Top NLUs Ranked by CLAT Cutoffs, Not NIRF – The Real Tier List You Need
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Top NLUs Ranked by CLAT Cutoffs, Not NIRF – The Real Tier List You Need

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Sansar Singh ChhikaraUpdated on 25 Sep 2025, 05:38 PM IST

When it comes to ranking NLUs, the NIRF Law ranking is the most popular ranking framework. Every year, NIRF ranks law colleges based on four parameters - Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR), Research and Professional Practice (RP), Graduation Outcomes (GO), Outreach and Inclusivity (OI), and Perception (PR). However, students have observed many anomalies. For instance, the 6th most preferred law school, NLIU Bhopal, is ranked 27th in NIRF, below Central University of South Bihar, Jamia Millia Islamia, RMLNLU Lucknow, Saveetha Institute of Medical Sciences, etc.

Top NLUs Ranked by CLAT Cutoffs, Not NIRF – The Real Tier List You Need
Top NLUs Ranked by CLAT Cutoffs, Not NIRF

On the contrary, when you look at the cutoffs of NLIU Bhopal over the years and placement statistics, it can be said that NLIU Bhopal is a tier 1 NLU. Furthermore, MNLU Mumbai, RGNUL Patiala, and NUALS Kochi were not even included in the NIRF Law rankings 2025. Instances like these make students not trust the NIRF rankings completely. One good way of judging colleges is how hard it is to get into them. For example, NLSIU Bengaluru has the highest cutoff over the years. The placement statistics, feedback from students, and the learning ecosystem totally justify the high cutoffs of the institute. In this article, we have dug back into the CLAT cutoffs of the last five years and ranked colleges based on the cutoffs.

Top NLUS Based on CLAT cutoffs for last five years

After analysing the last five years' cutoffs of CLAT, it is very evident that NLSIU Bengaluru is the number one-ranked college among NLUs. NLSIU Bengaluru has had an average closing rank of 99 for general category students in the last five years. After NLSIU Bengaluru comes NALSAR Hyderabad, which has an average closing rank of 167 in the last five years. Similarly, WBNUJS Kolkata has an average closing rank of 273. Talking of NLIU Bhopal, it has an average closing rank of 444 and is ranked 6th in terms of cutoffs in the last five years. The table given below shows the list of NLUs ranked based on their cutoffs in the last five years.

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NLUs ranked based on CLAT cutoffs (2021-2025)

Rank

Institute Name

Avg. Closing Rank

1

NLSIU Bengaluru

99

2

NALSAR Hyderabad

167

3

WBNUJS Kolkata

273

4

NLU Jodhpur

373

5

GNLU Gandhinagar

433

6

NLIU Bhopal

444

7

MNLU Mumbai

731

8

RMLNLU Lucknow

745

9

HNLU Raipur

785

10

NLU Odisha

1138

11

RGNUL Patiala

1219

12

NUALS Kochi

1280

13

CNLU Patna

1421

14

GNLU Silvassa Campus

1447

15

DSNLU Visakhapatnam

1643

16

NUSRL Ranchi

1653

17

MNLU Nagpur

1665

18

TNNLU Tiruchirappalli

1817

19

NLUJA Assam

2010

20

MNLU Aurangabad

2156

21

MPDNLU Jabalpur

2195

22

DBRANLU Sonepat

2213

23

HPNLU Shimla

2357

24

RPNLU Prayagraj

2469

25

NLUT Agartala

2549

26

IIULER Goa

2784

*The data given above comprise only general category cutoffs for the last five years.

Top NLUs based on CLAT 2025 Cutoffs

Apart from the last five years, candidates can also judge NLUs based on the last year’s cutoff. It might not be the case that things are necessarily the same as they were five years ago. To get an idea about the latest developments and emerging NLUs, candidates can also check the list of top NLUs based on CLAT 2025 cutoffs. Talking of top NLUs in 2025, the list of the top 5 is the same as the table given above. There are slight changes as we go lower in the list. Check out the list of top NLUs in 2025 based on CLAT cutoffs.

NLU Rank List 2025 based on CLAT Cutoffs

Ranking

College Name

Opening Rank

Closing Rank

1

NLSIU Bengaluru

1

112

2

NALSAR Hyderabad

17

159

3

WBNUJS Kolkata( BA LLB)

57

327

4

NLU Jodhpur

159

367

5

GNLU Gandhinagar

236

444

6

NLIU Bhopal (BA LLB)

257

480

7

RMLNLU Lucknow

461

780

8

HNLU Raipur

480

807

9

NLU Odisha BA LLB

469

1013

10

RGNUL Patiala

565

1279

11

NUALS Kochi

350

1346

12

CNLU Patna (BA LLB)

882

1398

13

GNLU Silvassa Campus

755

1461

14

MNLU Mumbai

443

1473

15

MNLU Nagpur - BA LLB

722

1529

16

NUSRL Ranchi BA LLB

864

1667

17

DSNLU Visakhapatnam

957

1682

18

TNNLU Tiruchirappalli BA LLB

1231

1763

19

DBRANLU Sonepat

626

1930

20

MNLU Aurangabad- BA LLB

1023

1949

21

NLUJA Assam

1163

2141

22

MPDNLU Jabalpur

1371

2243

23

RPNLU Prayagraj

1446

2469

24

HPNLU Shimla - BA LLB

949

2555

25

NLUT Agartala

1964

2855

CLAT 2026 Expected Cutoffs for NLUs

After studying the last five years' cutoffs of the CLAT exam, there are some predictions that can be made for the upcoming session. The CLAT 2026 cutoff for the top 5 NLUs is expected to show stability. Some changes in CLAT cutoffs 2026 can be expected in mid and low-tier NLUs. The following denotes the expected cutoffs for CLAT 2026 based on the previous year's cutoffs.

CLAT 2026 Expected Cutoff

College

Avg Closing (2021-25)

Predicted 2026 Closing

NLSIU Bengaluru

99

122

NALSAR Hyderabad

167

161

WBNUJS Kolkata

273

331

NLU Jodhpur

373

380

GNLU Gandhinagar

433

490

NLIU Bhopal

444

505

MNLU Mumbai

731

1355

RMLNLU Lucknow

745

810

HNLU Raipur

785

820

NLU Odisha

1138

1106

RGNUL Patiala

1219

1361

NUALS Kochi

1280

1348

CNLU Patna

1421

1431

GNLU Silvassa Campus

1447

1088

DSNLU Visakhapatnam

1643

1708

NUSRL Ranchi

1653

1746

MNLU Nagpur

1665

1692

TNNLU Tiruchirappalli

1817

1718

NLUJA Assam

2010

2217

MNLU Aurangabad

2156

1965

MPDNLU Jabalpur

2195

2240

DBRANLU Sonepat

2213

2062

HPNLU Shimla

2357

2624

RPNLU Prayagraj

2469

N/A

NLUT Agartala

2549

3467

IIULER Goa

2784

N/A

What does the CLAT Cutoff for last 5 years say?

  • The CLAT cutoffs for top NLUs have mostly been stable over the past few years. NLSIU Bengaluru, NALSAR Hyderabad, and WBNUJS Kolkata have been the definite top 3 in terms of cutoffs.

  • Many low and mid-tier NLUs have been jumping the ladder when it comes to ranking colleges based on CLAT cutoff. For instance, GNLU Silvassa, which had a closing rank of 1820 in 2023, jumped to 1461 in 2025.

  • Similarly, MNLU Aurangabad, DBRANLU Sonepat and TNNLU Tiruchirapalli have tightened their closing cutoffs, which are directly proportional to the number of students wanting admission in these colleges.

  • Newer entrants in the NLUs list, like RPNLU Prayagraj and NLU Assam, have been seeing the lowest closing ranks when compared with all other NLUs. These NLUs are more like a safety net for general category candidates under rank 2000.

  • NLUs like MNLU Mumbai, MNLU Nagpur, HPNLU Shimla, and NLUJ Assam have shown fluctuations in cutoff, making them unpredictable over the years.

  • All colleges that offer other integrated law courses like BBA LLB, BSc LLM, etc, along with BA LLB have lower closing cutoffs for the latter one. BA LLB is the top priority of candidates in a particular college.

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Questions related to CLAT

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to CLAT ?

Hello

Just follow these steps, and it will help you download your Examination Hall ticket.

1. To check your CLAT hall ticket, just go to the official CLAT website and log in with your mobile number and password.
2. After logging in, you’ll see a clear option to download your admit card on the dashboard.
3. Click on it, save the file, and take a printout.
4. Make sure you keep an extra copy with you.
5. Carry your hall ticket and an ID proof on the exam day, so you will not face any difficulty.

Hello,

Yes, you can prepare for CLAT through self-study. Many students do it and score well. But self-study works only if you are disciplined and follow a proper plan.

Here are a few points to keep in mind:

1. Know the syllabus and pattern.
Understand each section: English, Current Affairs, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, and Quant.

2. Make a fixed timetable.
Study a little every day. Consistency matters more than long hours.

3. Use good books and online sources.
Choose reliable material so you don’t waste time.

4. Practice a lot.
Solve mock tests and previous papers regularly. This is the most important part of CLAT prep.

5. Analyse your mistakes.
Check where you go wrong and improve those areas.

6. Stay updated with current affairs.
Read daily news or monthly current affairs PDFs.

If you can follow these steps honestly, self-study is enough. If you feel stuck or need guidance with strategy, you can always use online classes or doubt-clearing support.

Hope it helps !

According to our prediction the date is tentatively on December 14, 2025 or CLAT 2026 admissions. You may read more about it here law.careers360.com/articles/clat-result

Choosing the right CLAT coaching is a personal decision that should align with your learning style, budget, and location. There isn't a single "best" one.

A humanistic approach suggests you consider these factors:

  1. Faculty & Focus: Look for institutions with experienced faculty who offer personalized doubt clearing, not just recorded lectures.

  2. Material Quality: The study material must be updated to the latest CLAT pattern, emphasizing Legal Reasoning and Current Affairs.

  3. Peer Environment: A strong peer group and competitive environment boost motivation.

The linked article from Careers360 provides context and lists major national players in the CLAT prep space, which you can use to start your comparison: https://law.careers360.com/articles/clat-online-coaching . Choose the one that feels like the best investment in your future

Yes, there are several law colleges in India that offer admission without requiring CLAT or other national-level entrance exams — and one such option is MERI Institute, Delhi .

At MERI Institute , students can pursue law courses based on their 12th-grade merit , without the stress of competitive entrance tests. This makes it an excellent choice for those who want to build a career in law but prefer a more straightforward admission process.

The institute focuses on practical legal education , with experienced faculty members, regular court visits, moot court training, and interactive seminars that help students understand real-world legal practices. The campus environment is supportive and student-friendly, offering both academic guidance and personal growth opportunities.

So, if you’re looking for law colleges without CLAT , MERI Institute in Delhi can be a great fit—providing quality education, a balanced learning approach, and a pathway to a successful law career without the pressure of tough entrance exams.