What is CLAT Cutoff?

CLAT cutoff refers to the minimum scores or ranks required for admission to various National Law Universities (NLUs) and other participating law schools through the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT). The cutoff marks or ranks are determined based on factors such as the difficulty level of the exam, the number of applicants, and the availability of seats in each institution.

NLUs Cutoff

As the majority of the top institutes that accept admission via CLAT are NLUs; these cutoffs are associated with cutoffs for NLUs.

The NLUs cutoff is crucial for aspirants as it serves as a benchmark to assess their chances of securing admission to their preferred law schools. Since the counselling session has just begun, our CL-LST experts have predicted the cutoffs for top NLUs in the table below.

CLAT 2025 Top NLUs Cutoff

University

Location

General Cutoff

National Law School of India University (NLSIU)

Bengaluru

95.5

NALSAR University of Law (NALSAR)

Hyderabad

94

The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS)

Kolkata

92.75

National Law University (NLUJ)

Jodhpur

91.25

Gujarat National Law University (GNLU)

Gandhinagar

90

National Law Institute University (NLIU)

Bhopal

89.5

Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU)

Mumbai

88.75

National Law University Odisha (NLUO)

Cuttack

85.5

Hidyataullah National Law University (HNLU)

Raipur

87.75

Rajiv Gandhi National Law University (RGNUL)

Patiala

85.75

Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University (RMLNLU)

Lucknow

87.25

Chanakya National Law University (CNLU)

Patna

85

Moreover, CLAT cutoffs are often categorized based on different reservation criteria such as general, SC, ST, OBC, and PwD categories, ensuring equity in the admissions process.

For example: In CLAT 2025, the cutoffs for an SC or ST category student for admission will be very different from a General Category student.


How Are The CLAT Cutoffs Determined?

After the CLAT exam concludes and the results are announced, the determination of CLAT cutoffs involves a structured and methodical process:

1. CLAT Results:

Once the CLAT exam results are declared, the scores or ranks obtained by all the candidates are compiled centrally. These scores are then used as the basis for determining the cutoff marks/ranks.

2. Release of Cutoff Lists

Subsequently, each NLU releases a list of minimum marks or ranks required for admission to their respective courses. These cutoffs are typically categorized based on various reservation criteria to ensure equitable access to seats.

3. Multiple Allotment Lists

To facilitate the filling of available seats, the Consortiums may release multiple allotment lists. As candidates accept or decline offers of admission, subsequent allotment lists are published until all seats are filled.

This is done considering seat availability and reservation criteria and releasing multiple allotment lists to ensure a fair and transparent admission process for aspirants seeking to pursue law studies at prestigious NLUs.


Key Factors Influencing The CLAT 2025 Expected Cut-Offs

Here are some important result dates for CLAT 2025

The cut-offs of any exam let alone CLAT is influenced by some basic, logical factors that are based on the concept of demand and some complex exam-specific factors. We are going to mention both below:

1. Exam Difficulty: 

It is a crucial factor affecting the cut-off score—a more difficult test tends to result in a lower cut-off score and vice versa is applicable when the difficulty level is on the easier side.

For example, in CLAT 2024, cut-off scores were on the higher side as the exam was on the easier side

2. Number of Applicants: 

The number of applicants taking the exam has an inverse relationship with the cut-off score. If the number of applicants drastically increases with the same number of seats in the colleges; then the cut-off tends to rise, while the opposite is true when there is a decrease in the number of applicants.

3. Number of Seats: 

If the number of seats in the colleges for which the exam is being conducted increases, then the cut-offs tend to decrease given all the above factors remain constant.

4. Reservation Policies: 

Different categories (General, OBC, SC, ST, EWS, etc.) have specific qualifying marks based on the number of reserved seats, affecting cut-offs for admissions.

5. Domicile Quotas: 

Some NLUs offer domicile-based reservations, where candidates from the home state may have different cut-offs compared to out-of-state candidates.

For example: NLS Bangalore has a horizontal domicile reservation that benefits the candidates of Karnataka.

So as aspirants would have gathered by now, cut-offs play an important role or rather the end goal to meet for any aspirant. CLAT 2025 would be no different. Here’s a snapshot by our experts on what to expect in the Cut-off section of CLAT 2025.


Expected CLAT 2025 Cut-Off

Since the exam hasn’t happened yet, it is difficult to comment upon the expected cut off. But we have made some predictions based on the previous year’s cut-offs.

Category

Expected Cut-Off Marks (120 Total)

General

85-96

OBC and SC/ST

70-80

One must remember that this data is based on our prediction and general trend. One can only gather perfect clarity by analysing the immediate predecessor of this exam; ie, CLAT 2024.


CLAT 2024 Cut-Off Marks [as per CLAT Fifth Allotment]

NLUs

General 

(Opening Rank - Closing Rank) 

OBC 

(Opening Rank - Closing Rank) 

SC 

(Opening Rank - Closing Rank) 

ST 

(Opening Rank - Closing Rank) 

NLSIU Bangalore 

1-102

107-971

372-3007

224-7487

NALSAR Hyderabad 

4-167

189-1116

319-3574

263-6083 

WBNUJS [BA LLB]

140-279

Reserved for WB Domicile

2056-4503

2856-8860

WBNUJS [BSc LLB]

289-1010

Reserved for WB Domicile

4663-8958

11405-11917

NLIU Bhopal [BA LLB] 

159-452

879-1315 

3161-5178

8860-11527

NLIU Bhopal [BSc LLB]

187-1047

1112-1959

6497-7622

3764-15219

NLU Jodhpur 

112-379

487-1424

3574-5178

4411-8960

HNLU Raipur 

413-791

1858-2069

5192-6765

9218-12035

GNLU Gandhinagar 

8-464

1284-1858

4988-6175

7712-11580

RMLNLU Lucknow 

357-764

Reserved for UP Domicile

Reserved for UP Domicile

Reserved for UP Domicile

RGNUL Punjab

220-1250

-

3234-10253

9562-16875

CNLU Patna [BA LLB]

790-1358

-

Reserved for Bihar Domicile

Reserved for Bihar Domicile

CNLU Patna [BBA LLB]

1051-1552

-

Reserved for Bihar Domicile

Reserved for Bihar Domicile

NUALS Kochi 

231-1136

-

Reserved for Kerala Domicile

Reserved for Kerala Domicile

NLU Odisha 

591-1205

5997-9869

11580-16676

NUSRL Ranchi 

637-1594 

1943-3005

5972-11124

16875-19635

TNNLU Tiruchirappalli [BA LLB] 

806-1628

1672-3135

10681-11289

Reserved for TN Domicile

TNNLU Tiruchirappalli [BCom LLB] 

821-1711

2178-3800

10861-12418

18980-21607

DSNLU Vishakhapatnam 

656-1390 

2068-2940

8057-10568

12009-18342

MNLU Mumbai 

222-590

Reserved for Mah Domicile

Reserved for Mah Domicile

Reserved for Mah Domicile

MNLU Nagpur [BA LLB]

491-1587

Reserved for Mah Domicile

Reserved for Mah Domicile

Reserved for Mah Domicile

MNLU Nagpur [BBA LLB]

784-1685 

Reserved for Mah Domicile

Reserved for Mah Domicile

Reserved for Mah Domicile

MNLU Aurangabad [BA LLB]

945-1832

Reserved for Mah Domicile

Reserved for Mah Domicile

Reserved for Mah Domicile

MNLU Aurangabad [BBA LLB]

681-2115

Reserved for Mah Domicile

Reserved for Mah Domicile

Reserved for Mah Domicile

NLUJA Assam

1400-1704 

Reserved for Assam Domicile

Reserved for Assam Domicile

Reserved for Assam Domicile

HPNLU Shimla [BA LLB]

885-2102

-

2387-12158 

12423-20412

HPNLU Shimla [BBA LLB]

1059-2150

-

9789-12740

18233-23188

MPDNLU Jabalpur 

1060-1824

2082-3445

3836-12556

12887-23145

DBRANLU Sonepat 

909-2050

2273-3861

10545-12447

17161-23000

GNLU, Silvassa 

593-1060

2103-2429

7751-10764

15471-16048

NLUT Agartala

1881-2243

-

Reserved for Tripura Domicile

Reserved for Tripura Domicile

The data mentioned above will give aspirants an idea about the trend and expectations based on the previous year.


CLAT Cutoff For Other Private Colleges

Candidates generally miss out on non-NLUs because of their primary focus of getting into NLUs. But this should not be the case because there are other options apart from NLUs that offer great options for securing a good law degree.

One must keep a note of the following factors while considering for private colleges via CLAT. Besides NLUs, there are over 60 government and private colleges accepting CLAT scores, such as Law College, Dehradun, Mody University, Asian Law College, and Xavier Law School.


Conclusion

Understanding the CLAT cutoff is essential for aspirants to make informed decisions about their choice of law schools and to strategize their preparation efforts effectively.

Keeping track of the cutoff trends and analyzing previous year cutoffs can aid aspirants in setting realistic goals and maximizing their chances of securing admission to the top law institutions in India. 

CLAT opens doors to top-notch placements in prestigious companies worldwide. And CLAT cutoff indicates the rank needed for admission to an NLU. It is crucial to meet the CLAT 2025 cutoff criteria for NLU admissions.