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📝 SLA Blog — Expert Guide

Top 10 National Law Universities (NLUs) in India 2026 — Complete Guide

By Surya Law Academy  |  March 1, 2026  |  5 min read

India has 22 National Law Universities (NLUs) admitting students through CLAT. But not all NLUs are equal in reputation, placement, and career outcome. Here is the definitive ranking with CLAT cut-offs to help you set your target score.

Top 10 NLUs — Rankings & CLAT Cut-offs 2025

Rank NLU Name Location CLAT Cut-off (General)
1 NLSIU Bangalore Bangalore, Karnataka AIR ~80
2 NALSAR Hyderabad Hyderabad, Telangana AIR ~200
3 NLIU Bhopal Bhopal, MP AIR ~350
4 WBNUJS Kolkata Kolkata, West Bengal AIR ~400
5 NLU Jodhpur Jodhpur, Rajasthan AIR ~500
6 HNLU Raipur Raipur, Chhattisgarh AIR ~700
7 GNLU Gandhinagar Gandhinagar, Gujarat AIR ~800
8 RMLNLU Lucknow Lucknow, UP AIR ~1000
9 RGNLU Patiala Patiala, Punjab AIR ~1200
10 CNLU Patna Patna, Bihar AIR ~1500

Best NLU for North India Students

RGNLU Patiala is the home NLU for Punjab and Haryana students with state quota seats. Students from Punjab get a significant advantage in RGNLU admissions through domicile quota. Our students from Surya Law Academy have secured seats at RGNLU Patiala, NLU Jodhpur, WBNUJS Kolkata, and NLSIU Bangalore.

NLU Delhi (AILET) — Special Case

NLU Delhi is not part of the CLAT consortium. It conducts its own AILET exam separately. With only ~110 UG seats and massive national competition, NLU Delhi AIR 1 is one of the most coveted positions in Indian legal education.

Army Institute of Law — Mohali

For Punjab/Haryana students, Army Institute of Law (AIL) Mohali is a premium option. Our student Navneet Kaur secured AIR 2 in AIL 2025. AIL is not an NLU but offers excellent legal education and placement with Army-backed infrastructure.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Which is the best NLU in India?
NLSIU Bangalore is consistently ranked #1 NLU in India with the best placements, faculty, and international recognition. It requires approximately AIR 80 in CLAT for general category.
❓ Which NLU is best for Punjab students?
RGNLU Patiala is the NLU for Punjab with state quota advantages. Army Institute of Law Mohali is another excellent option. Our students have also secured seats at NLU Jodhpur and WBNUJS Kolkata.
❓ How many NLUs are there in India?
There are 22 National Law Universities in India, all admitting students through CLAT. NLU Delhi conducts its own separate AILET exam and is not part of the CLAT consortium.

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