CLAT 2026 general category closing ranks shifted between 1 and 46 positions across major NLUs compared to 2025, with top-tier institutions easing slightly while mid-tier NLUs like GNLU Gandhinagar and NLIU Bhopal became more competitive.
The Consortium of NLUs concluded CLAT 2026 counselling after five allotment rounds. With the Round 5 final list now released, the year-on-year comparison with CLAT 2025 is possible for the first time. For students targeting CLAT 2027, these rank shifts provide a realistic benchmark for each NLU tier and reveal whether 2025 or 2026 was an outlier cycle.
- NLSIU Bengaluru closed at rank 120 in CLAT 2026, easing 8 positions from the 2025 closing of rank 112.
- NALSAR Hyderabad moved from 159 (2025) to 168 (2026) — a 9-position ease at the general category level.
- GNLU Gandhinagar tightened by 46 positions from rank 444 in 2025 to rank 398 in 2026, the largest swing among mid-tier NLUs.
- WBNUJS Kolkata has eased for the third consecutive year, from rank 260 in 2024 to 327 in 2025 to 343 in 2026.
- HNLU Raipur remained virtually stable at rank 806–807 across both cycles.
| Direct Link — CLAT 2026 Official Portal (Active) | consortiumofnlus.ac.in/clat-2026 |
CLAT 2026 vs 2025 General Category Closing Rank Comparison
The table below covers the final-round general category closing ranks across three CLAT cycles. All 2026 figures are from the Round 5 (final) allotment list except NLU Jodhpur, which is estimated based on its Round 1 closing of rank 310 and prior-cycle expansion patterns.
| NLU | CLAT 2024 | CLAT 2025 | CLAT 2026 | 2025 to 2026 Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NLSIU Bengaluru | 114 | 112 | 120 | +8 (eased) |
| NALSAR Hyderabad | 177 | 159 | 168 | +9 (eased) |
| WBNUJS Kolkata (BA LLB) | 260 | 327 | 343 | +16 (eased) |
| NLU Jodhpur | — | 367 | ~355* | ~−12 (tightened, est.) |
| GNLU Gandhinagar | ~437 | 444 | 398 | −46 (tightened) |
| NLIU Bhopal (BA LLB) | — | 480 | 459 | −21 (tightened) |
| HNLU Raipur | — | 807 | 806 | −1 (stable) |
| RMLNLU Lucknow | — | 780 | 799 | +19 (eased) |
| NLU Odisha (Cuttack) | — | — | 848 | — |
| NUALS Kochi | — | 1,346 | — | — |
| CNLU Patna (BA LLB) | — | 1,398 | — | — |
*NLU Jodhpur 2026 is estimated from Round 1 data; — indicates data not available at time of publication. Source: Consortium of NLUs allotment data; lawentrance.com Round 5 figures; pw.live CLAT 2025 final round data.
Top-Tier NLU Trends: NLSIU, NALSAR and NUJS
NLSIU Bengaluru recorded its tightest general category closing in CLAT 2025 at rank 112, marginally improving from 114 in 2024. In 2026, the rank eased to 120. The 8-position shift is modest, but for students placed between rank 113 and 120 it is the difference between a seat at India’s top law school and their next preference. CLAT 2025 remains the most competitive cycle for NLSIU in recent memory.
NALSAR Hyderabad showed the sharpest tightening between 2024 and 2025, moving from 177 to 159. In 2026 the rank partially reversed to 168. The pattern suggests NALSAR oscillates in the 159–177 band and that any year below 165 should be treated as a competitive outlier rather than the new normal.
WBNUJS Kolkata (BA LLB) is the only top-three NLU showing a clear directional trend: the closing rank has expanded from 260 (2024) to 327 (2025) to 343 (2026) for three consecutive cycles. This consistent easing indicates that high scorers preferentially fill seats at NLSIU and NALSAR before choices cascade to NUJS, and students targeting NUJS have progressively more room at the lower end of the rank window.
Mid-Tier NLU Closing Ranks: What Changed in 2026
Mid-tier NLUs — those closing in the rank 350–900 band — moved in the opposite direction to the top three in 2026, becoming more competitive even as top NLU ranks eased.
GNLU Gandhinagar saw the largest swing in the entire NLU table: the general category closing rank tightened by 46 positions from 444 (2025) to 398 (2026). Students at rank 400–444 who would have secured GNLU in 2025 did not receive an allotment there in 2026. GNLU’s Round 1 closing in 2026 was 464, compared with 2025’s final of 444, showing that tightening was visible from the very first allotment.
NLIU Bhopal (BA LLB) also became more competitive, tightening 21 positions from 480 to 459. Students targeting NLIU Bhopal should treat the 460–480 rank band as a risk zone going into CLAT 2027.
HNLU Raipur was virtually flat at rank 806 versus 807 in 2025, the most stable NLU in the comparison table. RMLNLU Lucknow eased modestly from 780 to 799, offering a slightly wider window for students in that rank band.
NLU Jodhpur’s Round 1 closing in 2026 was rank 310, compared with a 2025 final of 367. Applying the typical 10–15 per cent round-to-round expansion, the 2026 final is estimated in the 340–365 range — a mild tightening of approximately 10–25 positions from the 2025 final.
Category-Wise Closing Rank Snapshot for CLAT 2026
The table below shows Round 1 category-wise closing ranks for five NLUs in CLAT 2026. Reserved-category closing ranks typically expand by 10–30 per cent from Round 1 to Round 5 as upgrade-driven vacancies accumulate.
| NLU | General | OBC | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NLSIU Bengaluru | 101 (R1) / 120 (R5) | 1,018 (R1) / 1,527 (R5) | 3,072 (R1) / 3,148 (R5) | 5,000+ (R1) / 3,365 (R5) |
| NALSAR Hyderabad | 148 (R1) / 168 (R5) | 831 (R1) | 3,251 (R1) | 2,786 (R1) |
| WBNUJS Kolkata (BA LLB) | 284 (R1) / 343 (R5) | — | 3,833 (R1) | 6,010 (R1) |
| NLU Jodhpur | 310 (R1) / ~355 (est.) | 1,273 (R1) | 4,042 (R1) | — |
| NLIU Bhopal (BA LLB) | 431 (R1) / 459 (R5) | 1,562 (R1) | 4,955 (R1) | 9,461 (R1) |
R1 = Round 1 closing rank; R5 = Round 5 (final) closing rank where confirmed. NLSIU Round 5 OBC, SC and ST figures are from Consortium allotment data. — indicates data not available.
The EWS category closing rank at NLSIU Bengaluru in CLAT 2026 Round 5 was AIR 692, reflecting the additional reservation pool introduced under the 10 per cent EWS quota. OBC students at NALSAR needed to be within the top 831 ranks at Round 1 to receive an allotment offer.
Factors Behind the 2026 Cutoff Shift
Four factors explain why top NLU ranks eased and mid-tier NLUs tightened simultaneously in CLAT 2026.
- Paper difficulty: CLAT 2026 was considered moderately easier than CLAT 2025. A more accessible paper compresses the score gap between rank 100 and rank 500, placing more students in competition for mid-tier seats without meaningfully changing who secures the top 120 seats at NLSIU.
- Score compression at mid-ranks: When more students score in the 90–100 range out of 120, the rank difference between adjacent scores shrinks. This intensifies competition at NLUs in the 350–500 rank window — exactly where GNLU and NLIU Bhopal sit — even as top NLU cutoffs remain stable.
- Round 5 upgrade churn: High-ranked students who secure a home-state or state-quota NLU seat in early rounds release their AI-quota seats at NLSIU and NALSAR in later rounds. In 2026 this churn was slightly higher than in 2025, allowing students at ranks 113–120 to receive NLSIU allotments in Round 5.
- Stable seat matrix: The Consortium made no major seat additions at any NLU for the 2026 cycle. All rank shifts observed in the table reflect demand-side changes rather than supply increases.
CLAT Cutoff FAQs
Ques. What was the NLSIU Bengaluru general category closing rank in CLAT 2026?
Ans. NLSIU Bengaluru’s general category closing rank in the CLAT 2026 Round 5 (final) allotment was AIR 120, compared to AIR 112 in CLAT 2025. The 2026 closing was 8 positions higher, meaning slightly more students could secure a seat than in 2025.
Ques. How did NALSAR Hyderabad’s CLAT 2026 cutoff compare to 2025?
Ans. NALSAR Hyderabad’s general category closing rank eased from AIR 159 in CLAT 2025 to AIR 168 in CLAT 2026. This 9-position shift is modest. The 2025 figure (159) remains the most competitive NALSAR has been in the three cycles reviewed here, with 2024 standing at 177.
Ques. Which NLU saw the biggest cutoff change between CLAT 2025 and 2026?
Ans. GNLU Gandhinagar recorded the largest shift, tightening by 46 positions from rank 444 in CLAT 2025 to rank 398 in CLAT 2026. Students at ranks 400–444 who would have received a GNLU allotment in 2025 did not in 2026.
Ques. Why did top NLU cutoffs ease while mid-tier NLUs became more competitive in CLAT 2026?
Ans. CLAT 2026 was considered a moderately easier paper than 2025. This compressed the score difference between rank 100 and rank 500, placing more students in direct competition for mid-tier NLU seats. Meanwhile, Round 5 upgrade churn at the very top released additional seats at NLSIU and NALSAR, slightly relaxing their closing ranks.
Ques. What is the CLAT 2026 closing rank for OBC students at NLSIU Bengaluru?
Ans. The OBC category closing rank at NLSIU Bengaluru in the CLAT 2026 Round 5 (final) allotment was approximately AIR 1,527. The EWS closing rank was AIR 692 and the SC closing rank was AIR 3,148 in the same round.
Ques. Is WBNUJS Kolkata getting less competitive every year?
Ans. Based on three consecutive cycles, yes — the general category closing rank at WBNUJS Kolkata (BA LLB) has expanded from 260 in CLAT 2024 to 327 in 2025 to 343 in 2026. This consistent easing suggests that high-scoring students are filling seats at NLSIU and NALSAR first, with choices cascading to NUJS at progressively higher rank numbers. Whether this trend continues in CLAT 2027 will depend on NUJS seat intake and the score distribution of that cycle’s paper.
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