CLAT offers a standard reservation policy for all NLUs. In addition to the CLAT 2027 reservation, every NLU publishes its own reservation and category-wise seat matrix. The CLAT 2027 reservation policy will be confirmed in the official notification, expected in August 2026.
- In CLAT Reservation 2027, SC students get 15% seats, and ST students get 7.5% in most NLUs.
- OBC-NCL reservation of up to 27% applies only in state-funded NLUs, not all NLUs.
- 10% of seats are reserved for economically weaker sections
- About 36 seats of 30% of total intake have been set for female students.
- If you are a Karnataka student, about 25% of 30 seats will be reserved for you.
- PwD students get a horizontal reservation of 5% that cuts across every category.
The CLAT 2027 provides NLU-wise state domicile quota of 25% to 50% that applies in the home state. If you are an SC, ST and BPL student, you must pay Rs. 3,500 as application fee against Rs. 4,000 for other and general category. There is no upper age limit and no cap on attempts in CLAT 2027.
Also Check:
- CLAT 2027 Notification (Expected Soon) @consortiumofnlus.ac.in - Check Live Updates, Exam Date, Registration, Eligibility and Fees
- CLAT 2027 Seat Matrix: NLU-Wise Total Seats and Category-Wise Reservation
- CLAT 2027 Seat Matrix: NLU-Wise & Category-Wise Distribution
Key Summary
- Reservation is decided NLU-wise, so the same category can have different seats at different NLUs.
- Vertical quotas cover SC, ST, OBC-NCL and EWS students.
- Horizontal quotas cover PwD students, women (select NLUs) and state domicile students.
- Only the application fee has a fixed category concession - Rs. 500 less for SC, ST and BPL.
- You must upload a valid category certificate during the application to claim any quota.
What is CLAT 2027 Reservation?
The Consortium of National Law Universities conducts CLAT for admission to UG and PG law programmes. The CLAT reservation ensures fair access for students from different social and economic groups.
CLAT reservation has two layers.
- Vertical reservation covers SC, ST, OBC-NCL and EWS categories.
- Horizontal reservation covers PwD students, women in select NLUs and state domicile students.
What's New in CLAT 2027 Reservation?
- In 2025, the consortium notified an increase of NLSIU Bengaluru to 310 seats by including 10 additional seats for Karnataka students.
- RPNLU Prayagraj and IIULER Goa are now part of the Consortium of NLUs, which has further increased the CLAT seat intake.
- A total of 26 National Law Universities and more than 60 law schools will accept scores of CLAT for admissions.
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CLAT 2027 Category-Wise Seat Reservation
The table below shows the indicative category-wise reservation adopted by NLUs. The exact share depends on the individual NLU seat matrix.
- Not all NLUs offer OBC-NCL reservations.
- State-funded NLUs like RMNLU Lucknow, CNLU Patna, HNLU Raipur, and others offer OBC-NCL reservations.
- Horizontal reservation for female candidates is available in several NLUs like NLIU Bhopal, GNLU, HNLU, RMLNLU, and more.
| Category | Reservation (Indicative) | Applicable Institutions |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 15% | Almost all NLUs |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 7.5% | Almost all NLUs |
| OBC-NCL | Up to 27% | State-funded NLUs only (RMLNLU Lucknow, CNLU Patna, HNLU Raipur and similar) |
| EWS | 10% | NLUs that adopt the central EWS rule |
| PwD (Horizontal) | 5% | All NLUs, across every category |
| State Domicile (Horizontal) | 25% to 50% | Home-state NLU only |
| Women (Horizontal) | Up to 30% | Select NLUs (GNLU, NLIU Bhopal, HNLU, RMLNLU and similar) |
| NRI / NRI-Sponsored | Supernumerary | NLUs that offer NRI seats |
| Foreign Nationals | Supernumerary | Select NLUs |
Note: Across the NLUs, there are around 3,700 to 4,000 UG seats and over 1,400 PG seats, plus supernumerary NRI and foreign national seats.
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CLAT Reservation 2027: Category-Wise Number of Seats
Most CLAT NLUs have around 120 seats, which are divided as mentioned below:
| Category | Seats (out of 120) | PwBD (5% horizontal) |
|---|---|---|
| General (UR) | 49 | 2 |
| OBC-NCL | 32 | 2 |
| SC | 18 | 1 |
| ST | 9 | 1 |
| EWS | 12 | 1 |
| Total | 120 | 7 |
CLAT Total Seats in NLUs (Expected)
The total no of seats in CLAT available in all 26 NLUs are:
| Particulars | CLAT UG Seats | CLAT PG Seats |
|---|---|---|
| CLAT seats | 3705 | 1436 |
| NRI/Foreign National Seats | 247 | 69 |
| Supernumerary seats for various categories | 140 | 94 |
| Total | 4092 | 1599 |
CLAT Reservation 2027: College-wise Seats Expected
Let’s check the category-wise and college-wise expected number of CLAT total seats in the table below:
- The number of CLAT seats is as per the previous year.
- Once the new CLAT seat matrix is released, we will share the updated seats.
- The number of seats are expected to remain same in CLAT 2027
CLAT 2027 Reservation: Domicile-Based
| NLU | State | Total UG Seats | Seats Reserved for Domicile Candidates | Approx. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MNLU Mumbai | Maharashtra | 100 | 63 | 63% |
| NLU Odisha (NLUO) | Odisha | 180 | 60 | 33% |
| HNLU Raipur | Chhattisgarh | 170 | 85 | 50% |
| NUSRL Ranchi | Jharkhand | 120 | 60 (across categories) | 50% |
| RMNLU Lucknow | Uttar Pradesh | 187 | 127 ( | 68% |
| WBNUJS Kolkata | West Bengal | 132 | 42 | 32% |
| DSNLU Visakhapatnam | Andhra Pradesh | 120 | 60 | 50% |
| MNLU Aurangabad | Maharashtra | 120 (combined) | 84 | 70% |
| MNLU Nagpur | Maharashtra | 120 (combined) | 84 | 70% |
| HPNLU Shimla | Himachal Pradesh | 120 | 30 | 25% |
| TNNLU Tiruchirapalli | Tamil Nadu | 120 | Varies by subcategory | ~50% |
| NLUJA Assam | Assam | 60 | 5 seats reserved horizontally | ~8% |
CLAT Reservation: Application Fee
CLAT gives a fixed fee concession to SC, ST and BPL students. The concession is the only category benefit set uniformly at the exam stage.
| Category | Application Fee | Concession vs General |
|---|---|---|
| General / OBC / PwD / NRI / PIO / OCI | Rs. 4,000 | - |
| SC / ST / BPL | Rs. 3,500 | Rs. 500 less |
OBC and EWS students pay the same fee as General students - only SC, ST and BPL students get the Rs. 500 concession. The cost of previous year question papers is Rs. 500 extra and is optional. You must pay the fee online during the application.
Note: The application fee is non-refundable and non-adjustable once paid.
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CLAT Reservation in Qualifying Marks and Cutoff
Reserved categories get a relaxation in the minimum qualifying marks needed to be eligible. SC and ST students get a 5% relaxation in Class 12 marks.
| Category | Minimum Qualifying Marks (Class 12) | Relaxation vs General |
|---|---|---|
| General / OBC / EWS / PwD | 45% | - |
| SC / ST | 40% | 5% relaxation |
The admission cutoff, or closing rank, is separate from the qualifying marks. Reserved categories close at much lower ranks than the General category at the same NLU. A reserved category student can secure a top NLU at a rank where a General student cannot. Domicile students often close at even lower ranks in their home-state NLU.
Note: CLAT has no minimum qualifying percentile in the exam - your rank alone decides admission during counselling.
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New Section Added
How Does CLAT 2027 Reservation Affect CLAT Cutoffs?
The CLAT Cutoff varies as per category. General category has higher cutoffs, while reserved categories have lower cutoffs.
| Category | Approx. Rank for Top NLUs |
|---|---|
| General | Under 100 |
| SC | 2500–3500 |
| ST | 4000–5000 |
| OBC (where applicable) | 1000–2000 |
| EWS | 800–1200 |
| PwD | 3000–4000 |
CLAT PwD Reservation: Special Rules
PwD students get a 5% horizontal reservation. This quota cuts across every vertical category rather than forming a separate block.
- The CLAT reservation applies to students with a benchmark disability of 40% or more.
- CLAT reservation 2027 covers blindness, low vision, hearing impairment, locomotor disability and other notified conditions.
- Eligible students can request a scribe and get compensatory time during the exam.
- You must upload a valid disability certificate from a notified medical authority.
PwD reservation is horizontal - a PwD seat is filled from within the General, OBC, SC or ST pool, not from a separate PwD quota. The scribe and extra time facility must be requested during the application, not on exam day.
Note: Scribe and compensatory time rules follow the guidelines for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities set by the Government of India.
How to Claim CLAT 2027 Reservation?
You must declare your category correctly and back it with a valid certificate. Follow these steps while filling the application.
You must declare your category at the application stage - you cannot add or change a reservation claim after the form closes. A wrong or invalid claim can lead to rejection at counselling.
Note: An OBC-NCL or EWS certificate is usually valid only for the financial year in which it is issued - a stale certificate may be rejected.
Documents Required to Claim CLAT 2027 Reservation
Each category needs a specific certificate from the correct issuing authority. Keep both scanned copies and originals ready.
| Category | Required Certificate | Issuing Authority |
|---|---|---|
| SC / ST | Caste certificate | Tehsildar / SDM / competent revenue authority |
| OBC-NCL | OBC Non-Creamy Layer certificate (current financial year) | Competent authority notified by the state |
| EWS | Income and asset certificate | Competent authority notified for EWS |
| PwD | Disability certificate (40% or more) | Notified medical board or hospital |
| State Domicile | Domicile or residence certificate | State revenue authority |
| NRI / NRI-Sponsored | NRI status certificate (as per NLU annexure) | As specified by the concerned NLU |
Your name on the category certificate must match your CLAT application exactly - a mismatch can void your reservation claim. Verify the validity date on the OBC-NCL and EWS certificates before you upload them.
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CLAT 2027 Reservation FAQs
Ques. Does CLAT follow one common reservation policy for all NLUs?
Ans. No. Each NLU sets its own category-wise seat matrix. The number of reserved seats changes from one NLU to another.
Ques. What is the SC and ST reservation in CLAT 2027?
Ans. Most NLUs reserve 15% seats for SC students and 7.5% for ST students, in line with national norms.
Ques. Do all NLUs give OBC reservation in CLAT?
Ans. No. OBC-NCL reservation of up to 27% is offered mainly by state-funded NLUs like RMLNLU Lucknow, CNLU Patna and HNLU Raipur.
Ques. What is the EWS income limit for CLAT reservation?
Ans. EWS reservation of 10% is for General category students whose family meets the central income and asset criteria. You need a valid EWS certificate for the current financial year.
Ques. Is there a state domicile quota in CLAT?
Ans. Yes. Many NLUs reserve 25% to 50% of seats for home-state students. This quota reduces the All India seats at that NLU.
Ques. How much application fee concession do reserved students get?
Ans. SC, ST and BPL students pay Rs. 3,500 against Rs. 4,000 for others. That is a concession of Rs. 500.
Ques. Do OBC and EWS students get a fee concession in CLAT?
Ans. No. OBC, EWS, PwD and NRI students pay the same Rs. 4,000 fee as General students. Only SC, ST and BPL get the concession.
Ques. Is there an age relaxation for reserved categories in CLAT?
Ans. No. CLAT has no upper age limit for anyone, so no age relaxation is needed.
Ques. How does PwD reservation work in CLAT?
Ans. PwD students get a 5% horizontal reservation. The seat is filled from within the General, OBC, SC or ST pool rather than a separate block.
Ques. Can NRI students get reservation in CLAT?
Ans. NLUs that offer NRI or NRI-sponsored seats fill them as supernumerary seats. You must submit the NRI status certificate as per the NLU annexure.
Ques. Do I get lower cutoffs because of my category?
Ans. Yes. Reserved categories close at lower ranks than the General category at the same NLU. Home-state students often close at even lower ranks.
Ques. When will the CLAT 2027 reservation policy be released?
Ans. The Consortium will confirm the CLAT 2027 reservation policy in the official notification, expected in August 2026, at consortiumofnlus.ac.in.
Disclaimer: The reservation figures on this page follow the latest available CLAT 2026 policy and are indicative. Reservation is set NLU-wise and may change for CLAT 2027. Always confirm the final category-wise seat matrix from the official CLAT 2027 notification and your target NLU before applying.
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