Based on CLAT 2026 counselling data, the SC category closing rank after Round 5 ranges from approximately 3,200 at NLSIU Bengaluru to 11,094 at RMLNLU Lucknow — with confirmed Round 5 figures published for HNLU Raipur (7,216), RMLNLU Lucknow (11,094), and NLUO Cuttack (9,292).
CLAT 2026 SC category cutoffs are published round-wise by the Consortium of NLUs during the centralised counselling process. SC students receive 15% reservation at each participating NLU. Round 5, the final counselling round, closed on June 20, 2026. The closing rank after Round 5 is the last SC rank allotted a seat at that NLU after all waitlist movement is exhausted. This article compiles NLU-wise SC closing ranks with confirmed Round 5 data wherever published and expected figures based on CLAT 2025 trends for the remaining NLUs.
- HNLU Raipur SC closing rank (Round 5 — confirmed): 7,216
- RMLNLU Lucknow SC closing rank (Round 5 — confirmed): 11,094
- NLUO Cuttack SC closing rank (Round 5 — confirmed): 9,292
- NLSIU Bengaluru SC closing rank (Round 3 data): 3,142 — Round 5 figure expected slightly higher
- 15% of each NLU's approved intake is reserved for SC students under central reservation norms
| Direct Link — CLAT 2026 Allotment Lists and Category-wise Ranks (Official Portal) Visit: consortiumofnlus.ac.in/clat-2026 |
CLAT 2026 SC Category Cutoff — Overview
The SC closing rank after Round 5 tells you the highest-numbered SC rank that received a seat at a given NLU after all five rounds of counselling. A numerically lower closing rank signals higher competition — SC seats fill quickly and the waitlist closes early. Top NLUs like NLSIU and NALSAR show closing ranks in the 3,000–3,700 range, while newer or larger-intake NLUs can run to 11,000 and beyond.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Category | Scheduled Caste (SC) |
| Reservation | 15% of approved intake at each NLU |
| Counselling rounds | 5 rounds (Round 5 closed June 20, 2026) |
| Cutoff definition | Highest-numbered SC rank allotted after Round 5 |
| Confirmed Round 5 NLUs | HNLU Raipur, RMLNLU Lucknow, NLUO Cuttack |
| Official portal | consortiumofnlus.ac.in/clat-2026 |
NLU-wise SC Closing Ranks After 5 Rounds — CLAT 2026
The table below covers all participating NLUs. Figures marked Confirmed are from official Round 5 allotment data; all other figures are expected based on Round 3 data or CLAT 2025 trends. Final Round 5 data for remaining NLUs is published on the Consortium portal as each NLU uploads its allotment list.
| NLU | State | SC Closing Rank — Round 5 | Data Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| NLSIU Bengaluru | Karnataka | ~3,200 – 3,500 | Expected (R3 actual: 3,142) |
| NALSAR Hyderabad | Telangana | ~3,400 – 3,700 | Expected (R3 actual: 3,335) |
| WBNUJS Kolkata (BA LLB) | West Bengal | ~4,200 – 4,800 | Expected (R3 actual: 3,833) |
| NLU Jodhpur (BA LLB) | Rajasthan | ~4,200 – 4,800 | Expected (R3 actual: 4,072) |
| GNLU Gandhinagar | Gujarat | ~6,200 – 6,800 | Expected (R1 actual: 5,791) |
| NLIU Bhopal (BA LLB) | Madhya Pradesh | ~6,400 – 7,000 | Expected (R3 actual: 5,970) |
| HNLU Raipur | Chhattisgarh | 7,216 | Confirmed (Round 5) |
| CNLU Patna | Bihar | ~8,500 – 10,000 | Expected (based on 2025 trends) |
| RGNUL Patiala | Punjab | ~9,000 – 10,000 | Expected (R1 actual: 8,126) |
| NUALS Kochi | Kerala | ~9,000 – 11,000 | Expected (based on 2025 trends) |
| NLUO Cuttack (BA LLB) | Odisha | 9,292 | Confirmed (Round 5) |
| NUSRL Ranchi | Jharkhand | ~9,500 – 11,500 | Expected (based on 2025 trends) |
| TNNLS Tiruchirappalli | Tamil Nadu | ~9,500 – 12,000 | Expected (based on 2025 trends) |
| RMLNLU Lucknow | Uttar Pradesh | 11,094 | Confirmed (Round 5) |
| NLUJA Guwahati | Assam | ~10,000 – 13,000 | Expected (based on 2025 trends) |
| HPNLU Shimla | Himachal Pradesh | ~10,500 – 13,000 | Expected (based on 2025 trends) |
| DSNLU Visakhapatnam | Andhra Pradesh | ~10,500 – 13,500 | Expected (based on 2025 trends) |
| MNLU Mumbai | Maharashtra | ~11,000 – 12,500 | Expected (R3 trend: ~11,386) |
| MNLU Nagpur | Maharashtra | ~11,500 – 14,000 | Expected (based on 2025 trends) |
| MNLU Aurangabad | Maharashtra | ~12,000 – 15,000 | Expected (based on 2025 trends) |
| DBRANLU Sonepat | Haryana | ~12,500 – 16,000 | Expected (based on 2025 trends) |
Confirmed figures are from official CLAT 2026 Round 5 allotment data published by the Consortium of NLUs. Expected figures are based on CLAT 2026 earlier rounds and CLAT 2025 trends. Check consortiumofnlus.ac.in for the latest round-wise data.
CLAT 2025 SC Category Closing Ranks — Reference
CLAT 2025 SC closing ranks after Round 3 are the primary benchmark for 2026 projections. CLAT 2026 SC ranks at NLSIU and NALSAR are broadly in line with 2025, while NLU Jodhpur and WBNUJS show lower closing ranks in 2026, indicating slightly reduced competition at those NLUs.
| NLU | SC Closing Rank 2025 (Round 3) | SC Closing Rank 2026 (Best Available) |
|---|---|---|
| NLSIU Bengaluru | 3,133 | 3,142 (R3) — R5 expected ~3,200–3,500 |
| NALSAR Hyderabad | 3,273 | 3,335 (R3) — R5 expected ~3,400–3,700 |
| WBNUJS Kolkata (BA LLB) | 4,753 | 3,833 (R3) — R5 expected ~4,200–4,800 |
| NLU Jodhpur | 5,445 | 4,072 (R3) — R5 expected ~4,200–4,800 |
| NLIU Bhopal (BA LLB) | 5,763 | 5,970 (R3) — R5 expected ~6,400–7,000 |
| RMLNLU Lucknow | 11,228 | 11,094 (R5 confirmed) |
| HNLU Raipur | ~7,350 (R1 est.) | 7,216 (R5 confirmed) |
Source: CLAT 2025 figures from Consortium of NLUs seat allotment data (Round 3). CLAT 2026 figures from Round 3 and Round 5 allotment data as published.
Factors Affecting the CLAT 2026 SC Category Cutoff
The SC closing rank after Round 5 is shaped by several variables. Understanding these helps you read the expected figures more accurately.
- SC seat count per NLU: Each NLU allocates 15% of its total approved intake to SC. NLUs with larger sanctioned intakes offer more SC seats, allowing more waitlisted students to get allotted and pushing the closing rank numerically higher.
- Exam difficulty: A harder CLAT 2026 paper compresses scores and shifts rank distributions, which can widen or narrow the gap between opening and closing SC ranks at any NLU.
- Seat withdrawal rate: Students who do not pay the acceptance fee by the deadline free seats for lower-ranked applicants. High withdrawal rates extend the closing rank significantly in later rounds — especially at mid and lower-tier NLUs.
- Programme type: NLUs offering BA LLB, BSc LLB, and BBA LLB tracks publish separate SC cutoffs per programme. The BA LLB track typically closes at a lower rank number because applicant preference is higher.
- Home-state domicile sub-quota: Several NLUs earmark a portion of SC seats for state-domicile students. The home-state SC sub-quota closing rank differs from the all-India SC closing rank at those NLUs.
- Round-wise movement: Closing ranks after Round 5 are always numerically higher than after Round 1 because withdrawals accumulate across rounds. NLUs like RMLNLU Lucknow show minimal movement from Round 1 (11,064) to Round 5 (11,094), indicating very low withdrawal rates at that NLU.
CLAT 2026 SC Category Cutoff FAQs
Ques. What is the CLAT 2026 SC closing rank at NLSIU Bengaluru after Round 5?
Ans. Round 3 official data shows the NLSIU Bengaluru SC closing rank as 3,142. The Round 5 figure is expected to be between 3,200 and 3,500. Confirmed Round 5 data will be available on the Consortium portal at consortiumofnlus.ac.in/clat-2026 after the final allotment is published.
Ques. Which CLAT 2026 NLUs have confirmed SC closing ranks after Round 5?
Ans. As of June 2026, confirmed SC closing ranks after Round 5 are available for HNLU Raipur (7,216), RMLNLU Lucknow (11,094), and NLUO Cuttack (9,292). For other NLUs, figures in this article are expected based on earlier rounds and CLAT 2025 trends.
Ques. Why is the RMLNLU Lucknow SC closing rank much higher than NLSIU?
Ans. RMLNLU Lucknow has a large approved intake, which means more total SC seats. Students who are not allotted top-preference NLUs continue down the preference list, filling seats at Lucknow with higher rank numbers. The closing rank reflects how far the SC waitlist extends across all five rounds, not just the competition level at that NLU alone.
Ques. How many SC seats are available at each NLU in CLAT 2026?
Ans. Each NLU reserves 15% of its approved intake for SC students. The exact seat count differs NLU-by-NLU based on sanctioned strength. Individual NLU brochures on the Consortium portal at consortiumofnlus.ac.in/clat-2026 list the programme-wise seat breakdown including SC seats.
Ques. Does the SC cutoff differ between BA LLB and BSc LLB at the same NLU?
Ans. Yes. NLUs like WBNUJS Kolkata and NLIU Bhopal publish separate SC opening and closing ranks for each programme. The BA LLB track typically closes at a lower rank number (higher competition) than BSc LLB because more students preference the BA LLB programme.
Ques. Where can I check official CLAT 2026 SC cutoffs round by round?
Ans. Official round-wise SC cutoff data is published by the Consortium of NLUs after each allotment at consortiumofnlus.ac.in/clat-2026. Navigate to the allotment list for each round to see the SC opening and closing ranks per NLU.
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