CLAT LLM Third Round Cut-Offs 2026: Closing Rank For Each NLU
For the CLAT PG 2026 session, the third merit list serves as the opportunity for students to secure a seat at top-tier National Law Universities (NLUs). CLAT PG cutoffs depend on several factors, like preferences of NLUs and the limited number of seats available in postgraduate law programs. CLAT cutoffs indicate that top law institutions are becoming increasingly competitive. This trend is driven by a rising number of applicants competing for a limited number of seats, which pushes the required ranks higher each year.
A clear example of this competition is WBNUJS Kolkata. In the CLAT PG 2025 session, the general category closing rank for the third round was AIR 608. However, due to intense competition, the university closed much earlier at AIR 463 for the general category this year. This indicates that top-tier seats are being occupied by higher-ranked students much faster, leaving little rank movement in the later stages of the CLAT 2026 counselling process.
Apart from the top-tier institutions, many candidates are now strategically choosing mid-tier NLUs to secure their admission in the 2026 academic year. GNLU Gandhinagar, consistently a top-tier choice, continues to attract high-rankers due to its strong reputation. Similarly, mid-tier institutions like MNLU Mumbai and RMLNLU Lucknow are filling up rapidly due to their strategic locations near major High Courts.
For the general category, both GNLU Gandhinagar and MNLU Mumbai recorded no new allotments in the CLAT LLM third allotment list 2026. As a result, the third round serves more as a confirmation of existing allotments rather than a window for new entries for general category aspirants.
CLAT LLM Third Round Cut-Offs 2026
NLU | General | OBC | EWS | SC | ST | Gen-W |
NLSIU Bengaluru | - | 841(W) | - | - | - | - |
NALSAR Hyderabad | - | - | - | - | - | - |
NLIU Bhopal | - | 950 | - | - | 5108 | - |
WBNUJS Kolkata | 463 | 7665* | - | - | - | - |
NLU Jodhpur | 489 | 1211 | 1125 | - | - | - |
HNLU Raipur | - | - | - | - | - | 855 |
- | 1411 | - | - | - | - | |
GNLU Silvassa | - | - | - | - | - | 1134 |
RMLNLU Lucknow | - | - | - | 3169* | - | - |
RGNUL Punjab | 900 | - | - | 4137 | 6823 | - |
CNLU Patna | 1078 | 2875* | - | - | - | - |
NUALS Kochi | 1287 | - | - | - | - | - |
995 | - | - | 4421 | - | - | |
NUSRL Ranchi | 3757* | 1541 | 4811 | 13789* | - | |
NLUJA Assam | - | - | - | 5003 | - | - |
DSNLU Visakhapatnam | 1366 | 2988 | - | - | - | - |
- | 3415 | - | 5033 | - | - | |
MNLU Mumbai | - | - | - | 4884* | - | 523 |
MNLU Nagpur | - | - | - | - | - | - |
MNLU Sambhajinagar | - | 11470* | - | - | - | 2060 |
HPNLU Shimla | 1901 | - | - | - | - | 1877 |
MPDNLU Jabalpur | - | - | 4778* | 5867 | - | 1734 |
DBRANLU Sonepat | 2426 | 4349 | - | 6246 | 8663 | - |
NLUT Agartala | 2579 | - | - | - | - | - |
RPNLU Prayagraj | - | - | 3246* | - | - | - |
IIULER Goa | 2300 | 3809 | 3718 | 5835 | - | 2386 |
*state reservation
CLAT PG 2026 Third Round: Analysing Trends of Top NLUs
An analysis of the CLAT LLM 2026 data shows that top NLUs reached their capacity almost immediately, leaving no room for general category movement in the third round. This occurs because the majority of high-ranking CLAT aspirants choose the freeze option, locking in their seats at premier law universities immediately.
At NLSIU Bengaluru, the general category closing rank shifted by only one point between round 1 (AIR 87) and round 2 (AIR 88). In the third round, Bengaluru saw zero movement for the All India general seat. The only entry recorded was at AIR 841, but this was strictly due to the horizontal reservation for the Women category (Gen-W).
During the CLAT PG 2026 round 1, the general category at NALSAR Hyderabad closed at AIR 114. By the second round, this shifted to AIR 122 (with state reservation), but no new allotments in the third round. WBNUJS Kolkata saw its general rank move from AIR 449 in round 2 to AIR 463 in the third round, allotting only two candidates. Similarly, NLU Jodhpur moved from AIR 480 to AIR 489, allotting a single student from the general category. For students aiming for these institutions, the probability of entry in later rounds is almost negligible.
CLAT PG 2026 Third Round: Analysing Trends of Remaining NLUs
The CLAT PG 2026 third round indicates tighter cut-offs compared to those of the previous year. In 2025, students with a general rank of 1800 could expect admission into NLU Odisha or HNLU Raipur, but in the 2026 academic year, these same institutions closed much earlier, near the 900-1000 rank. The NUALS Kochi general rank closed at AIR 2114 in 2025, but for the CLAT PG 2026 course, it has closed at AIR 1287 in the third round.
While the drop in closing rank at top-tier institutions remained steady, the remaining NLUs showed movement in the CLAT LLM 2026 third round. Institutions like CNLU Patna and NUALS Kochi saw their general category ranks stabilise from round 2 to round 3. Newer institutions like DBRANLU Sonepat and NLUT Agartala, which closed at AIR 2426 and 2579, respectively, continue to provide opportunities for candidates with higher ranks on the merit list.
The third round also highlights the impact of category-based admissions in these universities. For instance, NLIU Bhopal saw an OBC closing rank of 950 and an ST rank of 5108. In the newer campuses, closing ranks for reserved categories pushed even further, with DBRANLU Sonepat reaching AIR 8663 for ST candidates. This indicates that while general category seats are rapidly filling, candidates in reserved categories still find viable openings in mid-range and newer NLUs during this stage of the CLAT LLM 2026 counselling.
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Hello there,
Having a 15000 general rank and 1740 as your SC category rank, your chances of securing a seat are very low. As per the previous trends, it is a direct no for you to get into the top-tier NLUs since the closing general rank is around 1500-3000. If
With a CLAT PG rank of 1257 in the SC category and being a woman candidate with Rajasthan domicile, you do have a realistic chance of securing admission to several National Law Universities, though the top NLUs may be difficult at this rank. Admission chances depend heavily on category-wise cut-offs,
With a CLAT PG rank of around 11,000, getting admission into the top National Law Universities (NLUs) is not likely, as their general category cut-offs usually close much earlier. However, you still have realistic chances in lower-ranked and newer NLUs, especially in the later rounds of CLAT counselling or through
Hello,
Here is your CLAT 2026 Rank-Wise College List - Available NLUs in your rank range. I am providing you the link. Kindly open and check it out.
https://law.careers360.com/articles/clat-2026-rank-wise-college-list
I hope it will help you. For any further query please let me know.
Thank you.
The clat pg 2025 first allotment list for tamil nadu national law university (tnnlu), tiruchirappalli, was officially released on may 26, 2025. according to the first round seat allotment results for the pg (llm) program, the all india closing rank for the general category at nlu trichy was 1,290. for
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