Common Law Admission Test Cut Off 2026

CLAT Cutoff 2026: Expected Marks for Top NLUs

The CLAT Cutoff 2026 for top NLUs is expected to fall between 82 to 110 marks. 75,009 candidates appeared for CLAT UG, and the total seats are around 3,500.

• General category candidates will require at least 85+ marks to get a seat in at least 1 NLU.
• For OBC category, the cutoff is expected to be 78 to 103 marks.
• For SC category, the cutoff is expected to be around 60 to 65 marks.

As per the previous year's data, top NLUs closed within the Top 100 to 500 ranks. Mid-tier NLUs closed around 1,500 to 4,000 ranks.

The CLAT Cutoff will depend upon the exam difficulty, competition, total seats and your NLU preference during the counselling.

Key Summary

This article covers the CLAT Cutoff, including the Category-Wise Cutoff for top NLUs, Percentile and Previous Year Cutoff.

• In CLAT, each counselling round has 70 to 75% of seats in top NLUs, which makes the cutoff of round 1 the highest.
• With a difference of 5 to 12 marks, your rank can increase by 1,000 to 2,000, which makes accuracy in the top score important.
• A score of 95–100+ is considered safe for the Top 7–10 NLUs for General category candidates.
• The Mid-Tier NLUs will have a closing rank of between 2500 to 5000 as per the state quota and seat intake.
• If you are an SC/ST Candidate with 75 to 85 marks, you can get admission into mid to top-mid NLUs.

What is CLAT Cutoff?

The CLAT Cutoff is the minimum marks or AIR required for admission into a specific NLU, as per the category and quota given in the counselling round.

• The CLAT Cutoff is released in different rounds; the cutoff drops by 3 to 10 marks, or 200 to 600 ranks, from Round 1 to Round 5.
• The Reserved Category Candidates typically have 10 to 30% less cutoff ranks than the general category.

Every year, the CLAT Cutoff is released in different rounds. Check the CLAT 2025 Round-wise cutoff for top NLUs below:

CLAT 2025 Seat Allotment: Round-Wise PDFs for All NLUs

The Consortium of National Law Universities releases the CLAT seat allotment result in multiple rounds. Each round has a separate PDF for every participating National Law University (NLU).

The table below lists the PDF download links for Round 1, Round 2, and Round 3 for each NLU and its specific programmes.

Related Information

For more details, see the CLAT Seat Allotment page.

Frequently Asked Question

How is the CLAT cutoff calculated, and what factors influence it each year?

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What is the CLAT Cutoff?

The CLAT cutoff is the last rank or score at which candidates secure admission in a particular National Law University (NLU) after each counselling round. The cutoff changes every year based on competition level and seat availability.

Several factors influence the cutoff for CLAT. These factors are listed below.

Qualifying Cutoff vs Admission Cutoff

CLAT has two types of cutoffs: qualifying cutoff and admission cutoff. Both have different purposes.

Is the CLAT Cutoff Based on Score, Rank, or Percentile?

CLAT counselling uses a rank-based cutoff for admission. Score and percentile are also important for evaluation and performance insights.

• The Score is used for the evaluation of exam performance, with higher marks giving a better rank.
• The Rank is the primary criterion for seat allocation in NLU, which determines admission.

CLAT 2026 Cut Offs for Top 10 NLUs

The CLAT cutoff for top NLUs will be high because of more demand and fewer seats. If you are aiming for NLSIU, WBNUJS and other Tier-1 NLUs, you should target a score of more than 100-700 as per your category and reservation.

Expected CLAT 2026 Cutoffs for Top 10 NLUs

• The Top 3 NLUs demand very high performance, for which the general category candidates require Top 500 AIR.
• The Reserved Category Candidates have seen a high jump in the rank range because of limited category-wise seats.
• The Mid-Tier NLUs, like HNLU and NLU Odisha, have high competition but less flexibility up to 6,000+ AIR for general candidates.

NLU Delhi conducts its own exam (AILET), so the cutoff is not based on CLAT.

How Many Marks Should I Target for a Top 5 NLU?

The source does not specify a target score for a Top 5 NLU. The expected rank ranges for the top 5 NLUs are provided in the table above.

Target Score for Top 5 NLUs

To get a seat in one of the top 5 National Law Universities (NLUs) like NLSIU Bengaluru, NALSAR Hyderabad, or WBNUJS Kolkata, you need a high CLAT score. A score of 95+ is required to increase your chances at these top 5 NLUs, while a score of 90+ is a good target for many candidates.

Based on previous year data and expected cutoffs, the target scores are as follows:

Safe Rank for Top 10 NLUs

CLAT marks matter, but the All India Rank (AIR) is what counts for admission through counselling. A safe rank depends on the NLU demand, your category, and the cutoff.

Here are the rank ranges and their likely admission outcomes for the General category:

CLAT 2026 Category-Wise Cutoff for Top NLUs

CLAT cutoffs for top NLUs differ for each category based on seat availability, reservation rules, and overall competition. The General category cutoff is the highest, while OBC, EWS, SC, and ST categories have lower score ranges as per national and state quotas.

Below are the expected category-wise cutoffs for the Top 10 NLUs.

CLAT Cutoff for General Category 2026

• The General Category cutoff remains high because of open competition.
• Candidates need 85+ marks to get at least 1 NLU.
• The Top NLUs will close within the top 100 to 500 ranks.

CLAT Cutoff for OBC Category 2026

• OBC cutoffs are 3-6 marks less than the general category.
• Popular NLUs have cutoffs above 90 marks.
• Demand is increasing as more OBC candidates appear every year.

CLAT Cutoff for EWS Category 2026

• EWS cutoffs are similar to the general category candidates.
• It is expected to increase in 2026 because of the increased number of EWS candidates.
• The Top NLUs will close above 90 marks.

CLAT Cutoff for SC Category

• SC cutoffs are around 18 to 25 marks less than the general category.
• The increased number of seats under SC will help reduce the cutoff pressure.
• By scoring 65+, you can target mid-tier NLUs.

Expected CLAT 2026 Cutoff Marks for Top NLUs

The expected CLAT 2026 cutoff marks vary significantly between National Law Universities (NLUs). The table below shows the expected cutoff range for the General category at several top NLUs.

Can I Get an NLU with 80 Marks in CLAT 2026?

A score of 80 out of 120 in CLAT 2026 corresponds to an All India Rank (AIR) of approximately 4300–4800. This rank can provide a chance for admission into Tier-3 or state colleges.

Admission possibilities with 80 marks depend on the candidate's category.

• The General category may get admission into Tier-3 NLUs or state universities using the CLAT score (e.g., DU, IPU).
• OBC/EWS candidates can expect a seat at mid-level NLUs like WBNUJS, NLU Jodhpur, or NLIU, depending on category rank and domicile flexibility.
• SC/ST candidates can have access to top NLUs like NLSIU or NALSAR, as cutoff marks drop significantly for reserved categories.

Top Colleges with 80 Marks in CLAT

What Rank is 85 Marks in CLAT 2026?

A score of 85 marks out of 120 in CLAT 2026 places the candidate at an AIR of approximately 2,500–2,600. This score corresponds to an expected percentile of +98.

Admission chances with 85 marks vary by category, as shown below.

CLAT Cutoff Percentile 2026

The CLAT Cutoff Percentile shows the minimum percentile a candidate should secure to be eligible for admission into a particular NLU under a specific category. Unlike marks, the percentile shows the relative performance of candidates among all test-takers.

Expected CLAT 2026 Cutoff Percentile

• General Category candidates should aim for more than 98 percentile to get a seat in top NLUs.
• OBC/EWS candidates require a slightly lower percentile of 96 to 99, but they should target more to get into top institutes.
• SC candidates can get admission in top NLUs with 90 to 95 percentiles, as per seat availability.

CLAT Previous-Year Cutoff

The previous-year cutoff provides insights into the minimum marks or ranks that were required for various NLUs under different categories. This data helps candidates estimate their chances.

CLAT Cutoff 2025 for Top NLUs

• NLSIU Bengaluru had the toughest cutoff, with the closing at 105 marks for the General category.
• The cutoff differs across NLUs, showing high competition in the top 3-4 NLUs.

CLAT Cutoff 2025 for Top NLUs

The CLAT 2025 cutoff for the top National Law Universities (NLUs) is listed below. The highest cutoff for the General category was 105 marks at NLSIU Bengaluru.

CLAT Cutoff 2024 for Top NLUs

The CLAT 2024 cutoff was slightly lower than the 2025 cutoff. This was because of the moderate difficulty level of the exam.

For the top 3 NLUs, around 100 marks were required for the General category candidates.

CLAT Cutoff 2023 for Top NLUs

The NLSIU Bengaluru cutoff was the highest in 2023 at 108 marks. This indicates a high difficulty level for that year.

The General category cutoffs for the mid-tier NLUs were around 86–94 marks.

CLAT Cutoff 2022 for Top NLUs

The cutoff marks for General and reserved categories in 2022 were less than the cutoffs for 2023, 2024, and 2025. NLSIU Bengaluru had the highest cutoff for the General category at 106 marks.

FAQs for CLAT Cutoff 2026

Is 70 a good score for CLAT?

A CLAT score of 70 out of 120 is considered below average for the top NLUs. This applies especially to General, OBC, and EWS category candidates.

This score places the candidate in the AIR between ~10,700–11,500 with ~93–95 percentile.

CLAT Rank 15000: NLU Admission Chances

A rank of 15000 is not good enough for General and EWS candidates to secure a seat at any NLU. Reserved category candidates may still have a chance in lower-tier NLUs, depending on the state and category-specific quotas.

CLAT Score 120: Percentile and Rank

Scoring 120 out of 120 in CLAT places you in the top 100th percentile. This means you will be among the highest-scoring candidates.

• 120 marks - Will give Rank 1 or a position within the top candidates, depending on tie-breakers, so percentile is 99.99–100.
• This gives the maximum chance for top NLUs across all categories — general or reserved.

CLAT Score 70: NLU Admission Chances

With 70 marks out of 120 in CLAT, admission into any NLU is highly unlikely for a General Category candidate. The cutoff for mid-tier NLUs goes even higher than 70 marks.

SC/ST candidates with 70 marks can secure a seat in NLUs like NLSIU Bengaluru and NALSAR Hyderabad under the ST quota. A score of 70 marks in CLAT places the candidate in the rank range of around 10,700–11,500.

Is 70 a Good Score in CLAT?

A score of 70 out of 120 in CLAT is below average for admission to top NLUs, especially for General, OBC, and EWS candidates. This score places a candidate in the All India Rank (AIR) range of approximately 10,700 to 11,500, with a percentile between 93 and 95.

Admission Chances with 70 Marks

Is 15000 a Good Rank in CLAT for NLU?

A rank of 15,000 is not good enough for General and EWS candidates to secure a seat at an NLU. Reserved category candidates may still have a chance at lower-tier NLUs, depending on the state and category-specific quotas.

What Percentile Does 120 Marks Correspond To?

Scoring 120 out of 120 marks in CLAT places you in the top 100th percentile. This means you will be among the highest-scoring candidates.

A score of 120 marks will give you Rank 1 or a position within the top candidates, depending on tie-breakers. The percentile is 99.99 to 100. This score gives the maximum chance for admission to top NLUs across all categories, general or reserved.

Can I Get an NLU with 70 Marks?

For General Category candidates, getting admission into any NLU with 70 marks is highly unlikely, as the cutoff for mid-tier NLUs is higher than 70 marks. SC/ST candidates with 70 marks can secure a seat in NLUs like NLSIU Bengaluru and NALSAR Hyderabad under the ST quota.

A score of 70 marks in CLAT places the candidate in the rank range of around 10,700 to 11,500.