CLAT 2027 Cut-Off: NLSIU, NALSAR, & NUJS Expected Rank Analysis
You just want one thing. A direct answer. What will be the required rank for NLSIU, NALSAR or NUJS in 2027?
You need an answer with real numbers from past years. No Official CLAT cut-off exists yet, CLAT exam will be held on December 06, 2026. Results will be declared later between 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM. But the past trends tell a compelling story, and this piece will take you through it, step by step.
Let’s start with the basics.
What Decides CLAT Cut-Off?
The CLAT 2027 cut off is the finishing line. It moves each year based on five factors:
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How many students appear: More students, more competition, cut-off goes up.
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Toughness of the paper: Tough paper leads to lower cut-off. Then a light paper raises it.
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Number of Seats NLU offers: Fewer seats, tougher entry.
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Category reservation: Different cut-offs for General, OBC, SC, ST, and EWS.
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State Quota: Some of the NLUs have a quota for students of their home state, which alters the required rank for the general category.
No single factor dictates the cut-off. All five pull and push year in and year out.
Quick Look: What’s the thing you’re most worried about this year? No. of seats, paper difficulty or your category? So with that in mind, keep reading - it changes how you should read the numbers below.
CLAT 2027: Basic Facts
Before we get to the ranks, here’s what we know for sure. CLAT 2027 application process started on 3 August 2026. Interested Candidates can apply till 31st October 2026. The exam will be conducted on December 6, 2026 in offline mode. The participating NLUs have around 4,000 UG seats, and more than 90,000 candidates appear every year.
That last figure is important. students 90,000. 4,000 seats. Do the maths, and you’ll see why the top three NLUs are still this competitive.
NLSIU Bengaluru: What Numbers Illustrate
NLSIU is at the top of the list of almost every law aspirant, and the numbers only justify the reputation.
CLAT 2026 exam (results declared in December 2025) had NLSIU Bangalore ranked around All India Rank 108 in General category. Another source, however, estimates the number at 112th place. In 2024 counselling, closing rank for NLSIU cut-off was 1 to 102 for general category admissions last year.
All this adds up to a pattern. NLSIU: General category closes somewhere around 100-115 rank. This band has been tight for at least two years running.
What does this mean for you? If your projected rank is under 100, you have a real shot. A 100-130 is a target and not a certainty for NLSIU. The difference between "in" and "out" can be five or six ranks in a round.
NALSAR Hyderabad: Second Best
NLSIU has been ahead of NALSAR by a small margin in most years, and the trend continues for 2026.
NALSAR’s rank was near AIR 168 in the CLAT 2026 General category. But another source says that it is 159. NALSAR Closing Rank 2024 from 4-167.
So the NALSAR cut off in General category is around the rank of 150 to 170 in last few years. That’s a tighter, more predictable band than you might expect from India’s second-most-sought-after law school.
Small but useful info: NALSAR OBC category 2026 was 189-1116 (category wise numbers). That difference in opening and closing rank is massive and it says something important. The category cut-offs are stretched much wider than the General category ones. Do not ever compare your OBC or SC Rank with a General cutoff. They do not function the same.
NUJS Kolkata: Biggest Swing
Of the three schools we are tracking, NUJS has the most movement and you should plan around that.
The NUJS cut off closed around AIR 343 in CLAT 2026. Another source says 327 rank. For 2024, the picture is divided course-wise. NUJS’s BA LLB program was closed between rank 140 and 279 while its BSc LLB program went as low as rank 289 to 1,010.
That BSc LLB number is worth a moment’s pause. A closing point of one thousand rank in one course, next to a closing point of 280 ranks in another course in the same college. If NUJS is on your list, make sure you know which particular course you are applying to before you compare your rank with any single cut-off figure.
So, What is Expected Rank for CLAT 2027 Exam?
Nobody can give you an exact figure today. The Consortium of NLUs will not declare cut-offs before the examination. Every NLU declares its cut-off through the counselling process, depending upon the last rank they have taken in each category. The process takes place over several rounds after results, due out between January and March 2027.
But if we look at the trend over the last two years, here is a decent working range to plan around:
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NLSIU: Target a rank less than 100 in General category. Ranks up to 115 have worked before, but don't bet on that margin.
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NALSAR: Try to get a rank below 150. Students have gotten in until rank 170, but a safer target is well below that.
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NJUS: The cut-off for NUJS is up. Two years ago, rank 300 was safe. Plan for around 250 to give yourself space.
These targets are based on trends, not promises. Think of them as a compass, not a promise.
Marks Vs Rank: Rank Is What Actually Matters
This is something many first-time aspirants miss. Your scores don’t get you a seat. Your rank does.
Two students can get same marks in different years and be in completely different ranks, because the rank also depends on how everyone else did. In recent years, the target for a top five NLU has been a General category score between 95 to 105 marks out of 120, whereas other good NLUs have scored around 85 to 92.
So when you study don’t just aim for a marks target. Keep a check on your rank in mock tests also. That number gives you an idea of what you really stack up against real competition.
Best Three Ways to Prepare for CLAT Using This Data
1. Set three goals, not one. Choose a dream NLU, a realistic target NLU, and a safe backup. Now using the above ranges, correctly place NLSIU, NALSAR and NUJS on that list based on your own mock test performance.
2. Track your rank monthly, not just your score. In a score, a 90 means different things in different years. What matters is your ranking. Take mock tests which are close to the real exam and see where you’d be.
3. Keep a close eye on NUJS if it is on your list. Its cut-off has been increasing the past two years. Don't just go straight to last year’s number. Build in some margin.
Conclusion
NLSIU and NALSAR have maintained their ranks around their historic rank. NUJS has moved up, and if it’s in your plan, make sure you have some extra space above last year’s number. The numbers aren't official for 2027 - once counselling begins, check the Consortium of NLUs website and use CLAT rank analysis to set realistic, well-informed goals till then.
Related CLAT Preparation Books & Study Materials
FAQs About CLAT 2027
If we consider the last 2 years, the closing rank of General category is expected to be between 100 to 115. There's no official 2027 number yet, it will be determined through counselling after the December 6, 2026 exam.
NALSAR has a lower cut-off rank than NUJS which makes it more competitive. A lower rank number signifies a harder cut to get through. NALSAR closed around 160-170 in 2026 and NUJS around 330-340.
Yes, a lot more than that. Some NLUs have cut-offs for SC/ST and OBC categories ranging from 7,000 to 40,000 ranks. Category cut-offs and General cut-offs are different numbers; do not compare them. Check the data for your own category separately.
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