CLAT 2026 vs 2025 Cutoff: Which NLUs Saw Rising Closing Ranks

CLAT 2026 Round 1 allotment data reveals a clear split across NLUs — several national law universities saw closing ranks rise compared to 2025, while others recorded tighter cutoffs driven by stronger applicant pools.

The Consortium of NLUs released CLAT 2026 seat allotment results, and comparing these closing ranks with CLAT 2025 figures shows meaningful shifts across campuses. A rising closing rank means the last seat went to a student with a higher rank number — signalling that the NLU attracted less intense competition this cycle. A falling closing rank points the other way: the NLU became harder to get into.

• NALSAR Hyderabad, GNLU Gandhinagar, and MNLU Mumbai recorded tighter closing ranks in CLAT 2026 — meaning these NLUs became more competitive.
• TNNLU Tiruchirappalli, NLUO Cuttack, and HPNLU Shimla saw the largest rises in closing ranks in CLAT 2026.
• NLSIU Bangalore remains the most competitive NLU — closing rank stayed below 75 in CLAT 2026.
• All 2026 figures below are based on Round 1 allotment data; final closing ranks will settle after all counselling rounds close.

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CLAT 2026 vs 2025 Closing Rank Overview

The table below compares CLAT 2025 and CLAT 2026 Round 1 closing ranks for the General (UR) category across NLUs. A higher rank number in 2026 means cutoffs relaxed; a lower number means competition tightened.

CLAT 2026 figures are based on Round 1 allotment data. Final closing ranks will be available after all counselling rounds are completed.

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NLUs with Rising Closing Ranks in CLAT 2026

The following NLUs saw their General-category closing rank go up in CLAT 2026 compared to 2025 — meaning a student with a higher rank number secured the last seat. This reflects relatively lower competition intensity at these NLUs this cycle.

TNNLU Tiruchirappalli recorded the largest jump, with its closing rank rising 276 positions to 4,510. NLUO Cuttack and HPNLU Shimla followed with gains of 238 and 223 positions respectively — a significant relaxation for students targeting ranks in the 3,200–5,800 band.

Among better-ranked NLUs, HNLU Raipur rose by 139 positions and CNLU Patna by 148. NLIU Bhopal also bucked the trend at its tier, with its closing rank rising 67 positions to 815 — suggesting a slight easing of demand for that campus in the 700–800 rank range.

NLSIU Bangalore saw a marginal rise from 67 to 72. While technically a relaxation, the practical admission window remains unchanged for most students — only the top 72 CLAT scorers are competing for those seats regardless of the five-position shift.

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NLUs with Tighter Closing Ranks in CLAT 2026

These NLUs attracted stronger applicant cohorts in CLAT 2026, and their closing ranks fell — meaning you needed a better rank to secure admission compared to the previous year.

DBRANLU Sonepat recorded the sharpest fall, with its closing rank tightening by 244 positions to 6,234. NUALS Kochi dropped 167 positions, while NLUJA Guwahati and DSNLU Visakhapatnam each fell by over 150 positions — suggesting growing student interest in these campuses.

At the upper tier, NALSAR Hyderabad became harder to crack, with its closing rank falling from 287 to 261. MNLU Nagpur saw the largest absolute fall among mid-tier NLUs, tightening by 134 positions to 2,178. MNLU Mumbai and RMLNLU Lucknow both drew stronger fields in 2026, falling 72 and 73 positions respectively — a trend worth tracking for students eyeing these Maharashtra and UP campuses.

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Key Factors Behind CLAT 2026 Cutoff Shifts

Year-on-year changes in NLU closing ranks are rarely random. The main drivers this cycle were:

• Overall CLAT 2026 score distribution: A stronger average performance among top-ranked students compresses competition at premier NLUs, pushing it further down the rank table and affecting mid-tier closing ranks.
• Seat intake changes: NLUs that expanded their LLB intake in 2026 absorbed more students at the same rank bands, which naturally pushes closing rank numbers upward at those campuses.
• Shifted student preferences: Placement outcomes, campus infrastructure, and reputation movements between 2025 and 2026 influenced choice-filling — NLUs gaining traction drew applicants from deeper in the rank pool, tightening their cutoffs.
• State domicile applicant volume: NLUs with a 15–25% state-quota reservation see their General-category closing ranks shift when in-state applicant numbers change, since domicile seats are filled before the open-merit pool.
• New programmes and dual degrees: NLUs that introduced new LLB specialisations or integrated programmes attracted additional first-preference applicants, pulling closing ranks tighter at those campuses.

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