A safe score for CLAT 2027 is approximately 90–95 marks out of 120 for General category students, around 65–70 marks for SC category students and around 55–60 marks for ST category students to secure admission in at least one National Law University.
CLAT 2027 will be conducted by the Consortium of NLUs for admissions to 24 NLUs across India. The safe score differs significantly by category because each NLU maintains separate cutoffs for General, SC, ST and other reserved categories. Knowing your category-specific safe score helps you set a realistic target for preparation and college selection.
- CLAT 2027 is expected to carry 120 questions for 120 marks with −0.25 negative marking per wrong answer.
- General category students targeting top NLUs should aim for 105 marks or above.
- SC students need approximately 65–70 marks to secure at least one NLU seat.
- ST students scoring 55–60 marks or more are expected to secure admission in one of the NLUs.
- All figures are expected estimates based on CLAT 2025 and 2026 cutoff trends.
| Direct Link: CLAT 2027 Official Website — Consortium of NLUs | consortiumofnlus.ac.in |
CLAT 2027 Total Marks and Exam Pattern
CLAT 2027 is expected to follow the same structure as CLAT 2026. The exam carries 120 questions for a total of 120 marks. Each correct answer earns 1 mark and each wrong answer results in a deduction of 0.25 marks. Unattempted questions carry no penalty. The five sections and their approximate question distribution are listed below.
| Section | Approximate Questions |
|---|---|
| English Language | 22–26 |
| Current Affairs including General Knowledge | 28–32 |
| Legal Reasoning | 28–32 |
| Logical Reasoning | 22–26 |
| Quantitative Techniques | 10–14 |
| Total | 120 |
Your net CLAT 2027 score determines your All-India Rank (AIR), which the Consortium of NLUs uses to allocate seats across all 24 participating institutions during counselling.
CLAT 2027 Safe Score for General Category
General category students face the highest level of competition in CLAT. A score of 90–95 marks out of 120 is the expected safe score for General category students to secure admission in at least one NLU through CLAT 2027. For the top five NLUs, you should aim for 105 marks or higher.
| Score Range (out of 120) | Expected Admission Level (General Category) |
|---|---|
| 108 and above | Top NLUs — NLSIU Bangalore, NLU Delhi |
| 100–107 | Tier-2 NLUs — NALSAR Hyderabad, NLIU Bhopal, NLU Jodhpur |
| 92–99 | Tier-3 NLUs — RMNLU Lucknow, HNLU Raipur, DSNLU Visakhapatnam |
| 85–91 | Newer or lower-ranked NLUs |
| Below 85 | Admission to any NLU unlikely for General category |
These figures are expected estimates based on CLAT 2025 and 2026 closing rank trends. Actual cutoffs will depend on the paper’s difficulty and the total number of students who appear in CLAT 2027.
CLAT 2027 Safe Score for SC Category
SC (Scheduled Caste) students benefit from 15% reservation across all 24 NLUs in the Consortium. A score of 65–70 marks out of 120 is the expected safe score for SC category students to secure admission in at least one NLU through CLAT 2027.
| Score Range (out of 120) | Expected Admission Level (SC Category) |
|---|---|
| 85 and above | Top NLUs — NLSIU Bangalore, NLU Delhi |
| 75–84 | Tier-2 NLUs — NALSAR Hyderabad, NLIU Bhopal, NLU Jodhpur |
| 65–74 | Tier-3 and Tier-4 NLUs |
| 55–64 | Admission possible in newer NLUs |
| Below 55 | Admission chances slim even under SC reservation |
SC students scoring 75 marks or above have a strong chance at Tier-2 NLUs. A score of 85 or more opens doors to the top NLUs through the reserved SC quota.
CLAT 2027 Safe Score for ST Category
ST (Scheduled Tribe) category students benefit from 7.5% reservation in all 24 NLUs and typically see the lowest cutoffs among all reservation categories. A score of 55–60 marks out of 120 is the expected safe score for ST category students to secure admission in at least one NLU through CLAT 2027.
| Score Range (out of 120) | Expected Admission Level (ST Category) |
|---|---|
| 75 and above | Top NLUs — NLSIU Bangalore, NLU Delhi |
| 65–74 | Tier-2 NLUs — NALSAR Hyderabad, NLIU Bhopal, NLU Jodhpur |
| 55–64 | Tier-3 and Tier-4 NLUs |
| 45–54 | Admission possible in newer NLUs for ST |
| Below 45 | Admission unlikely for ST category |
ST students who score 60 marks or more generally secure at least one NLU seat. Those scoring 75 or above can target the top NLUs through the reserved ST quota based on past trends.
CLAT 2027 Category-Wise Safe Score Comparison
The table below provides a side-by-side comparison of the expected CLAT 2027 safe scores for General, SC and ST categories. OBC-NCL data is also included for reference. All figures are expected estimates based on CLAT 2025 and 2026 cutoff trends and will be updated once the official CLAT 2027 result and counselling data are released by the Consortium of NLUs.
| Category | Safe Score (Any NLU) | Safe Score (Top 5 NLUs) | Approx. AIR Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | 90–95 marks | 105–110+ marks | Under 3,000 |
| OBC-NCL | 80–85 marks | 95–100+ marks | Under 5,000 |
| SC | 65–70 marks | 82–88+ marks | Under 8,000 |
| ST | 55–60 marks | 72–78+ marks | Under 10,000 |
| PwD | 50–55 marks | 65–70+ marks | Under 12,000 |
The gap between the General and ST safe scores is approximately 30–35 marks. This reflects the reservation structure applied uniformly across all NLUs under the Consortium, in line with Central Government guidelines.
Factors Affecting CLAT 2027 Safe Score
The expected safe scores above are estimates. The actual CLAT 2027 cutoffs can shift due to these factors:
- Exam difficulty: A tougher paper lowers average scores and reduces cutoffs across all categories. CLAT has consistently trended toward a reading-comprehension-heavy format since 2020, which has kept average scores lower than multiple-choice recall formats.
- Total number of applicants: Higher registration numbers increase competition for General category seats and tend to push General cutoffs upward without affecting reserved category cutoffs proportionally.
- NLU seat matrix: Any increase in total NLU intake seats or the addition of a new NLU to the Consortium can lower cutoffs slightly across all categories.
- Category-wise applicant pool: A surge in SC or ST applicants in a given year can raise the respective reserved-category cutoff independently of General category trends.
- No normalization: CLAT is conducted as a single paper without normalization. Your raw score is your final score and directly determines your AIR.
CLAT 2027 Safe Score FAQs
Ques. What is the total marks for CLAT 2027?
Ans. CLAT 2027 is expected to have 120 questions for a total of 120 marks. Each correct answer earns 1 mark and each incorrect answer carries a deduction of 0.25 marks. Unattempted questions carry no penalty.
Ques. What is a safe score for General category students in CLAT 2027?
Ans. A score of 90–95 marks out of 120 is the expected safe score for General category students to secure admission in at least one NLU through CLAT 2027. For top NLUs like NLSIU Bangalore and NLU Delhi, aim for 105 marks or above.
Ques. What score do SC students need to crack CLAT 2027?
Ans. SC category students need approximately 65–70 marks out of 120 to secure admission in at least one NLU through CLAT 2027. For Tier-1 NLUs, a score of 82–88 marks or above is expected to be required based on CLAT 2025 and 2026 trends.
Ques. What is the expected safe score for ST category in CLAT 2027?
Ans. ST category students are expected to need 55–60 marks out of 120 to secure admission in at least one NLU through CLAT 2027. A score of 75 or above is expected to be sufficient for Tier-1 NLUs under the ST reserved quota.
Ques. How much difference is there between General and ST safe scores in CLAT?
Ans. The expected gap between General and ST category safe scores in CLAT 2027 is approximately 30–35 marks. General students need around 90–95 marks while ST students need around 55–60 marks to secure at least one NLU admission through reserved seats.
Ques. When will official CLAT 2027 cutoffs be published?
Ans. The official CLAT 2027 cutoffs will be published by the Consortium of NLUs at consortiumofnlus.ac.in after the result is declared and counselling rounds are completed. The expected cutoffs in this article are based on CLAT 2025 and 2026 trends.
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