 |
| National Law Institute University, Bhopal
| 257 | 16572 |
| 438 | 24911 | |
| National Law University, Jodhpur | 159 | 39868 |
| Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar | 164 | 14022 |
| Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow | 460 | 21506 |
| Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala | 95 | 29588 |
| Chanakya National Law University, Patna
| 882 | 30737 |
| 1215 | 44258 | |
| National University of Advanced Legal Studies, Kochi | 350 | 56347 |
| National Law University Odisha, Cuttack | 382 | 50544 |
| National University of Study & Research in Law, Ranchi | 864 | 36722 |
| National Law University & Judicial Academy, Assam | 1163 | 45940 |
| Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University (DSNLU), Visakhapatnam | 957 | 42139 |
| The Tamil Nadu National Law School, Tiruchirapalli | 1231 | 44669 |
| 1259 | 44760 | |
| Maharashtra National Law University, Mumbai | 418 | 31018 |
| Maharashtra National Law University, Nagpur
| 680 | 54410 |
| 681 | 51639 | |
| Maharashtra National Law University, Aurangabad | 1023 | 59856 |
| 1361 | 56843 | |
| Himachal Pradesh National Law University, Shimla | 949 | 43876 |
| 1135 | 44095 | |
| Dharmashastra National Law University, Jabalpur | 1060 | 51352 |
| Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Law University Sonipat, Haryana | 626 | 53778 |
| Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur | 463 | 47261 |
| National Law University, Tripura | 31168 | 57038 |
| GNLU Silvassa Campus | 755 | 52920 |
| Dr. Rajendra Prasad National Law University (RPNLUP), Prayagraj
| 1102 | 45273 |
| India International University of Legal Education and Research, Goa - B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) | 1314 | 48454 |
| India International University of Legal Education and Research, Goa - B.B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) | 1198 | 4960 |
CLAT 2025 Actual Cut Offs for Top NLUs
Here are the CLAT 2025 round-1 expected ranks and score equivalents based on student data.
CLAT 2025 Cut Off (General Category)
| NLU | Closing Rank (2025) | Approx Score |
| NLSIU Bangalore | 120 | 95.5 |
| NALSAR Hyderabad | 260 | 94 |
| WBNUJS Kolkata | 450 | 92.75 |
| NLU Jodhpur | 800 | 89 |
| GNLU Gandhinagar | 1200 | 87.5 |
| NLIU Bhopal | 1700 | 85 |
| HNLU Raipur | 2600 | 82 |
| RMLNLU Lucknow | 3300 | 80 |
CLAT Previous Year Cut-Off Trends (2023–2025)
These trends help predict CLAT 2026 cut-off movement.
General Category Trends
| Year | NLSIU Bangalore | NALSAR Hyderabad | WBNUJS Kolkata |
| 2025 | 95.5 | 94 | 92.75 |
| 2024 | 93–95 | 90–92 | 88–89 |
| 2023 | 92–94 | 89–91 | 87–88 |
Cut-offs for top NLUs have consistently increased due to rising competition and stable seat numbers. CLAT 2026 is expected to follow this pattern.
Category-Wise Expected CLAT 2026 Cut Off (General, OBC, SC/ST)
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General Category (Expected Score)
-
Top NLUs: 92–98+
-
Mid NLUs: 78–90
-
Newer NLUs: 65–78
OBC Category (Expected Score)
-
Top NLUs: 88–95
-
Mid NLUs: 72–86
-
New NLUs: 60–72
SC/ST Category (Expected Score)
-
Top NLUs: 68–80
-
Mid NLUs: 55–70
-
New NLUs: 45–55
Factors Affecting CLAT 2026 Cut Off
The expected cut off is based on the following factors:
1. Difficulty Level of CLAT 2026
If the exam is moderately difficult, scores above 95 will be required for top NLUs.
2. Number of Test-Takers
With increasing registrations every year, competition for the top 300 ranks remains extremely high.
3. Seat Availability in NLUs
No major seat increase reported, so cut-offs likely to rise slightly.
4. Previous-Year Trends
Data from 2023–2025 shows a consistent upward drift in cut-offs.
CLAT 2026 Cut-Off: Score vs Rank Estimate
This helps you estimate where you stand based on your attempted performance today.
| Score (Out of 120) | Estimated Rank Range |
| 100+ | Top 50 |
| 95–100 | 50–150 |
| 92–95 | 150–350 |
| 88–92 | 350–800 |
| 80–88 | 800–2000 |
| 70–80 | 2000–4500 |
The CLAT 2026 expected cut off for leading NLUs like NLSIU Bangalore, NALSAR Hyderabad and WBNUJS Kolkata will likely stay in the 92–98+ score range based on CLAT 2025 cut-offs and previous trends. Aspirants who appeared for the exam today can use the score–rank prediction and category-wise expected cut-offs to evaluate their chances of admission. As official ranks and scores are released soon, students should track updates and begin shortlisting NLUs according to their projected score.
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