CLAT 2026 OBC-NCL category expected closing rank after Round 5 ranges from approximately 250 at NLSIU Bangalore to over 3,500 at newer NLUs, based on CLAT 2025 trends.
The Consortium of NLUs conducts CLAT 2026 counselling in multiple rounds. After Round 5, most OBC-NCL seats across top National Law Universities are filled and closing ranks stabilise. OBC-NCL (Other Backward Classes – Non-Creamy Layer) students are allotted seats from the 27% reserved quota at each participating NLU. Understanding the expected OBC-NCL closing rank after Round 5 helps you gauge your admission chances before the final round result is declared.
- NLSIU Bangalore expected OBC-NCL closing rank after Round 5: approximately 250–310 (based on CLAT 2025 trends).
- NALSAR Hyderabad expected OBC-NCL closing rank: approximately 420–530, consistent with 2025 figures.
- WBNUJS Kolkata expected OBC-NCL closing rank: approximately 380–480 after Round 5 allotment.
- OBC-NCL cutoffs ease by Round 5 as students exercise upgrades or withdraw, improving chances for waitlisted students.
- All figures below are expected estimates based on CLAT 2025 closing ranks; official CLAT 2026 cutoffs will appear on the Consortium portal after each round result.
| Direct Link to CLAT 2026 Seat Allotment Result (Active During Counselling) — consortiumofnlus.ac.in/clat-2026/ |
Expected CLAT 2026 OBC-NCL Closing Rank After Round 5
The table below lists expected OBC-NCL closing ranks for BA LLB (Hons) admission at top NLUs after Round 5 of CLAT 2026 counselling. These are expected estimates based on CLAT 2025 closing rank data and are not official CLAT 2026 cutoffs. Actual ranks will vary depending on total applicants, seat matrix, and round-wise withdrawals.
| NLU Name | State | Expected OBC-NCL Closing Rank (Round 5, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| National Law School of India University (NLSIU) | Karnataka | 250 – 310 |
| The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS) | West Bengal | 380 – 480 |
| National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR) | Telangana | 420 – 530 |
| National Law Institute University (NLIU) | Madhya Pradesh | 700 – 900 |
| National Law University Jodhpur (NLUJ) | Rajasthan | 800 – 1,050 |
| Gujarat National Law University (GNLU) | Gujarat | 900 – 1,200 |
| Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU) Mumbai | Maharashtra | 1,000 – 1,350 |
| Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University (RMLNLU) | Uttar Pradesh | 1,100 – 1,400 |
| Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU) | Chhattisgarh | 1,400 – 1,800 |
| National Law University Odisha (NLUO) | Odisha | 1,500 – 1,900 |
| Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (RGNUL) | Punjab | 1,600 – 2,100 |
| National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS) | Kerala | 1,800 – 2,300 |
| Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU) Nagpur | Maharashtra | 1,800 – 2,400 |
| Chanakya National Law University (CNLU) | Bihar | 2,000 – 2,600 |
| Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU) Aurangabad | Maharashtra | 2,200 – 2,900 |
| National University of Study and Research in Law (NUSRL) | Jharkhand | 2,200 – 2,800 |
| Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University (DSNLU) | Andhra Pradesh | 2,300 – 3,000 |
| National Law University and Judicial Academy (NLUJA) | Assam | 2,500 – 3,200 |
| Himachal Pradesh National Law University (HPNLU) | Himachal Pradesh | 2,600 – 3,300 |
| Tamil Nadu National Law University (TNNLU) | Tamil Nadu | 2,800 – 3,500 |
| Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Law University (DBRANLU) | Haryana | 2,900 – 3,600 |
All figures are expected estimates based on CLAT 2025 closing rank trends. Official CLAT 2026 OBC-NCL cutoffs will be published on the Consortium portal after each allotment round result.
CLAT 2025 OBC-NCL Cutoff Trends
CLAT 2025 recorded approximately 77,000 registered students competing for around 3,500 seats across 24 NLUs. The OBC-NCL category accounted for 27% of seats at each university. Key trends from CLAT 2025 that are directly relevant to your CLAT 2026 planning:
- NLSIU Bangalore OBC-NCL final closing rank in 2025 was approximately 265, making it the most competitive NLU for OBC-NCL students.
- Ranks typically eased by 15–25% from Round 1 to the final round at most NLUs as students upgraded to preferred colleges.
- NLUs in metro cities — Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata — showed significantly tighter OBC-NCL cutoffs than newer or smaller NLUs.
- WBNUJS Kolkata OBC-NCL closing ranks ranged between 380 and 460 across all rounds in 2025.
- State domicile quota at select NLUs can produce different closing ranks for state vs all-India OBC-NCL students — check each NLU’s allotment letter for the applicable rank.
| NLU | CLAT 2025 OBC-NCL Opening Rank (Round 1) | CLAT 2025 OBC-NCL Closing Rank (Final Round) |
|---|---|---|
| NLSIU Bangalore | ~180 | ~265 |
| WBNUJS Kolkata | ~310 | ~430 |
| NALSAR Hyderabad | ~340 | ~470 |
| NLIU Bhopal | ~580 | ~820 |
| NLUJ Jodhpur | ~660 | ~980 |
| GNLU Gandhinagar | ~790 | ~1,080 |
| MNLU Mumbai | ~840 | ~1,220 |
| RMLNLU Lucknow | ~950 | ~1,340 |
| HNLU Raipur | ~1,180 | ~1,680 |
| RGNUL Patiala | ~1,380 | ~1,950 |
Factors Affecting CLAT 2026 OBC-NCL Cutoff
Several variables shape the OBC-NCL closing rank at each NLU after Round 5 of CLAT 2026 counselling:
- Total OBC-NCL applicants and test-takers: More students competing in this category directly raises the numerical closing rank, which can lower the score threshold needed for admission.
- CLAT 2026 paper difficulty: A tougher paper compresses scores at the top and can shift rank boundaries significantly across all categories.
- Number of OBC-NCL seats per NLU: NLUs with larger total intakes (like GNLU with 240 seats or RMLNLU) have more OBC-NCL seats and historically show higher numerical closing ranks by Round 5.
- Round-wise seat withdrawals and upgrades: Each round, students upgrading to a higher-ranked NLU free up seats below. Round 5 closing ranks are therefore more relaxed than Round 1 at virtually every NLU.
- State domicile sub-quota: Some NLUs reserve a share of OBC-NCL seats for state domicile students, which produces a separate and often tighter closing rank for out-of-state OBC-NCL students at those institutions.
- Stray vacancy processing: Seats unfilled after Round 5 may go to a spot round or stray vacancy round where closing ranks can differ considerably from the main counselling rounds.
How to Check CLAT 2026 OBC-NCL Allotment Result
After each CLAT 2026 counselling round, the Consortium of NLUs publishes allotment results and category-wise cutoff PDFs on the official portal. Follow these steps to check your OBC-NCL allotment status:
- Visit the official CLAT 2026 counselling portal at consortiumofnlus.ac.in/clat-2026/.
- Click on the Seat Allotment Round [X] Result link on the homepage.
- Log in with your CLAT 2026 application number and date of birth.
- Your allotment letter will display the NLU allotted, your category (OBC-NCL), and the closing rank for that round.
- Cross-reference the closing rank with your own CLAT 2026 rank to assess upgrade possibilities in later rounds.
- Download and save the allotment letter for document verification and admission formalities at the allotted NLU.
The full round-wise cutoff list with opening and closing ranks by category is usually published as a downloadable PDF on the Consortium portal within 24 hours of each round’s result declaration. You can access it without logging in from the official website’s downloads section.
CLAT 2026 OBC-NCL Cutoff FAQs
Ques. What is the expected CLAT 2026 OBC-NCL closing rank for NLSIU Bangalore after Round 5?
Ans. Based on CLAT 2025 trends, the expected OBC-NCL closing rank at NLSIU Bangalore after Round 5 of CLAT 2026 counselling is approximately 250 to 310. NLSIU consistently has the tightest OBC-NCL cutoff among all 24 participating NLUs.
Ques. Is the OBC-NCL closing rank different from the general category closing rank at the same NLU?
Ans. Yes. OBC-NCL closing ranks are numerically higher than general category closing ranks at the same NLU because OBC-NCL seats (27% of intake) are filled from a separate reserved category pool. A higher rank number means a lower score threshold applies for that category seat.
Ques. Why do CLAT OBC-NCL closing ranks change from Round 1 to Round 5?
Ans. In each counselling round, students who secure allotment at a higher-ranked NLU vacate their earlier seat at a lower-ranked NLU. This frees up seats for students with higher rank numbers (lower scores). By Round 5, closing ranks at most NLUs are typically 15–25% higher in number than in Round 1, meaning relatively lower-scoring students can secure admission.
Ques. How many OBC-NCL seats are available at top NLUs in CLAT 2026?
Ans. OBC-NCL reservation is 27% of sanctioned intake at each NLU. NLSIU Bangalore has around 80 total UG seats, giving approximately 21–22 OBC-NCL seats. Larger NLUs like GNLU (240 total seats) have around 64–65 OBC-NCL seats. Check the official CLAT 2026 seat matrix on the Consortium portal for the exact NLU-specific figures.
Ques. Does state domicile status affect the OBC-NCL cutoff at NLUs?
Ans. Yes, at some NLUs a portion of the OBC-NCL quota is reserved for state domicile students. RMLNLU Lucknow and RGNUL Patiala, for example, have state quota seats within the OBC-NCL category. This can result in different closing ranks for state domicile vs all-India OBC-NCL students at those institutions. Review the individual NLU seat matrix for this split.
Ques. What happens to OBC-NCL seats that remain unfilled after Round 5?
Ans. Seats vacant after Round 5 typically go to a stray vacancy round or spot admission process conducted by individual NLUs. Closing ranks in this round can differ significantly from earlier rounds and are sometimes more relaxed. Students who did not secure allotment in the main rounds should monitor the Consortium portal for stray vacancy round announcements.
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