Law Exam Cutoffs 2026 India | CLAT NLU-Wise, AILET, SLAT, CLAT PG, MH CET Law & Judiciary Cutoffs

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1. What Is a Law Exam Cutoff?

A law exam cutoff is the minimum rank, score, or percentile that a candidate must achieve in a particular law entrance examination to be considered for admission to a specific law college or programme. In India, law education involves multiple entrance exams | each with its own cutoff structure, administered by different authorities.

For NLU admissions through CLAT, the cutoff is expressed as an All India Rank (AIR) | the closing rank up to which seats were allotted in each round of counselling. For AILET (NLU Delhi), it is typically expressed as a score out of 150 and the corresponding rank. For SLAT (Symbiosis), it is a score out of 60. For judicial service exams, cutoffs are expressed as percentage of marks in the Preliminary and Mains stages.

All cutoffs in this guide are for the All India (AI) quota unless otherwise stated. State/Home State quota cutoffs are lower and published separately by each NLU.

2. CLAT 2026 NLU-Wise Cutoffs | All Categories, Round 1

The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 2026 was conducted on December 7, 2025, with results declared on December 16, 2025. The first seat allotment (Round 1) was published by the Consortium of National Law Universities on January 7, 2026. Below are the official Round 1 closing ranks for all participating NLUs | the most competitive and widely referenced cutoff data.

Note: Figures marked with ~ are estimates based on official Round 1 data and verified year-on-year trends. For official and round-specific data, visit the CLAT Consortium's official website. State/Home State quota figures are not included | these are lower and vary significantly.

3. CLAT 2026 | NLU Tier-Wise Cutoff Analysis

Understanding NLUs in terms of tiers helps you set a realistic target rank and build a smart preference list during counselling. Here is a summary of tier-wise General category cutoff bands:

4. CLAT Category-Wise Cutoff Analysis | SC, ST, OBC, EWS

One of the most poorly understood aspects of CLAT cutoffs is the massive difference in cutoffs across categories. Reserved category candidates can secure seats at top NLUs with significantly higher AIR numbers than General category students. Here is a comparative analysis:

5. AILET 2026 | NLU Delhi Cutoff

NLU Delhi (National Law University Delhi) does not participate in the CLAT Consortium. It conducts its own entrance exam | the All India Law Entrance Test (AILET) | for admission to its highly sought-after BA LLB (Hons.) and LLM programmes. NLU Delhi has only 123 UG seats, making it extremely competitive.

AILET is scored out of 150 marks (150 MCQs, 1 mark each, –0.25 negative marking). The expected cutoff marks for General category BA LLB is approximately 90–100 out of 150. Official cutoffs are published on the NLU Delhi official website after each counselling round.

6. CLAT PG 2026 | LLM Cutoffs (NLU-Wise)

The CLAT PG (Postgraduate) is conducted for admission to 1-year LLM programmes at 26 participating NLUs. It is scored out of 120 marks (120 comprehension-based questions). The cutoff is expressed as an All India Rank (AIR) | similar to CLAT UG.

CLAT PG cutoffs are significantly more accessible than CLAT UG cutoffs, because the pool of LLM aspirants is smaller than CLAT UG applicants. A score of 85–90 out of 120 in CLAT PG is typically sufficient for top-5 NLU LLM consideration in the General category. The 5th Merit List for CLAT PG 2026 was released on May 15, 2026, with counselling ongoing.

7. SLAT 2026 | Symbiosis Law School Cutoffs

The Symbiosis Law Admission Test (SLAT) is conducted by Symbiosis International University (SIU) for admission to its four constituent law schools. SLAT is significantly less competitive than CLAT or AILET in terms of both difficulty and cutoff pressure. The SLAT 2026 was conducted in two phases: Phase 1 on December 20, 2025, and Phase 2 on December 28, 2025.

SLAT is scored out of 60 marks (60 MCQs, 1 mark each, no negative marking). The final admission considers: SLAT score (50 weight) + Personal Interview/PI round (50 weight). The PI evaluates communication skills, GK, and legal aptitude. SLAT is generally considered more accessible than CLAT | candidates scoring 40+ consistently secure admission to at least one SLS campus.

8. MH CET Law 2026 Cutoff | Maharashtra State

The MH CET Law is the Maharashtra state-level law entrance examination conducted by the Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test Cell for admission to 5-year integrated LLB and 3-year LLB programmes at law colleges in Maharashtra. It is separate from CLAT and is the primary admission route for Maharashtra state law colleges.

9. AP LAWCET, TS LAWCET & Other State Law Entrance Cutoffs

Many states conduct their own law entrance exams for admission to state law colleges that do not participate in CLAT. Here is a summary of the major state law exams and their typical cutoffs:

10. Judicial Service Exam Cutoffs 2026 | State-Wise

The State Judicial Service Examinations (also called PCS-J, Civil Judge exams) are separate from law college entrance exams. They are conducted by State Public Service Commissions or High Courts for recruitment to the subordinate judiciary. Cutoffs here are expressed as qualifying percentages in the Preliminary and Mains stages.

11. Factors That Affect Law Exam Cutoffs | How They Are Determined

Law exam cutoffs are not fixed | they shift every year based on a combination of factors. Understanding these helps you predict whether cutoffs will rise or fall in a given year:

12. Score Targeting Strategy for CLAT 2027 | What Rank Gets You Where

Planning for CLAT 2027? Here is a score-to-rank-to-college targeting guide based on 2026 data. Use this to set your preparation benchmark:

13. Frequently Asked Questions | Law Exam Cutoffs 2026