AILET 2026 Cutoff: Final Merit List Out, Category Wise Closing Rank and Marks vs Rank

The AILET 2026 cutoff at National Law University Delhi (NLU Delhi) has been officially declared across all four counselling rounds. The final merit list was released on May 5, 2026. The General category closing rank for BA LLB (5-year Hons) stands at approximately rank 78 in the final round. The LLM (1-year) programme closed at rank 48 for the General All India quota. You can check all official category-wise closing ranks at nationallawuniversitydelhi.in.

AILET 2026 counselling concluded in May 2026. All four merit lists are now out. The General category BA LLB closing rank is approximately rank 78 and the LLM General AI closing rank is 48 (4th and final merit list, May 5, 2026).

Here are the key highlights you should know about the AILET 2026 cutoff:

• The AILET 2026 BA LLB General category closing rank stands at approximately rank 78 in the final merit list. This is a relaxation of 13 ranks compared to 2025 (rank 65).
• The LLM General AI quota closed at rank 48 in the 4th merit list. The LLM General Female supernumerary quota closed at rank 53.
• The OBC-NCL category closing rank for BA LLB reached approximately rank 560. SC closed at around rank 960 and ST at approximately rank 3,050.
• NLU Delhi offered 120 seats for BA LLB and 81 seats for LLM through AILET 2026. About 2,787 candidates appeared for the LLM entrance alone.
• The EWS category closing rank for BA LLB stood at approximately rank 228 in the final round. This is consistent with 2024 and 2025 EWS levels.
• 30% of seats in every category at NLU Delhi are reserved as supernumerary female seats. Female candidates compete within this sub-pool at a slightly relaxed closing rank.
• The AILET 2026 result was declared on December 18, 2025. NLU Delhi released four merit lists between January 8 and May 5, 2026.

Key Summary

• AILET 2026 is conducted by NLU Delhi for BA LLB (5-year Hons) and LLM (1-year) admissions — 120 and 81 seats respectively.
• The General AI quota closing rank for BA LLB is approximately rank 78 (4th merit list, May 2026). LLM General AI closed at rank 48.
• NLU Delhi runs a 30% female-supernumerary quota within each category. Female candidates get separate and slightly relaxed closing ranks.
• Reserved category closing ranks in 2026 are higher than in 2024 for BA LLB. This reflects a significantly expanded AILET candidate pool in the 2025–26 cycle.
• All four counselling rounds concluded by May 9, 2026. No spot rounds are offered for AILET at NLU Delhi.

AILET Cutoff 2026: Important Dates

The AILET 2027 notification is the only upcoming event as of July 2026. All AILET 2026 admission milestones have concluded. The table lists upcoming events first, followed by 2026 milestones in chronological order.

Factors Affecting AILET 2026 Cutoff

Several factors decide where the AILET cutoff lands each year. Knowing these helps you set realistic score targets for future cycles.

• Total candidates who appear for the exam: More candidates spread across the same number of seats push reserved-category closing ranks further down the merit list. AILET 2026 had about 2,787 candidates for LLM alone. Any sharp rise in applicants in future cycles will shift SC and ST closing ranks upward.
• Number of available seats: NLU Delhi fixed 120 seats for BA LLB and 81 for LLM in 2026. If seats increase in a future cycle, closing ranks will relax. If seats stay unchanged with more candidates, competition tightens.
• Exam difficulty level: A harder paper compresses scores at the top of the merit list. When many candidates score similarly, the General closing rank widens slightly. An easier paper sharpens competition and tightens that rank.
• Category-wise applicant composition: The SC closing rank for BA LLB shifted from 320 in 2024 to 1,350 in 2025. That is a difference of 1,030 ranks. This happened because many more SC candidates appeared in 2025. A larger pool for any category spreads its members further down the overall merit list.
• Candidate withdrawals between merit lists: Each time a student withdraws from a merit list, their seat reopens for the next candidate on the waitlist. The 3rd and 4th merit lists exist to fill these vacated seats. Historically, each AILET merit list relaxes the General closing rank by 5 to 15 ranks.
• Female supernumerary quota fill rate: NLU Delhi reserves 30% of each category’s seats for female candidates. The female closing rank is typically 5 to 15 ranks more relaxed than the open-pool rank in the same category.
• NRI quota uptake: NLU Delhi offers separate NRI and NRI-sponsored seats. If NRI-quota seats go unfilled, they do not transfer to the All-India quota. This means the NRI pool does not directly change All-India closing ranks.

AILET 2026 Cutoff: Programme-Wise Closing Ranks

AILET 2026 covers two main programmes at NLU Delhi — the BA LLB (5-year Hons) and the LLM (1-year). Each has its own merit list and category-wise closing ranks. The PGIP (MA/LLM in Insolvency) is a 24-month programme with a separate selection process. It involves a written test, group discussion, and personal interview. Its admission is not purely rank-based and is not covered in the tables below.

The table below shows the final-round closing ranks for both programmes in AILET 2026 (4th merit list, May 5, 2026).

The LLM programme closes at rank 48 (General AI) versus approximately rank 78 for BA LLB. In 2026, approximately 48 out of 2,787 LLM candidates in the General category secured admission. This makes NLU Delhi’s LLM one of the most selective postgraduate law programmes in India.

The AILET LLM General AI closing rank of 48 tells you how selective NLU Delhi is. You need to be in the top 48 out of 2,787 LLM candidates. That secures a General AI seat under open merit.

AILET 2026 Cutoff: Category-Wise

The tables below give category-wise closing ranks for both BA LLB and LLM in AILET 2026. These are from the 4th and final merit list. Each rank is the All India Rank of the last student admitted in that category.

BA LLB (5-Year Hons) — Category-Wise Closing Ranks (Final Round):

LLM (1-Year) — Category-Wise Closing Ranks (Final Round):

PwD (Persons with Disability) reservation at NLU Delhi is horizontal. PwD candidates compete within their own category for horizontally reserved seats. Check the official NLU Delhi notice at nationallawuniversitydelhi.in for PwD-specific closing ranks within your category.

AILET 2026 Cutoff: Round-Wise (Merit List-Wise)

NLU Delhi released four merit lists for both BA LLB and LLM in 2026. Each successive merit list carries a more relaxed (higher number) closing rank. Some students from earlier rounds withdraw to join other institutions. Their vacated seats reopen for candidates next on the waitlist.

BA LLB — Round-Wise Closing Ranks:

LLM — Round-Wise Closing Ranks:

The LLM General AI closing rank moved from 41 in the 1st merit list to 48 in the 4th. That is a shift of 7 ranks across four rounds. For BA LLB, the General AI closing rank moved from 60 to approximately 78. That is a shift of 18 ranks from the 1st to the 4th merit list. The larger shift for BA LLB suggests a higher withdrawal rate among top-ranked candidates. These students likely accepted offers from other programmes or institutions.

AILET 2026 Cutoff: All-India Quota vs NRI Quota

NLU Delhi admits students through two separate pools for BA LLB and LLM. Your pool determines which closing rank applies to you.

The All-India quota closing ranks are the ones published in the four merit lists. The NRI quota operates as a separate, smaller pool. NRI-quota seats do not transfer to the All-India pool if unfilled. This means they do not affect AI closing ranks.

AILET Previous Year Cutoff Trends

Tracking AILET cutoffs across four years shows how competition at NLU Delhi has evolved. The analysis below covers both BA LLB and LLM using final-round closing ranks.

BA LLB — Category-Wise Final Closing Rank (2023–2026):

LLM — General AI Closing Rank (Final Round, 2024–2026):

The BA LLB General closing rank tightened by 5 ranks between 2023 and 2025 (from 70 to 65). It then relaxed by 13 ranks in 2026 (to 78). For LLM, the closing rank moved from 51 in 2024 to 45 in 2025 — a tightening of 6 ranks — then relaxed by 3 ranks to 48 in 2026.

At the General category level, swings of 5 to 13 ranks are significant given the small seat pool at NLU Delhi. The OBC-NCL closing rank for BA LLB shifted from 148 in 2024 to 380 in 2025. That is a difference of 232 ranks. It then moved to approximately 560 in 2026 — a further shift of 180 ranks. This steady rise reflects a growing AILET candidate pool. As more candidates appear each year, the last admitted OBC student holds a higher overall rank. The number of OBC seats stays fixed throughout.

AILET Cutoff: Counselling Process and Allocation

NLU Delhi runs its own in-house counselling for AILET. There is no JoSAA or external body involved. The process follows a merit-list model with four rounds for both BA LLB and LLM.

• Step 1 — Result and Merit List: NLU Delhi declares the AILET result and releases the 1st merit list. You check your rank and category standing on the official website.
• Step 2 — Fee Payment: If your name appears in a merit list, you pay the counselling fee to confirm your seat. In 2026, the fee was Rs. 30,000 for General/OBC/EWS and Rs. 20,000 for SC/ST/PwD candidates.
• Step 3 — Document Verification: You attend in-person document verification at NLU Delhi. Original certificates for education, category, and identity are checked.
• Step 4 — Seat Confirmation or Withdrawal: You either confirm the seat or withdraw. Withdrawals trigger the next merit list for candidates next on the waitlist.
• Step 5 — Subsequent Merit Lists: Rounds 2, 3, and 4 follow the same sequence. Closing ranks gradually relax with each round as vacated seats reopen.
• Step 6 — Final Admission: After the 4th merit list, all seats are declared filled. NLU Delhi does not conduct spot rounds for AILET. The 4th merit list is the final opportunity.

You should monitor the official website closely between merit lists. NLU Delhi sends notifications by email and posts updates at nationallawuniversitydelhi.in.