The AILET 2026 SC category closing rank for BA LLB from the 4th and final merit list is expected to be in the range of 1620–1650, based on the Round 3 closing rank of 1602 released by National Law University (NLU) Delhi.
NLU Delhi published the AILET 2026 4th merit list on May 5, 2026, completing the seat allotment process for all categories including Scheduled Caste (SC). The SC category holds 15% of total seats at NLU Delhi — 16 seats in BA LLB (Hons.) and 10 seats in LLM — with one additional PwD horizontal seat in each programme. The closing rank from the final merit list is the definitive cutoff for SC students seeking admission to NLU Delhi for the 2026 academic year.
- AILET 2026 Round 3 SC closing rank for BA LLB: 1602; for LLM: 287
- AILET 2026 Round 3 SC Women closing rank for BA LLB: 1726; for LLM: 263
- Expected 4th and final merit list SC closing rank for BA LLB: 1620–1650 (based on Round 3 trends)
- SC category seats at NLU Delhi: 17 in BA LLB and 11 in LLM (including PwD horizontal seat)
- AILET 2025 final SC closing rank for BA LLB was 1400; for LLM it was 471
| Direct Link to AILET 2026 Merit List at NLU Delhi (OUT) |
AILET 2026 SC Category Seat Intake at NLU Delhi
The SC category receives 15% of total seats under the reservation mandate. For AILET 2026, NLU Delhi’s SC seat distribution is as follows:
| Programme | Total SC Seats | PwD Horizontal Seat | Net SC Seats (Vertical) |
|---|---|---|---|
| BA LLB (Hons.) | 17 | 1 | 16 |
| LLM | 11 | 1 | 10 |
Because the SC seat pool is small, even a single seat vacated between merit list rounds can shift the closing rank by 20–50 positions. Students should track each merit list release carefully and confirm their allotment status before the fee payment deadline.
AILET 2026 SC Category Round-Wise Closing Ranks
NLU Delhi published four merit lists for AILET 2026 admissions. The table below shows the SC category closing rank at each round for BA LLB and LLM. Round 4 figures are expected, based on Round 3 trends.
| Merit List Round | Release Date | BA LLB SC Closing Rank | LLM SC Closing Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | January 8, 2026 | 1480 | 244 |
| Round 2 | January 21, 2026 | 1602 | 287 |
| Round 3 | February 4, 2026 | 1602 | 287 |
| Round 4 / Final (expected) | May 5, 2026 | 1620–1650 | 290–310 |
NLU Delhi also publishes a separate SC Women sub-category merit list. The expected Round 4 closing ranks for SC Women, based on 2026 trends, are shown below:
| Merit List Round | Release Date | BA LLB SC Women Closing Rank | LLM SC Women Closing Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | January 8, 2026 | 1565 | 248 |
| Round 2 | January 21, 2026 | 1726 | 263 |
| Round 3 | February 4, 2026 | 1726 | 263 |
| Round 4 / Final (expected) | May 5, 2026 | 1740–1780 | 265–280 |
The Round 3 closing rank for SC (BA LLB) held steady at 1602 — the same as Round 2 — indicating no fresh SC seats reopened in that round. Any seat vacancies arising after Round 3 would reflect in the 4th and final merit list.
Previous Year AILET SC Category Closing Ranks
The table below compares AILET SC category closing ranks from the final merit list across recent years. All figures below are confirmed data from NLU Delhi’s official merit lists; 2026 Round 4 figures are expected based on Round 3 trends.
| Year | BA LLB SC Final Closing Rank | LLM SC Final Closing Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Round 4, expected) | 1620–1650 | 290–310 |
| 2025 | 1400 | 471 |
| 2024 | 1559 | 258 |
The BA LLB SC closing rank has moved between 1400 and 1559 over the past two years, with 2026 expected to edge slightly higher. The LLM SC closing rank shows more variation — from 258 in 2024 to 471 in 2025 — reflecting fluctuations in both applicant volume and score distribution in the LLM pool.
Factors Affecting AILET 2026 SC Category Cutoff
The SC closing rank at NLU Delhi is shaped by several variables that shift from year to year:
- Number of SC applicants: A larger pool of SC test-takers directly increases competition for the same seats, pushing the closing rank higher.
- Paper difficulty: A harder AILET paper compresses score differences near the SC cutoff mark, which can stabilise or lower the closing rank even if more students appear.
- Seat withdrawals between rounds: When allotted SC students do not pay the admission fee, their seats return to the pool and can be offered to the next eligible rank in a subsequent merit list.
- Total seat intake: NLU Delhi holds 16 SC seats for BA LLB and 10 for LLM. Any change to total intake revises the SC seat count proportionally.
- Score clustering near the cutoff: If multiple students score identically at the SC boundary, the tie-breaker criteria (age, marks in specific sections) determine the final closing rank position.
How to Check AILET 2026 SC Category Cutoff
You can access the category-wise merit list PDFs directly from NLU Delhi’s official website. Follow these steps to check the SC closing rank:
- Visit the official NLU Delhi website at nationallawuniversitydelhi.in.
- Navigate to the Admissions section and select AILET 2026.
- Click on the link for the 4th Merit List or Final Merit List.
- Download the SC category merit list PDF for BA LLB or LLM as applicable.
- The PDF lists your All India Rank (AIR), category rank and allotment status for each round.
- Compare your category rank against the SC opening and closing ranks in the table to confirm whether you have been allotted a seat.
AILET 2026 SC Category Cutoff FAQs
Ques. What is the expected AILET 2026 SC category closing rank for BA LLB from the final merit list?
Ans. Based on the Round 3 closing rank of 1602 and previous year trends, the expected AILET 2026 SC category closing rank for BA LLB from the 4th and final merit list is approximately 1620–1650.
Ques. How many SC category seats are available at NLU Delhi in AILET 2026?
Ans. NLU Delhi offers 17 SC category seats in BA LLB (Hons.) and 11 in LLM for AILET 2026. This includes one PwD horizontal seat in each programme; the remaining 16 BA LLB and 10 LLM seats are vertical SC reservation seats.
Ques. What was the AILET SC category closing rank in 2025?
Ans. In AILET 2025, the SC category final closing rank for BA LLB was 1400 and for LLM it was 471. These figures are from the 4th and final merit list published by NLU Delhi.
Ques. When was the AILET 2026 4th and final merit list released?
Ans. The AILET 2026 4th merit list was released on May 5, 2026, on the official NLU Delhi website at nationallawuniversitydelhi.in. It is the final round of seat allotment for the 2026 admission cycle.
Ques. Is the SC cutoff different for male and female sub-categories in AILET 2026?
Ans. Yes. NLU Delhi publishes separate merit lists for SC and SC Women sub-categories. In Round 3 of AILET 2026, the SC Women BA LLB closing rank was 1726 while the overall SC closing rank was 1602, reflecting distinct seat pools for each sub-category.
Ques. What is the AILET 2026 expected SC closing rank for LLM?
Ans. Based on Round 3 data (closing rank 287) and year-on-year trends, the expected AILET 2026 SC closing rank for LLM from the 4th and final merit list is approximately 290–310. The LLM SC pool is smaller, so the closing rank is considerably lower than for BA LLB.








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