Lucknow University and RMLNLU Lucknow are the capital's two government law schools. Both sit inside the NIRF 2025 top 30 for Law. Lucknow University is ranked 29 and RMLNLU is ranked 21.

The split begins at the entrance exam. RMLNLU fills every BA LLB (Hons) seat through CLAT alone. Lucknow University runs its own law entrance test for the five-year LL.B.

Cost is the next gap. RMLNLU charges about INR 2,05,000 a year for BA LLB (Hons). Lucknow University charges INR 25,580 per semester for its five-year LL.B.

Latest Update: CLAT 2027 registration is open till October 31, 2026. The exam is scheduled for December 6, 2026. consortiumofnlus.ac.in

Lucknow University vs RMLNLU Lucknow: Where Should You Study Law?

Also Read: 

Lucknow University vs RMLNLU Lucknow: Quick Comparison 2026

The table below sets the two law schools side by side.

Parameter Lucknow University RMLNLU Lucknow
Type State university, Faculty of Law National Law University
Established Faculty of Law in 1921 2005
NIRF 2025 Law Rank 29 21
Main UG law course LL.B. (Integrated) Five Year BA LL.B. (Hons) Five Year
Entrance exam LU law entrance test CLAT
Seats on campus 120 169
Course fee per year About INR 51,160 About INR 2,05,000
Campus size Over 75 acres About 40 acres

Check: 

Rankings and Accreditation Compared

RMLNLU finished eight places above Lucknow University in the NIRF law list. The score gap is smaller than the rank gap suggests.

Ranking Parameter Lucknow University RMLNLU Lucknow
NIRF 2025 Law Rank 29 21
NIRF 2025 Law Score 55.85 60.12
Regulatory approval Bar Council of India Bar Council of India

Both are recognised by the University Grants Commission. Degrees from either allow enrolment with a State Bar Council. So the rank gap decides prestige, not eligibility to practise.

How Admission Works at Each Law School?

This is the single biggest difference between the two. One campus is CLAT-only. The other runs three separate law routes.

Course Entrance Exam Seats
RMLNLU BA LL.B. (Hons) CLAT 169
LU LL.B. (Integrated) Five Year LU law entrance test 120
LU BBA LL.B. Five Year CLAT 2026 score 180
LU LL.B. Three Year LU law entrance test 320

RMLNLU CLAT Cutoff 2026 and Home State Quota

RMLNLU admits solely on CLAT merit through Consortium counselling. UP domicile candidates get a large relaxation under the Home State quota.

Category and Quota CLAT 2026 Closing Rank
General, All India, Round 1 747
General, All India, Round 2 771
OBC, Home State (UP) About 3,152
SC, Home State (UP) About 11,273

The 169 seats are split by category. Unreserved gets 80 seats and OBC of UP gets 43. SC of UP gets 34 seats and ST of UP gets 3. EWS of UP gets 9 seats.

Example: a General candidate outside UP at rank 1,200 misses RMLNLU. That rank has a real chance in the OBC Home State pool.

Lucknow University Law Entrance and Seats

Lucknow University does not use CLAT for its five-year LL.B. It sets its own paper of 100 objective questions. The test carries 200 marks and runs for 90 minutes.

There is no negative marking. Sections cover legal general awareness, reasoning, history and polity. Eligibility is Class 12 with 45 percent for General category. OBC needs 42 percent and SC and ST need 40 percent.

The BBA LL.B. is the exception. That course runs on CLAT scores instead. General category applicants needed 60 marks out of 120 in CLAT 2026. The bar was 54 marks for OBC, SC, ST and PwBD candidates.

Vacant BBA LL.B. seats are then filled through the university entrance test. A CLAT score that misses RMLNLU still works at Lucknow University.

The campus intake is only part of the picture. Eleven affiliated law colleges of Lucknow University offer another 1,320 five-year LL.B. seats. Those colleges are separate institutions with their own fees and facilities.

Law Course Fees Compared

The five-year degree costs roughly four times more at RMLNLU. The figures below cover the flagship UG law course at each campus.

Fee Head Lucknow University RMLNLU Lucknow
Course fee INR 25,580 per semester INR 2,05,000 per year
Tuition component Included in semester fee INR 1,25,000 per year
One-time charges INR 1,000 enrolment fee INR 10,000 admission, INR 10,000 caution money
Five-year course cost About INR 2.56 Lakh About INR 9.45 Lakh

Hostel and mess sit on top at RMLNLU. Hostel charges are about INR 24,000 a year. Mess runs between INR 4,000 and INR 4,500 a month.

Added together, a residential year at RMLNLU crosses INR 2.75 Lakh. The Lucknow University law campus runs four hostels of its own. The Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Girls Hall holds 130 seats for law students.

One fee point often surprises applicants. The Lucknow University BBA LL.B. is not priced like the five-year LL.B. It costs INR 81,130 per semester. A one-time fee of INR 5,500 applies.

Placements and Career Outcomes Compared

RMLNLU publishes law-specific placement data. Lucknow University reports law outcomes inside its wider university filings.

Parameter Lucknow University RMLNLU Lucknow
Median salary reported INR 8.28 LPA, three-year LL.B., as per NIRF 2025 INR 7 LPA for the 2024 BA LL.B. batch
Recruiter profile Banks and corporates through the Central Placement Cell National law firms and consulting firms
Common career route Litigation in UP courts and judicial services Law firms, judiciary and civil services

RMLNLU placed 158 of 171 BA LL.B. graduates in the 2024 batch. Recruiters have included AZB and Partners, JSA, Khaitan, PwC and EY. The one-year LL.M. batch recorded a median of INR 8 LPA in 2025.

Lucknow University does not run a separate placement cell for law. Students report that campus hiring for law graduates is rare. Most build careers through internships, chamber practice and competitive exams.

Also Check:

Campus, Hostels and Location

The Lucknow University Faculty of Law moved to the New Campus in 2002-03. The site sits on Sitapur Road and covers over 75 acres. It is about 12 km from Lucknow Railway Station.

The law building has 24 lecture rooms and two smart classrooms. The campus also holds a legal aid clinic and a canteen. A bank and a police outpost sit on site.

RMLNLU sits on about 40 acres and is fully residential. Facilities include a moot court hall, a gym and a swimming pool. The library is the facility students rate highest.

What Students Say About Studying Law at Each Campus

Official pages do not cover the parts that decide daily life. The themes below recur across student accounts of both campuses.

Judiciary Culture Runs Deep at RMLNLU

Students describe RMLNLU as a judiciary and civil services campus first. Many skip corporate placements entirely to prepare for judicial service exams. The library staying open late is cited as the reason this works.

Placement Participation Is Lower Than the Headline

Students report that far fewer sit for placements than graduate each year. Many describe a large share opting out for judiciary or higher studies. So the placement median should be read alongside participation.

RMLNLU Hostel Rooms Divide Opinion

Students consistently rate the academic blocks and library well. Hostel rooms draw the opposite response, with many describing them as ageing. Mess food is the most repeated complaint. Boys get single rooms from year two.

Lucknow University Law Runs on Self-Effort

Students report that the law faculty has no dedicated placement machinery. Internships and court exposure have to be arranged personally. They also describe faculty quality as uneven across the department.

What Reddit Says About LU vs RMLNLU for Law?

A Reddit user, u/Better_Jackfruit_386, asked:

"Need help regarding Law College Selection in Lucknow."
 

Reddit query
Reddit

The user wanted recommendations for the best law college in Lucknow for their cousin. They asked about the fee structure, admission process, career opportunities, and sought opinions on colleges including RMLNLU Lucknow, Lucknow University, Amity University Lucknow, Integral University, BBDU, KKC, KKV, National PG College, and Jaipuria University.
What Students Suggested

What Students Suggested?
Most users recommended RMLNLU Lucknow as the top choice for its NLU status, placements, and reputation. Lucknow University was the most suggested affordable government option, especially for litigation and UP Judiciary aspirants. Private universities were recommended only if admission to these two colleges was not possible.
 

Conclusion
The discussion largely favoured RMLNLU Lucknow for better placements and national exposure, while Lucknow University was seen as the best low-cost government alternative for students targeting litigation or judicial services.

Check Full Discussion here : Reddit 

Lucknow University vs RMLNLU: Which Is Better for Law?

RMLNLU is the stronger choice for corporate law and law firm hiring. It ranks higher, publishes law-specific placement data and draws national recruiters. The trade-off is a five-year cost near INR 9.45 Lakh before hostel and mess.

Lucknow University suits a different profile. A five-year LL.B. there costs about INR 2.56 Lakh in total. Hostels sit on the law campus itself, which keeps living costs low.

The catch is career support. There is no law placement cell, so hiring is not campus-driven. Students aiming at UP judicial services lose little by this.

Example: a General All India rank of 700 should take RMLNLU. A UP domicile candidate at rank 9,000 should target Lucknow University. The five-year LL.B. and the BBA LL.B. seats both fit.

Lucknow University vs RMLNLU Lucknow FAQs

Ques. Can students join RMLNLU Lucknow without appearing for CLAT?

Ans. No. RMLNLU admits students to its five-year BA LL.B. (Hons) programme only through CLAT. Admission is conducted via the Consortium of NLUs counselling process.

Ques. Does Lucknow University accept CLAT scores for any law course?

Ans. Yes. Lucknow University accepts CLAT scores for admission to its five-year BBA LL.B. programme. The integrated LL.B. and three-year LL.B. programmes are filled through the university's own law entrance test.

Ques. Which is better for UP judiciary preparation: Lucknow University or RMLNLU?

Ans. Both are popular among judiciary aspirants. RMLNLU offers a stronger peer group, better library facilities, and a dedicated residential campus, while Lucknow University is a more affordable option with easy access to the Allahabad High Court's Lucknow Bench and local courts.

Ques. What CLAT rank is required for UP domicile candidates at RMLNLU?

Ans. In CLAT 2026, the OBC Home State category closed at around AIR 3,152, while the SC Home State category closed near AIR 11,273. The General All India category closed at AIR 771.

Ques. Does Lucknow University offer a three-year LL.B. programme?

Ans. Yes. Lucknow University offers a three-year LL.B. programme with 320 seats through its own law entrance examination. RMLNLU does not offer a three-year LL.B.

Ques. Does RMLNLU have seats reserved for NRI candidates?

Ans. Yes. RMLNLU provides supernumerary seats for Foreign, NRI, and NRI-sponsored candidates. It also reserves two supernumerary seats for children of Kashmiri migrant families.

Ques. Does Lucknow University provide hostel facilities for law students?

Ans. Yes. Lucknow University has four hostels for law students on its campus. Hostel accommodation helps keep living costs relatively low for outstation students.

Ques. Does RMLNLU Lucknow provide hostel facilities?

Ans. Yes. RMLNLU Lucknow is a fully residential National Law University. Hostel charges are about INR 24,000 per year, with mess charges paid separately.

Ques. What is the minimum Class 12 percentage required for admission to Lucknow University and RMLNLU Lucknow?

Ans. RMLNLU Lucknow requires a minimum of 45% marks in Class 12 for General category candidates, while SC/ST candidates from Uttar Pradesh need 40%. Lucknow University requires 45% for General, 42% for OBC, and 40% for SC/ST candidates for admission to its integrated LL.B. programme.