The CLAT Cutoff 2026 is one of the most critical benchmarks for every law aspirant who appeared in the Common Law Admission Test held on 7th December 2025. With results officially declared on 16–17 December 2025 and Round 1 counselling allotment published by the Consortium of NLUs on 7th January 2026, the CLAT Cutoff 2026 is now a matter of record rather than prediction. With over 92,000 candidates registered and a moderately difficult paper, cutoffs at the top National Law Universities (NLUs) have tightened compared to previous years, making it more important than ever for aspirants to understand where they stand.
This article breaks down CLAT Cutoff 2026 so you know exactly what ranks you need, how categories affect your chances, and how this year compares to CLAT 2025 and 2024.
Key Takeaways: CLAT Cutoff 2026 at a Glance
Before diving into the details, here is what every aspirant must know about CLAT Cutoff 2026:
- CLAT 2026 results were declared on December 16–17, 2025
- Round 1 allotment list was published on January 7, 2026
- Over 92,000 candidates registered; approximately 72,631 appeared for the UG exam
- The paper was of moderate difficulty, pushing cutoffs slightly higher at top NLUs
- NLSIU Bengaluru remains the toughest, closing at Rank 101 (General) in Round 1
- Top 3 NLUs (NLSIU, NALSAR, NUJS) close within Rank ~300 for General category
- Top 5 NLUs close within Rank ~400 for General category
- A score of 90+ marks (out of 120) is considered safe for top NLUs
- Reserved category candidates have significantly wider rank bands due to reservation policies
- There will be a total of five rounds of seat allotment in CLAT 2026 counselling; cutoffs shift after each round
- Domicile quotas at state NLUs (RMLNLU, CNLU, NUALS, RGNUL, MNLU, etc.) significantly impact admission for local candidates
What Is the CLAT Cutoff 2026 and Why Does It Matter?
CLAT Cutoff 2026 refers to the minimum rank (and corresponding score) a candidate must achieve to secure admission into a particular NLU in a particular category. It is not a fixed number announced before the exam — it is determined organically through the counselling process, reflecting how many candidates with higher ranks chose a given NLU over another.
Understanding the CLAT Cutoff 2026 matters because:
- It tells you which NLUs are realistically within your reach based on your All India Rank (AIR)
- It guides your NLU preference order during counselling
- It helps you decide whether to accept an allotment or wait for a better seat in later rounds
- It allows future aspirants (CLAT 2027) to benchmark their target scores
The CLAT cutoff is released round by round along with the merit list on the official website of the Consortium of NLUs: consortiumofnlus.ac.in.
What Were the CLAT Cutoff 2026 Ranks in Round 1 for Top NLUs?
The CLAT Cutoff 2026 Round 1 data, published on 7th January 2026, confirmed the following opening and closing ranks for the General category at top NLUs:
| NLU | General – Opening Rank | General – Closing Rank |
| NLSIU Bengaluru | 1 | 101 |
| NALSAR Hyderabad | 4 | 148 |
| WBNUJS Kolkata (BA LLB) | 140 | 284 |
| NLU Jodhpur | 112 | 310 |
| NLIU Bhopal (BA LLB) | 159 | 431 |
| GNLU Gandhinagar | 8 | ~464 |
| HNLU Raipur | ~413 | ~791 |
The pattern is clear: NLSIU Bengaluru is the most competitive NLU, consistently demanding a rank within 100 for General category candidates. NALSAR and NUJS (WBNUJS) follow closely, confirming their Tier 1 status.
What Are the Category-Wise CLAT Cutoff 2026 Ranks?
The CLAT Cutoff 2026 is released separately for each category — General, OBC, SC, ST, and PwD — in accordance with the reservation policy of each participating NLU.
General Category
- NLSIU Bengaluru: Rank 1–101
- NALSAR Hyderabad: Rank 4–148
- WBNUJS Kolkata (BA LLB): Rank 140–284
OBC Category
- NALSAR Hyderabad: Rank 189–1116 (2025 Round 1 data, indicative for 2026)
- NLIU Bhopal (BA LLB): Rank 879–1562
- NLU Jodhpur: Rank 487–1424
SC Category
- NLSIU Bengaluru: Rank 372–3072
- NALSAR Hyderabad: Rank 319–3251
- WBNUJS Kolkata (BA LLB): Rank 2056–3833
- NLIU Bhopal: Rank 3161–4955
ST Category
- NLSIU Bengaluru: Rank 224–5000
- NALSAR Hyderabad: Rank 263–2786
- WBNUJS Kolkata: Rank 2856–6010
- NLIU Bhopal: Rank 8860–9461
The key observation is that SC and ST category candidates have access to NLUs at significantly lower marks, often gaining admission to mid-tier NLUs at ranks that would not be competitive in the General category. This reflects the constitutional reservation framework (Articles 15 and 16 of the Indian Constitution) as implemented by the Consortium.
What Is the Tier-Wise CLAT Cutoff 2026 Breakdown?
For counselling strategy purposes, NLUs are broadly grouped into tiers based on historic cutoff patterns:
| Tier | NLUs Included | Expected Rank Range (General) |
| Tier 1 | NLSIU Bengaluru, NALSAR Hyderabad, WBNUJS Kolkata | 1 – 300 |
| Tier 2 | NLIU Bhopal, NLU Jodhpur, GNLU Gandhinagar | 300 – 800 |
| Tier 3 | RMLNLU Lucknow, HNLU Raipur, NLU Odisha | 800 – 1,500 |
| Tier 4 / Newer NLUs | HPNLU Shimla, DSNLU Vizag, MNLU Aurangabad, NLUT Agartala | 1,500+ |
This tier model is not official but is widely used by counsellors and CLAT coaching institutes to help students map their rank to a realistic set of NLU choices.
What Score (Marks) Corresponds to the CLAT Cutoff 2026?
The CLAT paper carries 120 marks (120 questions, 1 mark each, with a 0.25 negative mark for wrong answers). Based on the 2026 difficulty level (moderate) and competition data, the following marks-to-rank correlation is broadly applicable:
| Score Range | Expected AIR | Admission Chances |
| 100+ marks | Top 50 | NLSIU Bengaluru (General) |
| 95–100 marks | 50–100 | NLSIU (borderline), NALSAR confirmed |
| 90–95 marks | 100–200 | NALSAR, NUJS confirmed |
| 85–90 marks | 200–500 | Top 5 NLUs (Jodhpur, NLIU, GNLU) |
| 80–85 marks | 500–1,000 | Tier 2 NLUs |
| 75–80 marks | 1,000–2,000 | Tier 3 NLUs |
| Below 75 marks | 2,000+ | Newer/lower-tier NLUs |
The CLAT 2026 topper Geetali Gupta scored a historic 112.75 marks, setting an exceptionally high benchmark. This performance at the top of the distribution pushed competition upward for the top 100 ranks.
How Does CLAT Cutoff 2026 Compare with Previous Years?
One of the most useful analyses for any aspirant is the year-on-year cutoff trend, as it reveals whether competition is rising, falling, or stable.
| Year | NLSIU Closing Rank (General, Round 1) | Key Trend |
| CLAT 2024 | 102 | Mark-based cutoff; moderate competition |
| CLAT 2025 | 112 | Shift to rank-based emphasis; slight easing |
| CLAT 2026 | 101 | Tightened again; more applicants, higher competition |
The CLAT 2026 cutoff is slightly more competitive than 2025 for most top NLUs, primarily because:
- The number of applicants increased to over 92,000 (UG)
- The paper was of moderate difficulty, meaning more students could score well
- The total number of seats across 24 NLUs remained approximately 3,700, keeping supply tight
For NALSAR Hyderabad, the 2025 closing rank was 159, and the 2026 closing rank came in at 148 — a tighter cutoff, confirming the upward competition trend.
What Factors Determine the CLAT Cutoff 2026?
The CLAT Cutoff 2026 is not pre-announced — it emerges from the counselling process. The Consortium of NLUs determines it based on a combination of the following factors:
- Total Number of Applicants: Higher participation directly increases competition. With 92,000+ registrations in CLAT 2026, the candidate pool was larger than ever, intensifying competition at the top.
- Difficulty Level of the Paper: A moderately difficult paper (as CLAT 2026 was) enables more candidates to score well, pushing cutoffs upward. A very tough paper suppresses scores and can ease cutoffs.
- Total Seats Available: With approximately 3,700 seats across 24 NLUs, the seat-to-candidate ratio remains heavily skewed, maintaining high cutoffs.
- Category and Reservation Policy: Each NLU follows its own reservation policy for SC, ST, OBC, EWS, PwD, and state domicile categories, creating vastly different cutoff bands across categories.
- NLU Preferences Filled by Candidates: A sudden rise in preference for a particular NLU — triggered by new rankings, placements, or faculty changes — can push its cutoff up even without a change in exam difficulty.
- Previous Year Cutoff Trends: Historical data sets a baseline. Candidates and counsellors use past cutoffs to strategise, which in turn influences preference-filling behaviour and the final cutoff.
- Domicile Quotas: Several NLUs — RMLNLU Lucknow (UP domicile), CNLU Patna (Bihar domicile), NUALS Kochi (Kerala domicile), and all three MNLUs in Maharashtra — reserve a significant share of seats for local students, substantially altering the open-category cutoff.
How Do Domicile Quotas Affect the CLAT Cutoff 2026?
Domicile reservations are a significant and often overlooked dimension of CLAT Cutoff 2026. Several state NLUs reserve a large portion of seats — sometimes 50% or more — for candidates who are residents of the state in which the NLU is located.
For example:
- RMLNLU Lucknow: SC, ST, and OBC seats are entirely reserved for UP domicile candidates
- CNLU Patna: SC and ST seats are reserved for Bihar domicile candidates
- NUALS Kochi: Reserved category seats go to Kerala domicile candidates
- MNLU Mumbai, Nagpur, Aurangabad: OBC, SC, and ST seats are reserved for Maharashtra domicile
This means an SC candidate from Delhi who targets NUALS Kochi will compete in the General category for the remaining open seats — often a harder route than anticipated. Aspirants must study each NLU’s seat matrix carefully before finalising their preference order.
How Does the Counselling Round Affect CLAT Cutoff 2026?
CLAT 2026 counselling operates over five rounds of seat allotment. The cutoff is not static — it evolves with each round:
- Round 1: Produces the most competitive cutoff as the strongest-ranked candidates fill top NLUs
- Rounds 2 and 3: Vacated seats (from candidates who accepted better NLUs) re-enter the pool; some candidates with lower ranks get upgraded
- Rounds 4 and 5: Remaining seats — including waitlisted and surrendered seats — are filled; cutoffs for lower-tier NLUs typically rise in later rounds
Candidates who receive an allotment in Round 1 must pay the confirmation fee and university fee by the stated deadline to retain their seat. Failure to do so results in forfeiture of the allotment.
What Is a Safe Score and Rank in CLAT Cutoff 2026?
Based on CLAT Cutoff 2026 data and analysis:
- Rank under 100: Guarantees NLSIU Bengaluru (General) — the undisputed top NLU
- Rank under 200: Comfortable for NALSAR Hyderabad and WBNUJS Kolkata
- Rank under 500: Ensures admission into at least one of the top 5 NLUs
- Rank under 1,000: Secures a Tier 2 NLU (NLIU, NLU Jodhpur, GNLU)
- Rank under 2,000: Opens Tier 3 options (HNLU Raipur, NLU Odisha, RMLNLU Lucknow for open category)
- Rank 2,000–5,000: Newer NLUs and state-domicile NLUs become the primary options
In marks terms, a safe score of 85–90+ is widely considered the threshold for a meaningful NLU admission, and 90+ marks ensures Top 5 NLU admission in the General category.
What Are the Previous Year CLAT Cutoffs for Reference?
The following table provides CLAT 2024 Round 5 (final allotment) closing ranks for General category across major NLUs, offering the clearest picture of where competition ultimately settled:
| NLU | General Opening–Closing Rank (CLAT 2024, Round 5) |
| NLSIU Bengaluru | 1 – 102 |
| NALSAR Hyderabad | 4 – 167 |
| WBNUJS Kolkata (BA LLB) | 140 – 279 |
| NLU Jodhpur | 112 – 379 |
| NLIU Bhopal (BA LLB) | 159 – 452 |
| GNLU Gandhinagar | 8 – 464 |
| HNLU Raipur | 413 – 791 |
| RGNUL Patiala | 220 – 1,250 |
| NLU Odisha | 591 – 1,205 |
| NUSRL Ranchi | 637 – 1,594 |
| TNNLU Tiruchirappalli | 806 – 1,628 |
| HPNLU Shimla (BA LLB) | 885 – 2,102 |
| NLUT Agartala | 1,881 – 2,243 |
The CLAT 2026 cutoffs broadly mirror these numbers with a slight upward shift at the top, reflecting the larger applicant pool and moderate paper difficulty this year.
What Should CLAT 2027 Aspirants Learn from CLAT Cutoff 2026?
For those preparing for CLAT 2027, the CLAT Cutoff 2026 sends several clear signals:
- Target 90+ marks to be in contention for top NLUs with any degree of confidence
- Rank, not marks alone, is what determines admission — your relative performance matters more than your absolute score
- The trend is upward: Competition has increased steadily since 2022, and there is little reason to expect a reversal
- Start building NLU preference lists early based on your mock test ranks, not just your dream NLU
- Legal reasoning and English comprehension remain the highest-scoring and most differentiating sections; investing time here pays the highest dividends
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