List of NLUs 2022 - NIRF Ranking, Admission, Courses, UG & PG Seats, Exams
National Law Universities or NLUs are the most popular law schools in the country. The NLSIU Bangalore was the first NLU in India established in 1986. Today, there are 23 national law universities in India. These NLUs are considered the flag bearers of legal education in India as they offer integrated LLB, LLM and PhD programmes in various disciplines. Recently, NLSIU Bengaluru has started the 3-year LLB programme for students who have completed their graduation. It offers admission to 3-year LLB through National Law School Admission Test (NLSAT) which is conducted online.
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According to the Government of India’s National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranking of top law universities, NLSIU Bangalore is the top law school in the country. It is followed by other NLUs such as NLU Delhi, NALSAR Hyderabad, NLU Jodhpur etc.
In this article, law aspirants will find all the details regarding NLUs, their law courses, admission process, seats, entrance exam and some quick links for NLUs fee structure. Read the complete article.
List of NLUs in India - Top NIRF Ranking Institutes
NLUs | NIRF Ranking 2021 | NIRF Ranking 2020 | UG Seats | PG seats |
1 | 1 | 180 | 70 | |
2 | 2 | 110 | 70 | |
3 | 3 | 120 | 60 | |
8 | 5 | 104 | 50 | |
4 | 6 | 105 | 40 | |
6 | 7 | 174 | 52 | |
16 | 10 | 175 | 38 | |
15 | 11 | 169 | 24 | |
18 | 14 | 159 | 44 | |
20 | 16 | 60 | 30 | |
14 | 17 | 102 | 60 | |
- | Not ranked | 120 | 60 (Not through CLAT) | |
- | Not ranked | 60 | 60 | |
- | Not ranked | 120 | 40 | |
- | Not ranked | 120 | 24 | |
- | Not ranked | 114 | 20 | |
- | Not ranked | 100 | 50 | |
- | Not ranked | 120 | 20 | |
- | Not ranked | 60 | 20 | |
- | Not ranked | 120 | 40 | |
- | Not ranked | 120 | 40 | |
- | Not ranked | 160 | ||
- | Not ranked | 120 | ||
Total | 2732 | 892+60 |
Other law schools in the NIRF list are Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property of Law (Rank - 5), Symbiosis Law School Pune (Rank - 9), Jamia Millia Islamia (Rank - 7), Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (Rank - 10), Aligarh Muslim University (Rank - 11), Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (Rank 12), Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (Rank - 13), Shanmugha Arts Science Technology & Research Academy (Rank 17). Panjab University (Rank - 27) and Indian Law Institute (Rank - 22), Banaras Hindu University (Rank - 23) and Christ University (Rank - 19).
Law Courses offered by NLUs in India
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.
Law Programmes offered by NLUs
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 offers Master of Public Policy, Certificate courses in various disciplines of law, and MBA courses.
Entrance Exams for NLUs
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 22 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.
CNLU Patna also conducts a separate admission test for the LLM programme. The university’s UG programme is offered through CLAT.
Admission to NLUs through CLAT
The Common Law Admission Test or CLAT is one of the most popular law entrance tests. It is conducted in offline, in pen and paper format, across the country. The application form for CLAT is typically released in the first week of January and the entrance exam is conducted in the first or second week of May. The consortium tries to complete its admission process before August. The first week of August is the time when most of the NLUs commence their classes.
Admission to NLU Delhi through AILET
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 the second-third week of January. The exam is conducted in May-June and the classes start in the first week of August.
NLUs Admission - Eligibility Criteria
The eligibility criteria for admission to law programmes are the same across all 22 national law universities under 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 NLUs eligibility criteria.
NLUs admission 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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AILET Vs CLAT - A comparison
AILET and CLAT have many similarities and differences. 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.
CLAT and AILET - An overview of pattern
Category | CLAT | AILET |
Duration | 2 hours | 1 hour 30 minutes |
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 - 150 MCQs CLAT PG - 120 questions | AILET BA LLB/LLM - 150 |
Total Marks | UG - 150 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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CLAT vs AILET - Comparison of syllabus and test structure
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.
AILET syllabus and test structure
Subjects | Number of questions | Marks |
English | 35 | 35 |
Elementary Mathematics | 10 | 10 |
General Knowledge | 35 | 35 |
Reasoning | 35 | 35 |
Legal Aptitude | 35 | 35 |
Total | 150 | 150 |
CLAT Test Structure and Syllabus
Subjects | Number of Questions | Marks |
English Language | 28-32 questions | 28 - 32 |
Current Affairs, including General Knowledge | 35-39 questions | 35 - 39 |
Legal Reasoning | 35-39 questions | 35 - 39 |
Logical Reasoning | 28-32 questions | 28 - 32 |
Quantitative Techniques | 13-17 questions | 13 - 17 |
Total | 150 | 150 |
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NLUs Fee Structure
For undergraduate law programmes, the annual fees of NLUs ranges 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 various facilities offered by them in addition to regular classes. Candidates may check the details of NLUs fee structure from the quick links given below.
Fees in NLUs
Top Universities in India
Frequently Asked Question (FAQs) - List of NLUs 2022 - NIRF Ranking, Admission, Courses, UG & PG Seats, Exams
Question: How many NLUs are in India?
Answer:
At present, there are 23 national law universities in India.
Question: How can I get admission to national law universities in India?
Answer:
Admissions to NLUs are offered through entrance tests. You can appear in Common Law Admission Test which is accepted by 22 NLUs. Or, you can also appear in All India Law Entrance Test (AILET) for admission to National Law University Delhi.
Question: Does NLUs offer 3-year LLB programme?
Answer:
Yes, only the National Law School of India (NLSIU) Bengaluru offers 3-year LLB programme at present. It conducts the NLSAT exam for admission to 3-year LLB course.
Question: What are the law programmes offered by national law universities in India?
Answer:
The NLUs offer 3-year LLB, 5-year LLB, LLM, PG Diploma courses, PhD in Law, MBA and several other programmes.
Question: Which is the best NLU?
Answer:
According to NIRF ranking 2021 by the Government of India, NLSIU is the top law school in India. It is followed by NLU Delhi, NALSAR Hyderabad, WBNUJS Kolkata in the ranking list.