CLAT Scope in Future - Placements, Salary, Career Opportunities

CLAT Scope in Future - Placements, Salary, Career Opportunities

Sukriti SahooUpdated on 30 Oct 2025, 04:02 PM IST

Rising interest in law as a career among students directly translates to immense CLAT future scope. This is because the Common Law Admission Test is one of the top law entrance exams in India and the gateway to elite law schools such as NLSIU Bengaluru and NALSAR Hyderabad, among others. The CLAT scope in India can be gauged by the number of candidates appearing for the exam, and also the placement figures of top NLUs. While a graduation in law in itself opens many career opportunities, obtaining a law degree from one of the top NLUs makes CLAT a good career option that provides the initial thrust for a great future ahead. With the rise of legal fields such as technology and environmental law, the scope of CLAT in future is expanding.

LiveCLAT 2026 Result Date LIVE: Consortium of NLUs likely to declare results tomorrow for UG, PG; cut-off, updatesDec 16, 2025 | 12:48 PM IST

Candidates will be able to know their Consortium of NLUs CLAT 2026 results on the official website, consortiumofnlus.ac.in.

Read More

This Story also Contains

  1. CLAT Exam Scope: Exam Statistics
  2. CLAT NLUs Rankings in India
  3. CLAT Scope in Future: NLUs Placements
  4. CLAT Scope and Career Opportunities
CLAT Scope in Future - Placements, Salary, Career Opportunities
CLAT Scope in Future (Image by KamranAydinov on Freepik)

At present, 24 NLUs are participating in CLAT with over 3200+ and 1350+ CLAT seats on offer in 5-year LLB and LLM programmes, respectively. Read on to gain insights on CLAT scope in the future, CLAT opportunities and whether CLAT is a good career option to go for.

CLAT Exam Scope: Exam Statistics

Given below are some figures on the CLAT seats on offer and the number of candidates appearing for CLAT over the last few years. The statistics show an increasing number of students appearing for the exam, and also an increase in the number of seats. The rising numbers point to a good scope for CLAT in India. Last year, close to 60000 candidates appeared for CLAT UG and over 14000 appeared for CLAT PG. The analysis of success rate in CLAT shows the success rate is around 5% in UG and 9% in CLAT PG when we compare the candidates with the available seats. This makes CLAT one of the most difficult and sought-after law entrance exams in India.

CLAT Exam Statistics

Particulars

2025

2024

2023

20222021

Candidates appeared

60544 (UG)

14817 (PG)

58504 (UG)

10282 (PG)

42766 (UG)

8703 (PG)


56,472

53,532 (UG)


8,574 (PG)

Seats

3200+ (UG)

1350+ (PG)

3200+ (UG)

1300+ (PG)

2860+ (UG)

1160+ (PG)

2801 (UG)

1072 (PG)

2622 (UG)

808 (PG)


CLAT NLUs Rankings in India

As per the data from the HRD ministry, 12 NLUs that accept CLAT find a place in the NIRF law rankings 2025 among the top 40 law schools in the country. The high rankings of NLUs again reflect the importance of CLAT in the legal education landscape in India. The rankings are given in the table below.

CLAT NLUs NIRF Rankings 2025

UPES Integrated LLB Admissions 2026

Ranked #18 amongst Institutions in India by NIRF | Ranked #1 in India for Academic Reputation by QS Rankings | 16 LPA Highest CTC

Jain University, Bangalore - Law Admissions 2026

NAAC A++ Approved | Curriculum Aligned with BCI & UGC

CLAT Scope in Future: NLUs Placements

The scope of CLAT in future includes careers in various legal fields. Top NLUs regularly see visits by top companies and legal firms during their placement season. The after CLAT salary per month can vary widely based on the job and location. Given below are median salary figures for the top-ranked NLUs for UG and PG law programmes.

CLAT NLUs Placement Salary Data

NLU Name

Median Salary (UG) (in Rs.)Median Salary (PG) (in Rs.)

NLSIU Bengaluru

Rs. 16 lakhs p.a.

Rs. 7 lakhs p.a

NALSAR Hyderabad

Rs. 17.50 lakh p.a.
Rs. 7.80 lakh p.a.

WBNUJS Kolkata

Rs. 20 lakh p.a.
Rs. 10 lakh p.a.

GNLU Gandhinagar

Rs. 18.00 lakh p.a.
Rs. 6.20 lakh p.a.

RMLNLU Lucknow

Rs. 7.00 lakh p.a.
0
NLIU Bhopal
Rs. 16 lakh p.a.
Rs. 7 lakh p.a.
NUSRL Ranchi
Rs. 9.30 lakh p.a.
Rs. 6.50 lakh p.a.
NLUO Cuttack
Rs. 14 lakh p.a.
Rs. 6 lakh p.a.
NLUJA Assam
Rs. 8.90 lakh p.a.
Rs. 1.8 lakh p.a.
CNLU Patna
Rs. 10.80 lakh p.a.
Rs. 7.20 lakh p.a.
MNLU Nagpur
Rs. 7.64 lakh p.a.
Rs. 6 lakh p.a.

Note: An internship can help boost the after CLAT salary per month by providing valuable experience.

CLAT Scope and Career Opportunities

A law degree from a top law school can open up many career opportunities after CLAT, which makes CLAT a good career option. Some students aim for higher salary after CLAT by pursuing additional qualifications. Let’s understand the CLAT exam scope by looking at the job profiles available to students.

  • Legal Associate: Many top law firms recruit students from NLUs to be part of their legal team on attractive salaries. The average after CLAT salary per month increases with experience and specialisation in law. These law firms have some top names as their clients and students get the opportunity to work on their cases.

  • PSU Recruitments through CLAT: Many Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) also hire employees through the CLAT exam. The PSU recruitments through CLAT often see companies such as Power Grid Corporation, and National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) among others recruit law officers through scores obtained in CLAT.

  • Corporate Lawyer: Other than law firms, top corporations and banks also have a legal team that supervises the company’s activities and regulatory compliance. Such lawyers working with companies are often referred to as corporate lawyers. They can work either as in-house corporate lawyers or as consultants.

  • Independent Practice: Many lawyers also choose to do independent practice. They fight cases on behalf of their clients in court. Such lawyers who represent clients in courts are known as advocates. To become an advocate in India, a law graduate has to clear the All India Bar Examination and obtain a Certificate of Practice (CoP)

  • Academics: Law students can also choose to pursue higher education such as PhD and enter the exciting field of academics where they teach budding lawyers and advocates at law school. Often this requires the students to have completed an LLM and possess other relevant qualifications.

  • Social Activism: Lawyers can also take up social activism or become part of an NGO to be associated with a social cause. Lawyers can fight for social rights by filing PIL or RTI queries to maintain accountability among public authorities.

CLAT 2026 Rank Predictor
CLAT 2026 Rank Predictor helps you estimate your All India Rank for CLAT UG. Use this smart tool as your guiding star to plan your next steps confidently.
Try Now

Note: Networking during law school can help secure a higher salary after CLAT.

You may also check:

Amity University, Mumbai Law Admissions 2026

Ranked as India’s #1 Not for profit pvt. University by India Today

Amity University Kolkata Law Admissions 2026

Ranked as India’s #1 Not for profit pvt. University by India Today

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Can I get a job after CLAT?
A:

Yes, you can get a job after CLAT as there are PSU recruitments conducted through the CLAT exam for the post of law officers.

Q: What is the salary at top NLUs?
A:

The median salary offered at top NLUs is often in the range of Rs. 6-20 lakhs p.a.

Q: What is the scope of CLAT career?
A:

CLAT offers scope for a good career as students can gain admission into top law schools and later get placed in top law firms.

Articles
|
Upcoming Law Exams
Ongoing Dates
BITS LAT Application Date

27 Aug'25 - 6 Jan'26 (Online)

Ongoing Dates
NLSAT Application Date

15 Nov'25 - 23 Mar'26 (Online)

Certifications By Top Providers
Study from Still Life
Via Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi
Introduction to Econometrics
Via Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Intellectual Property
Via Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Introduction to Political Theory
Via Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Philosophy of Gandhi
Via Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi
Indian Poetry in English
Via Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee
Swayam
 162 courses
Edx
 129 courses
Futurelearn
 74 courses
NPTEL
 74 courses
Explore Top Universities Across Globe

Questions related to CLAT

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to CLAT ?

With 47.5 marks in CLAT 2026 under General category, chances of admission in top NLUs are very low. However, you may have a chance in lower-ranked or newer NLUs, depending on the cut-off, women reservation, and domicile rules. Final allotment depends on counselling rounds and seat availability.

Thankyou i hope this will resolve some doubt


With a CLAT 2026 score of around 59 marks, being a female candidate from the EWS category with Rajasthan domicile does give you some possibility, but it is important to keep expectations realistic.

NLU Jodhpur is one of the older and more preferred NLUs, so its general cutoff usually remains on the higher side. However, domicile reservation for Rajasthan candidates and the EWS category can slightly improve your chances, especially in later rounds of counselling such as the fourth or fifth list or spot rounds, if seats remain vacant. Female candidates may also benefit indirectly where category and domicile seats overlap.

That said, admission at this score is not guaranteed, and you should definitely keep backup options open. You may have comparatively better chances at newer or lower-ranked NLUs where EWS and domicile cutoffs are generally lower. Participating in all rounds of CLAT counselling is very important, as movement often happens due to withdrawals.

Along with NLU Jodhpur, you should also consider state law universities and reputed private law colleges as alternatives to avoid losing a year. Make sure your documents for EWS and domicile are valid and ready, as they are strictly verified during admission.

Overall, while the chances for NLU Jodhpur are limited at this score, they are not completely ruled out due to your category and domicile advantages. Stay patient during counselling and keep multiple options in hand.

All the best.

Hello

With 83 marks in CLAT 2026 under the MBC category, getting NLU Jodhpur is possible but not guaranteed.
Based on previous years’ trends, the cutoff usually falls around 82–85 marks.
If your rank lies within the cutoff range, your chances improve.
Admission often becomes more likely in the later counselling rounds.
Your category reservation and preference order will play an important role.

Hope it will help you!!!

Hello aspirant,

Your anticipated cutoff range for top and mid-tier NLUs would typically be 60–70+ marks with 58 marks in CLAT (EWS category).  Chances in Tier-1 and Tier-2 NLUs are minimal at 58.  Depending on the year, rank inflation, and EWS seat availability, you might have a slim chance in lower Tier-3 NLUs or through open seats/spot rounds.

Thank you

Hope it helps you

Hello,

With a score of 82 in CLAT 2026 under the EWS category, you do have a chance at getting into decent NLUs, but it may depend on the specific NLU and the cut-offs for this year.

Generally:

  • Top NLUs (like NLSIU, NALSAR, NUJS, WBNUJS) usually have higher cut-offs, so 82 might be below their usual EWS opening rank.

  • Mid-tier NLUs (like HNLU, GNLU, RMLNLU, NLUJ) could be within reach.

  • Lower-ranked NLUs and state NLUs are more likely to accept your score.

Your best step is to check the previous years’ EWS cut-offs for each NLU to see where your rank might fit.

Hope it helps !