The Common Law Admission Test opens doors to 24 National Law Universities in India. In this article we will discuss the top 5 NLUs in India based on NIRF law ranking, courses they offer, placement record and other factors. Universities like the National Law School of India University, Nalsar University of Law, The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Gujarat National Law University and Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University have been ranked as top 5 NLUs according to NIRF ranking 2024. Students can use their marks obtained in CLAT exam 2025 to apply to these institutions. Students are advised to read the entire article to get in-depth details on best NLUs in India, courses and other important details.
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Best NLUs in India |
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Courses offered | BA LLB, BBA LLB, LLM and more |
Mode of admissions | CLAT exam, followed by counselling |
Seats offered |
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The NLU stands for National Law University. The NLUs are an initiative by the Govt of India to offer legal education as per international standards. National Law Universities (NLUs) are to legal education what Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are to engineering and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) are to management. There are a total of 26 NLUs in India. Here we will discuss the top 5 National Law Universities as per their ranks.
According to NIRF ranking 2024 law, the NLSIU Bengaluru has been ranked top on the list. With one of the highest seats available, this university offers admission in various courses like BA LLB, BSc LLB, LLM and more. The list of of best NLUs in India continues with Nalsar Hyderabad, WBNUJS Kolkata, GNLU Gandhinagar, RMNLU Lucknow and others.
Name of the university | NIRF ranking 2024 |
1 | |
3 | |
4 | |
8 | |
20 |
Name of the university | Courses offered | Course fees |
NLSIU Bengaluru | Rs 13.57 lakhs | |
NALSAR Hyderabad | Rs 8.85 lakhs | |
WBNUJS Kolkata | NA | |
GNLU Gandhinagar | Rs 8.92 lakhs | |
RMLNLU Lucknow | Rs 9.50 lakhs |
Particulars | UG | PG |
Total number of students | 80 | 80 |
No. of students placed | 56 | 37 |
Median salary offered to students | Rs 16 LPA | Rs 8.40 LPA |
Number of students selected for higher studies | 15 | 12 |
Particulars | UG | PG |
Total number of students | 120 | 82 |
No. of students placed | 98 | 53 |
Median salary offered to students | Rs 16 LPA | Rs 7 LPA |
Number of students selected for higher studies | 12 | 7 |
Particulars | UG | PG |
Total number of students | 127 | 100 |
No. of students placed | 108 | 72 |
Median salary offered to students | Rs. 20 LPA | Rs. 10 LPA |
Number of students selected for higher studies | 19 | 12 |
Particulars | UG | PG |
Total number of students | 187 | 65 |
No. of students placed | 163 | 52 |
Median salary offered to students | Rs 16 LPA | Rs 6 LPA |
Number of students selected for higher studies | 12 | 11 |
Particulars | UG | PG |
Total number of students | 178 | 31 |
No. of students placed | 148 | 25 |
Median salary offered to students | Rs 7 LPA | Rs 7 LPA |
Number of students selected for higher studies | 26 | 2 |
The admission at National Law Univeristies are conducted through the CLAT exam. All the qualified candidates are admitted after the CLAT counselling is conducted.
Fill out the CLAT registration form
Appear in CLAT exam
The CLAT result is announced
Candidates apply for CLAT counselling
Consortium of NLUs release the CLAT merit list
Qualified students participate in CLAT counselling at their allotted institutions
Candidates secure their seats by paying the fees
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes, most of the top NLUs offer internship programmes to allow the students to experience the professional field as they study. However, students are advised to contact the university officials for details on NLU internships.
A few of the best NLUs in India are NLSIU Bengaluru, NALSAR Hyderabad, WBNUJS Kolkata, GNLU Gandhinagar and RMLNLU Lucknow.
After the announcement of CLAT result 2025, candidates are required to fill out their NLU preference list and attend counselling sessions as per schedule provided by the consortium of NLU.
Many NLUs offer scholarships based on merit and the financial condition of the students. Candidates are advised to check individual university websites for details.
The NLU median salaries can range from Rs. 15 lakh to Rs. 16 lakh per annum depending on the university and placement opportunities.
When it comes to NLUs, some of the best NLUs in India like NLSIU has around 300 seats for BA LLB and NALSAR has about 132 seats.
Yes, NLU Delhi conducts its own entrance exam called AILET for admissions.
On Question asked by student community
Hello,
While NLUs are costly, you can still pursue government-funded law education through state-funded universities and their affiliated colleges that accept CLAT scores, such as institutes like Banaras Hindu University and Aligarh Muslim University.
I hope it will clear your query!!
It is always better to take the CLAT exam right after Class 12 if your goal is to build a career in law, because CLAT UG is specifically designed for admission into integrated five-year law programs like BA LLB, BCom LLB, or BBA LLB. Appearing after Class 12 saves you time, as you complete both graduation and law together in a single course. On the other hand, if you first complete graduation and then plan for law, you will not be eligible for CLAT UG but instead for CLAT PG, which is meant for admission into LLM programs. This path takes longer, because you first spend three or four years on graduation and then add another three years in an LLB program if you choose not to go for an integrated course. So, if you are already sure about pursuing law as your career, writing CLAT right after Class 12 is the smarter and time-saving option, while writing it after graduation makes sense only if you are considering higher studies in law or a shift in career later.
For CLAT, the most important topics are from Legal Reasoning, Current Affairs & GK, the Indian Constitution, English Language, Quantitative Techniques and Logical Reasoning. For a brief detail you can go through the following link: https://law.careers360.com/articles/clat-important-topics
Thank You.
Hi dear candidate,
Both the colleges Maharaja Agrasen (MAIMS) or Gitarattan (GIBS) are affiliated to IP University and allows admission either by CLAT or IPU CET Law. Without either of these exams, your admission is NOT accepted there. You can try looking for management quota seats in these colleges if you have got good marks in 12th class.
BEST REGARDS
Hi dear candidate,
You can easily register yourself for CLAT exam by visiting the Consortium of NLUs official website and follow these steps:
Know the complete process at:
CLAT Registration 2026 (Started): Documents Required, Application Fee, Link, Steps to Apply
BEST REGARDS
700+ Campus placements at top national and global law firms, corporates and judiciaries
Grade 'A+' accredited by NAAC | Ranked 33rd by NIRF 2025
18 years of shaping legal professionals | In-house judicial coaching | Proven success in National Moot Court Competitions
NAAC A+ Grade | Among top 100 universities of India (NIRF 2024) | 40 crore+ scholarships distributed
India's youngest NAAC A++ accredited University | NIRF rank band 151-200 | Approved by Bar Council of India
Ranked 1 st among Top Law Schools of super Excellence in India - GHRDC | NAAC A+ Accredited | #36 by NIRF