CLAT 2026 SC category expected AIR closing ranks start from around 2,900 at NLSIU Bangalore and exceed 25,000 at NLUJA Guwahati, based on round-wise CLAT 2025 allotment data across participating NLUs.
CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) is administered by the Consortium of National Law Universities for admission to BA LLB (Hons) and LLM programmes. SC students receive 15% reservation in each participating NLU and are ranked through a category merit list. The closing rank shown here is the Overall All India Rank (AIR) of the last SC candidate allotted a seat at that NLU in a given counselling round. All figures below are expected based on CLAT 2025 round-wise data and will be updated once the Consortium publishes official CLAT 2026 round-wise cutoffs.
- SC reservation: 15% of sanctioned seats in each NLU, filled via the SC merit list.
- CLAT 2026 total marks: 120 (120 questions, 1 mark each, minus 0.25 for each wrong answer).
- Closing rank shown is the Overall AIR of the last SC student admitted, not the SC category rank.
- NLSIU Bangalore, NALSAR Hyderabad and WBNUJS Kolkata have the most competitive SC cutoffs among participating NLUs.
- All cutoffs listed are expected based on CLAT 2025 trends; official CLAT 2026 round-wise cutoffs will be published by the Consortium on its website.
| Direct Link to CLAT 2026 Official Website (ACTIVE) — consortiumofnlus.ac.in/clat-2026 |
Expected CLAT 2026 SC Closing Ranks: College-Wise
The table lists expected SC category AIR closing ranks for NLUs participating in CLAT 2026 counselling. Figures are predicted based on CLAT 2025 round-wise allotment data and may shift by 5-10% depending on test difficulty, seat intake and total applicant volume for CLAT 2026.
| NLU | State | Expected SC AIR Closing Rank (CLAT 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| NLSIU Bangalore | Karnataka | 2,900 – 3,500 |
| NALSAR Hyderabad | Telangana | 3,100 – 4,000 |
| WBNUJS Kolkata | West Bengal | 3,800 – 4,900 |
| MNLU Mumbai | Maharashtra | 3,900 – 5,000 |
| NLU Jodhpur | Rajasthan | 4,500 – 5,700 |
| GNLU Gandhinagar | Gujarat | 5,700 – 6,800 |
| NLIU Bhopal | Madhya Pradesh | 5,600 – 6,800 |
| NLUO Cuttack | Odisha | 7,000 – 8,800 |
| HNLU Raipur | Chhattisgarh | 7,200 – 9,000 |
| RGNUL Patiala | Punjab | 8,000 – 10,200 |
| DSNLU Visakhapatnam | Andhra Pradesh | 9,000 – 11,500 |
| NUSRL Ranchi | Jharkhand | 9,500 – 12,000 |
| TNNLU Chennai | Tamil Nadu | 10,000 – 13,000 |
| RMLNLU Lucknow | Uttar Pradesh | 11,000 – 14,000 |
| MNLU Nagpur | Maharashtra | 12,000 – 15,000 |
| CNLU Patna | Bihar | 12,500 – 15,500 |
| HPNLU Shimla | Himachal Pradesh | 13,000 – 17,000 |
| NUALS Kochi | Kerala | 14,000 – 17,500 |
| MNLU Aurangabad | Maharashtra | 15,500 – 22,000 |
| DBRANLU Sonepat | Haryana | 18,000 – 26,000 |
| NLUJA Guwahati | Assam | 22,000 – 30,000 |
All ranks shown are Overall AIR. Expected figures based on CLAT 2025 counselling data.
CLAT 2025 SC Closing Ranks: Reference Data
CLAT 2025 round-wise SC allotment data is the strongest predictor for CLAT 2026 cutoffs. Final-round closing ranks are typically 10-20% higher than Round 1 figures as later rounds absorb students with progressively lower AIRs.
| NLU | CLAT 2025 SC AIR Closing Rank | Round |
|---|---|---|
| NLSIU Bangalore | 3,014 | Round 1 |
| NALSAR Hyderabad | 3,177 | Round 1 |
| WBNUJS Kolkata | 3,952 | Round 1 |
| MNLU Mumbai | 3,967 | Round 1 |
| NLU Jodhpur | 4,659 | Round 1 |
| GNLU Gandhinagar | 5,934 | Round 2 |
| NLIU Bhopal | 5,763 | Round 1 |
| NLUO Cuttack | 7,247 | Round 2 |
| HNLU Raipur | 7,350 | Round 1 |
| RGNUL Patiala | 8,126 | Round 1 |
| DSNLU Visakhapatnam | 9,330 | Round 2 |
| NUSRL Ranchi | 9,716 | Round 2 |
| TNNLU Chennai | 10,327 | Round 2 |
| RMLNLU Lucknow | 11,228 | Round 2 |
| NLUJA Guwahati | 25,783 | Round 2* |
* NLUJA Guwahati figure may include state-domicile sub-quota effects.
Factors Affecting CLAT SC Category Cutoff
These factors determine how much CLAT 2026 SC closing ranks shift from CLAT 2025 figures:
- SC applicant volume: A larger pool of SC students in CLAT 2026 increases competition for the same reserved seats, pushing closing ranks to higher AIR numbers.
- Paper difficulty: A harder CLAT 2026 paper compresses score distributions; fewer students crossing higher score bands may ease SC closing ranks for mid-tier NLUs.
- Seat intake changes: Any NLU that expands its SC-reserved seats in 2026 will see its SC closing rank rise, making admission more accessible at that NLU.
- State domicile sub-quotas: NLUs such as RMLNLU Lucknow maintain a portion of seats for state-domicile students. SC candidates from those states compete for a separate sub-quota, affecting the All India SC closing rank independently.
- Counselling rounds: The Consortium typically holds 3-5 rounds. Each subsequent round redistributes vacated seats to students with lower AIRs, gradually raising closing ranks for lower-tier NLUs.
- Metro-NLU demand: Rising preference for NLUs in Mumbai and Bangalore compresses their SC cutoffs; less urban NLUs absorb the overspill as later counselling rounds progress.
CLAT 2026 SC Category Cutoff FAQs
Ques. What is the expected CLAT 2026 SC closing rank for NLSIU Bangalore?
Ans. Based on CLAT 2025 Round 1 data where NLSIU SC closed at AIR 3,014, the expected CLAT 2026 SC AIR closing rank at NLSIU Bangalore is approximately 2,900 to 3,500. These are predicted figures; official round-wise cutoffs will be published by the Consortium after each CLAT 2026 counselling round.
Ques. Is the CLAT SC closing rank the same as the SC category rank?
Ans. No. The CLAT SC closing rank is the Overall All India Rank (AIR) of the last SC student allotted a seat in that NLU in a given counselling round. The SC category rank is the candidate’s standing within the SC merit list alone. NLU allotment documents report Overall AIR for all categories including SC.
Ques. How many seats are reserved for SC students in each NLU under CLAT 2026?
Ans. SC students receive 15% of each NLU’s sanctioned intake. For an NLU with 120 BA LLB seats, approximately 18 go to SC students. Some NLUs also maintain state-domicile sub-quotas within the SC category, so All India SC seats at such institutions may be fewer than 15% of total intake.
Ques. What CLAT 2026 score is safe for SC students aiming at top NLUs?
Ans. SC students scoring 85 or above out of 120 in CLAT 2026 have strong chances at Tier-1 NLUs like NLSIU Bangalore and NALSAR Hyderabad. Scores in the 72-84 range are competitive for NLU Jodhpur, GNLU Gandhinagar and NLIU Bhopal. Scores between 62 and 72 may open mid-to-lower-tier NLU options. All bands are expected figures based on CLAT 2025 data.
Ques. Do CLAT SC closing ranks loosen in later counselling rounds?
Ans. Yes. In later counselling rounds, seats freed by students who upgrade to better NLUs are reallocated to students with lower AIRs. SC closing ranks (AIR numbers) go higher in later rounds, meaning students with worse overall ranks can secure admission at mid-tier and lower-tier NLUs. SC students who miss their preferred NLU in Round 1 should participate in all subsequent rounds.
Ques. Where can students check official CLAT 2026 SC category cutoffs?
Ans. The Consortium of NLUs publishes round-wise seat allotment lists with opening rank and closing rank for every category including SC after each counselling round. Students can access these on the official CLAT 2026 portal at consortiumofnlus.ac.in/clat-2026.
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