ILICAT 2026 SC category cutoff is expected between 98 and 105 marks out of 200, based on the 2025 official closing score of 99.00 marks for SC category.

The Indian Law Institute Common Admission Test (ILICAT) is conducted by the Indian Law Institute (ILI), New Delhi, for admission to its one-year and two-year LL.M. programmes. The total assessment is out of 200 marks — 140 marks for the objective written test, 40 marks for the legal writing section, and 20 marks for the viva voce. ILI releases a category-wise merit list after each selection round, and the SC category cutoff reflects the composite score of the last admitted student in that reserved pool. The ILICAT 2026 result and final cutoff are expected around June 2026.

  • ILICAT 2025 SC category closing cutoff: 99.00 out of 200 marks — the confirmed figure from ILI’s official final merit list.
  • ILICAT 2026 expected SC cutoff: 98–105 marks based on 2025 trends.
  • SC category students need at least 45% in their LL.B. degree to be eligible to apply for ILICAT.
  • The 2025 general category closed at 111.25 marks; SC cutoff was approximately 12 marks lower.
  • The cutoff is a composite score across the written test, legal writing, and viva voce stages.
Direct Link — ILICAT 2026 Official Website (ACTIVE)ili.ac.in

ILICAT 2026 SC Category Cutoff Overview

The ILICAT cutoff is the minimum composite score out of 200 at which the last SC category seat is filled across merit list rounds. The ILICAT 2025 SC category cutoff closed at 99.00 marks out of 200 — approximately 49.5% of the total score. For 2026, the official cutoff will be published on ili.ac.in after all result and viva voce rounds are complete.

Parameter Details
Exam Name ILICAT — Indian Law Institute Common Admission Test
Conducting Body Indian Law Institute (ILI), New Delhi
Total Marks 200 (Objective: 140 + Legal Writing: 40 + Viva: 20)
2025 SC Cutoff (Actual) 99.00 marks out of 200
2026 SC Cutoff (Expected) 98–105 marks (based on 2025 trends)
Safe Target Score for SC 105+ marks
Expected Result and Cutoff Date June 2026

Previous Year ILICAT Cutoff Trends for SC Category

ILI publishes the final merit list with category-wise scores after all selection rounds conclude. The table below captures the SC category closing score alongside other category cutoffs from the most recently documented cycle. Detailed consolidated data before 2025 is not publicly available in a standardised format; the 2025 row reflects ILI’s official final merit list.

Year SC Cutoff (out of 200) General Cutoff (out of 200) OBC-NCL Cutoff (out of 200) ST Cutoff (out of 200)
2026 (Expected) 98–105 112–118 95–102 85–92
2025 (Actual) 99.00 111.25 96.50 82.25

The 2025 data shows a gap of 12.25 marks between the SC and General category closing cutoffs. SC category closed 2.5 marks above OBC (NCL), reflecting the difference in seat count and applicant pool size for each reserved category. The ST category benefited from the widest relaxation at 17 marks below general.


ILICAT 2026 Expected Category-wise Cutoff Comparison

All figures below are expected estimates based on 2025 actual cutoffs and should not be treated as confirmed data. The final cutoff will be determined after the 2026 admission rounds conclude and the merit list is released on ili.ac.in.

Category Expected Cutoff 2026 (out of 200) 2025 Actual Cutoff (out of 200) Recommended Safe Score
General 112–118 111.25 118+
EWS 105–110 110+
SC 98–105 99.00 105+
OBC (NCL) 95–102 96.50 102+
ST 85–92 82.25 92+

SC category students targeting ILI’s LL.M. programme should aim for a composite score of 105 marks or above to remain comfortably within the expected cutoff range and absorb any upward shift in competition in 2026.


Factors That Affect ILICAT Cutoff for SC Category

The SC category cutoff is not fixed and shifts based on multiple variables each year:

  • SC seat count: ILI allocates SC seats as per government reservation norms. A lower number of SC seats relative to applicants pushes the cutoff upward.
  • Applicant pool strength: A larger number of well-scoring SC applicants directly raises the closing composite score for that category.
  • Written test difficulty: An easier paper raises average scores across all categories, pushing cutoffs up — a harder paper has the opposite effect.
  • Legal writing section performance: The 40-mark legal writing component can widen or narrow the gap between closely ranked students, affecting the final composite score distribution.
  • Viva voce results: Since 20 marks come from the viva, strong average viva performance in a cohort can lift closing scores across the merit list.
  • Seat acceptance and waitlist movement: If shortlisted SC students decline admission, later merit list rounds include lower scores — effectively lowering the practical cutoff observed in final round data.

ILICAT Eligibility vs Cutoff — Know the Difference

Many students treat the minimum LL.B. eligibility percentage as their admission benchmark. These are two distinct thresholds and must not be confused.

Parameter Minimum Eligibility (to Apply) Admission Cutoff (to Secure a Seat)
Basis Marks in LL.B. degree Composite ILICAT score (written + legal writing + viva)
SC Category Threshold 45% in LL.B. ~99 marks out of 200 (2025 actual)
When it applies At application submission stage After exam and viva, at merit list stage
Is it fixed? Yes — set in ILI prospectus annually No — changes every admission cycle

Securing 45% in LL.B. makes you eligible to sit for ILICAT — admission depends entirely on your composite ILICAT score clearing the final merit list cutoff. Students should treat 99 marks (2025 SC actual) as their floor and target 105+ as a comfortable safety buffer for the 2026 cycle.

ILICAT SC Category Cutoff 2026 FAQs

Ques. What is the expected ILICAT 2026 cutoff for SC category?

Ans. Based on 2025 trends, the expected ILICAT 2026 SC category cutoff is between 98 and 105 marks out of 200. This is an estimate; the official figure will be released on ili.ac.in after the 2026 result and viva voce rounds are complete, expected in June 2026.

Ques. What was the ILICAT 2025 cutoff for SC category?

Ans. The ILICAT 2025 final closing cutoff for SC category was 99.00 marks out of 200, as per the official merit list published by the Indian Law Institute on ili.ac.in.

Ques. How is the ILICAT cutoff calculated?

Ans. The ILICAT cutoff is a composite score out of 200 marks — 140 for the objective written test, 40 for the legal writing section, and 20 for the viva voce. The cutoff is the composite score of the last student admitted in each category’s merit list.

Ques. What is the minimum LL.B. percentage for SC category students to apply for ILICAT?

Ans. SC category students must have secured at least 45% marks in their LL.B. degree to be eligible to apply for ILICAT. The general category minimum is 50%. This eligibility requirement is separate from the ILICAT admission cutoff.

Ques. Where can I check the official ILICAT 2026 SC category cutoff after declaration?

Ans. The official ILICAT 2026 merit list and category-wise cutoff will be published on the Indian Law Institute’s official website at ili.ac.in under the LL.M. admissions section once result rounds are complete.

Ques. Why is the SC cutoff lower than the General category cutoff in ILICAT?

Ans. SC category students compete within a separate reserved seat pool. Since fewer applicants compete for SC seats compared to the unreserved general pool, the closing composite score for SC is lower. In 2025, the SC cutoff was 99.00 marks versus 111.25 for General — a gap of 12.25 marks.