National Law Universities (NLUs) are the premier law schools in India and are seen as flagbearers of legal education. Currently, there are 26 NLUs in India. There is an off-campus of GNLU Gandhinagar known as GNLU Silvassa. RPNLU Prayagaraj is the latest entry in the list of NLUs in India, which started accepting admissions into BA LLB based on CLAT scores. The NLUs represent the second-generation reforms in legal education. The National Law School of India University (NLSIU) Bengaluru was the first NLU in India, established under the National Law School of India Act (Karnataka Act 22 of 1986).
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Out of 26 NLUs, 24 offer admissions through the Common Law Admission Test. NLU Delhi conducts its admission based on the All India Law Entrance Test. For NLU Meghalaya admissions, the university conducts its own entrance exam. CNLU Patna conducts its separate admission test for the LLM programme. Although RPNLU Prayagraj uses CLAT scores for its admission, it is not part of the centralised admission and counselling.
Almost all national law universities (NLUs) offer integrated LLB, LLM and PhD programmes. Some of the NLUs also offer various certification programmes. NLSIU Bengaluru and NLUO Cuttack are the only NLUs to offer a 3-year LLB programme for students who have completed their graduation. NLSIU Bengaluru offers admission to 3-year LLB through the National Law School Admission Test (NLSAT) which is conducted online. In this article, students can get the full list of NLUs along with various other related details, including law courses, admission process, seats, entrance exam, and cutoffs for NLUs.
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The full form of NLU stands for National Law University. These universities were established to provide legal education in India on par with global standards. They are no less in status than IIMs and IITs are for management and engineering, respectively. Currently, there are 26 NLUs in the country. Read on to find out the list of NLUs in India rank-wise.
NLU ranking is an important factor for candidates when deciding on their preferred institute. The Ministry of Education (MoE) publishes the NIRF law rankings every year. The top four NLUs in the NIRF rankings remain the same as last year. NLSIU Bengaluru is the best NLU in India that occupies the top spot in NIRF law rankings.
NLUs | UG Intake | PG Intake |
|---|---|---|
315 | 126 | |
| NLU Delhi | 180 | 80 |
132 | 66 | |
196 | 102 | |
207 | 65 | |
148 | 80 | |
187 | 94 | |
2024 | 67 | |
66 | 33 | |
191 | 55 | |
214 | 71 | |
138( 69 seats each for BA LLB and BBA LLB | 60 | |
78 | 70 | |
180 (BA LLB 120, BBA LLB 60) | 50 | |
201 | 67 | |
60 | 40 | |
138 | 69 | |
120 (BA LLB 60 , B.Com LLB 60) | 63 | |
122 | 72 | |
240 (BA LLB 120, BBA LLB 60, BA LLB (Adjudication and justicing 60) | 60 | |
120 (BA LLB 60, BBA LLB 60) | 60 | |
138 | 128 | |
134 | 57 | |
120 | - | |
60 | 50 | |
| NLU Meghalaya | - | - |
| RPNLU Prayagraj | 60 | - |
| NLU Name | NIRF Ranking 2025 | NIRF Ranking 2024 | NIRF Ranking 2023 | NIRF Ranking 2022 | NIRF Ranking 2021 | NIRF Ranking 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NLSIU Bangalore | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| NLU Delhi | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| NALSAR Hyderabad | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| WBNUJS Kolkata | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 6 |
| GNLU Gandhinagar | 5 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 7 |
| NLU Jodhpur | - | - | - | 10 | 8 | 5 |
| NLIU Bhopal | 27 | 21 | 18 | 15 | 14 | 17 |
| RMNLU Lucknow | 21 | 20 | 21 | 17 | 15 | 11 |
| RGNUL Patiala | - | 24 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 10 |
| NLUJA Kamrup | 35 | 27 | 28 | 24 | 20 | 16 |
| NLU Odisha, Cuttack | 15 | 26 | 30 | 25 | 18 | 14 |
| CNLU Patna | 17 | 31 | - | - | - | - |
| NUALS Kochi | - | 38 | - | - | - | - |
| NUSRL Ranchi | 30 | 22 | 24 | - | - | - |
| DSNLU Visakhapatnam | - | 39 | - | - | - | - |
| NLU Trichy | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| MNLU Mumbai | 28 | 31 | - | - | - | |
| MNLU Nagpur | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| MNLU Aurangabad | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| NLU Shimla | 34 | - | - | - | - | - |
| NLU Jabalpur | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| HNLU Raipur | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Law University | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| GNLU Silvassa | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| NLU Tripura | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| NLU Meghalaya | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| RPNLU Prayagraj | - | - | - | - | - | - |
The national law universities offer 5-year integrated LLB, 3-year LLB, LLM and PhD courses. Candidates may check the list of law programmes offered by NLUs below.
| UG Courses | PG Courses |
|---|---|
LLD | |
PhD in Law | |
PG Diploma in Urban Environmental Management and Law (NLU Delhi) | |
Post Graduate Diploma in Tourism and Environmental Law (NLU Delhi) | |
Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Law and Policy (NLU Delhi) |
Some NLUs such as NLSIU Bangalore also offer Master of Public Policy, Certificate courses in various disciplines of law, and MBA courses.
| NLU | UG Law Programme | PG Law Programme |
|---|---|---|
NLU Delhi | BA LLB | LLM |
NLSIU Bangalore | BA LLB | LLM 1. Business Laws 2. Human Rights law |
NLU Hyderabad | BA LLB | LLM Specialisation in Corporate Commercial laws; Criminal law; Family law; Intellectual property; International trade and business law; legal pedagogy and research and public law and legal theory |
NLIU Bhopal | BA LLB | LLM Intellectual Property & Business Law; Constitutional and Administrative Law; Human Rights and Criminal Law |
NLU Jodhpur | BA., LL.B. B.SC., LL.B. | LLM Corporate Laws IPR Laws |
NUJS Kolkata | BA LLB BSc LLB | LLM1. Corporate and Commercial Law International Law Criminal and Security Laws |
HNLU Raipur | BA LLB | LLM Research Methods and Legal Writing Comparative Public Law/Systems of Governance Law and Justice in a Globalizing World |
GNLU Gandhinagar | BA., LL.B. B.Com.LL.B. | LLM Comparative Public Law/Systems of Governance Research Methods and Legal Writing Law and Justice in a Globalizing World |
NLU Lucknow | BA LLB | LLM Constitutional and Administrative Law Corporate Law Criminal and Security Law International Law |
RGNUL Patiala | BA LLB | LLM Business Law Constitutional Law Criminal Law International Law |
CNLU Patna | BA LLB | - |
NLU Kochi | BA LLB | LLM |
NLU Odisha | BA., LL.B. B.BA., LL.B. | LLM Corporate Law & Commercial Law (CCL) Constitutional Law |
NLU Ranchi | BA LLB | LLM Intellectual Property Rights Corporate and Commercial Law Constitutional and Administrative Law |
NLU Assam | BA LLB | LLM Corporate and Commercial Laws; Intellectual Property Laws; International Law; Environmental Law; Constitutional Law Personal Laws; Human Rights Law |
NLU Visakhapatnam | BA LLB | LLM Legal Aspects of the Commercial Transactions Corporate Securities Laws Insolvency and Bankruptcy Law Information Technology and Commercial Law Investment and Trade Law Infrastructure Law |
NLU Trichy | BA., LL.B. BCom LL.B. | LLM Corporate and Securities Laws Intellectual Property Laws Natural Resources Law |
MNLU Mumbai | BA LLB | LLM Corporate & Commercial Law Constitutional & Administrative Law Criminal & Security Law |
MNLU Nagpur | BA LLB | LLM Corporate and Commercial Laws; Intellectual Property Laws; Constitutional Law; Personal Laws; Energy and Telecommunication Laws |
MNLU Aurangabad | BA LLB | |
NLU Shimla | BA., LL.B. B.BA., LL.B. | LLM Constitutional Law Criminal Law |
NLU Jabalpur | BA LLB | LLM |
NLU Sonipat | BA LLB | - |
NLU Meghalaya | BA LLB BBA LLB BS LLB | LLM |
GNLU Silvassa Campus | BA LLB | LLM |
NLUT Agartala | BA LLB | LLM |
| RPNLU Meghalaya | BA LLB | - |
The NLU admission process consists of the candidates first appearing for a law entrance exam. Shortlisted candidates are then required to attend the counselling and seat allotment process. The steps in the NLU admissions are given below.
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There are two law entrance exams for admission to national law universities (NLUs). The first one is the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) organised by the Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs). It is a common entrance exam for admission to 23 national law universities (NLUs). The second is the All India Law Entrance Test (AILET) of the National Law University Delhi. It is important to note here that NLU Delhi is not a member NLU of the CLAT Consortium, so the CLAT scores are not accepted by it. NLU Meghalaya also conducts its exams namely MEG UAT and MEG PAT for its UG and PG admissions respectively.
CNLU Patna also conducts a separate admission test for the LLM programme. The university’s UG programme is offered through CLAT.
The Common Law Admission Test or CLAT is one of the most popular law entrance tests. It is conducted offline, in pen and paper format, across the country. The application form for CLAT is typically released in July and the entrance exam is conducted in the first or second week of December. The consortium tries to complete its admission process before May. The first week of August is the time when most of the NLUs commence their classes.
The NLU Delhi’s entrance examination, AILET, is also an offline-based examination conducted across the country. The application form of AILET is released for BA LLB, LLM and PhD programmes, around August. The exam is conducted in December and the classes start in the first week of August.
| Name of NLU | Entrance Exam |
| Consortium NLUs | CLAT |
| NLU Delhi | AILET |
The eligibility criteria for admission to law programmes are the same across all 22 national law universities under the CLAT Consortium. NLU Delhi specified its eligibility criteria separately in its admission notification. Even though the basic eligibility criteria remain the same for admission across NLUs. Here are the details of NLU's eligibility criteria.
| Criteria | Details |
|---|---|
Educational qualification |
|
Minimum marks required in qualifying exam |
|
Age limit | No age limit |
Detailed eligibility criteria | For CLAT - CLAT eligibility criteria For NLU Delhi - AILET eligibility criteria |
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One can find many similarities and differences in CLAT vs AILET comparison. CLAT is essentially a comprehension-based test designed to examine the reading and critical thinking skills of the aspirant. AILET on the other hand is a mix of both comprehension and non-comprehension-based questions. Here is a brief analysis of these two NLU entrance exams.
| Category | CLAT | AILET |
|---|---|---|
Duration | 2 hours | 2 hours |
Mode | Offline mode | Offline mode |
Type of Questions | Multiple Type Questions (MCQs) Questions will be asked from given passages | Multiple Type Questions (MCQs) Comprehension-based questions will be given in English and Legal aptitude sections |
Number of Questions | CLAT UG - 120 MCQs CLAT PG - 120 questions | AILET BA LLB/LLM - 150 |
Total Marks | UG - 120 marks PG - 120 marks | AILET BA LLB/LLM - 150 |
Marking scheme | Each question will carry 1 mark. 0.25 marks to be deducted for an incorrect answer. | Each question will carry 1 mark. 0.25 marks to be deducted for an incorrect answer. |
Language | English | English |
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The syllabus of the AILET and CLAT exams are more or less the same. Both entrance tests are known for testing the necessary skills required for pursuing law. However, there are some differences between CLAT and AILET as well. For example, AILET has a test structure based on both comprehension-based questions as well as simple objective questions. In CLAT, however, almost the entire test paper will be based on comprehension-based passages of 300-450 words, making it a lengthy paper. Candidates may check the details of the CLAT and AILET test structure below.
| Particulars | CLAT | AILET |
|---|---|---|
| Mode of exam | Offline | Offline |
| Duration | 2 hours | 2 hours |
| Sections | English, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, | English, Current Affairs, GK |
| Type of questions | MCQs | |
| No. of questons | 120 | 150 |
| Marks | 120 | 150 |
| Marking scheme | 1 mark per question 0.25 negative marks for every wrong answer | 1 mark per question 0.25 negative marks for every wrong answer |
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For undergraduate law programmes, the annual fees of NLUs range from 1.5 lakh per annum to 2.62 lakh per annum. While, in the case of LLM programmes, the annual fees range from 1.13 lakh to 1.89 lakh. In top-ranked NLUs, the annual fees tend to be higher due to the various facilities offered by them in addition to regular classes. Candidates may check the details of NLU fee structure from the quick links given below.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| NLU fees | NLUs fee structure 2024 |
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
At present, there are 26 national law universities in India.
Admissions to NLUs are offered through entrance tests. You can appear in Common Law Admission Test which is accepted by 24 NLUs. Or, you can also appear in All India Law Entrance Test (AILET) for admission to National Law University Delhi. NLU Meghalaya conducts MEG UAT and MEG PAT for its UG and PG admissions.
According to NIRF ranking by the Government of India, NLSIU, Bangalore is the top law school in India. It is followed by NLU Delhi, NALSAR Hyderabad, WBNUJS Kolkata in the ranking list.
The NLUs offer 3-year LLB, 5-year LLB, LLM, PG Diploma courses, PhD in Law, and several other programmes.
The top 10 NLUs in India are NLSIU Bengaluru, NLU Delhi, NALSAR Hyderabad, WBNUJS Kolkata, GNLU Gandhinagar, NLIU Bhopal, RGNLU Patiala, RMLNLU Lucknow and NUSRL Ranchi and NLUJA Assam.
NLSIU Bengaluru, NLU Delhi, NALSAR Hyderabad, WBNUJS Kolkata and GNLU Gandhinagar are the top 5 NLUs in India.
NLSIU Bengaluru has the highest fees.
NLUs are government institutions.
National Law Universities are self-financing institutes which are not funded by the government. This makes them to charge high fees to provide better infrastructure and learning facilities.
The full fom of NLU is National Law University.
On Question asked by student community
Most law colleges require entrance exams like CLAT or state-level law entrance tests. Some private universities may offer direct admission. Visit the official website of the college, fill out the application form, upload required documents, pay the fee, and complete counselling if required.
With a CLAT score of 71.35, you can apply for admission to NLU for mid-to-lower-tier NLU courses, with a state rank of 69.
With a CLAT 2026 rank of 33,825, it's difficult to get a seat at GNLU Silvassa in the initial stages.
You should focus on private institutions, where a CLAT 2026 rank of 33,825 has a higher chance of admission.
For information on domicile quota seats, see this - CLAT Domicile
You can check the admission chances of your daughter at specific law colleges by using the link provided below by entering the required information.
With a CLAT rank of 5600, it is challenging for an outside-Delhi candidate to secure a seat at VIPS (Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies) , especially in the General category, since cutoffs for candidates from outside Delhi are generally higher for top law programmes.
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