National Law Universities: Which NLUs Admit Through CLAT & AILET?

Chanakya National Law University (CNLU), Patna, is Bihar's flagship National Law University and one of the fastest-rising NLUs, climbing to 17th in the NIRF 2025 law list from 31st in 2024. It admits students through CLAT and offers 120 BA LLB (Hons) seats plus a BBA LLB. The five-year fee is only about 6.3 lakh rupees, among the most affordable NLUs, the general-category cutoff closes within roughly the top 1140 to 1400 CLAT ranks, and the median undergraduate placement was about 10.8 lakh rupees a year in the NIRF 2025 data, higher than several peers.

Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University (DSNLU), Visakhapatnam, is Andhra Pradesh's National Law University, established in 2008. It admits students through CLAT and offers about 120 BA LLB (Hons) seats. The five-year fee is about 10.05 lakh rupees, the general-category cutoff closes within roughly the top 1280 to 1680 CLAT ranks, and the median undergraduate placement was about 7.50 lakh rupees a year in the NIRF 2025 data, with a highest of about 25 lakh rupees. DSNLU was ranked 39th by NIRF and seventh by India Today in 2024.

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Law University (DBRANLU), Sonipat, is Haryana's National Law University, named after Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Established under a 2012 Act, it admitted its first BA LLB batch in 2019, making it one of the newer functioning NLUs. It admits students through CLAT, offers 120 BA LLB (Hons) seats, and charges tuition of about 1.78 lakh rupees a year. The general-category cutoff closed within roughly the top 1665 to 2050 CLAT ranks recently, with the 2026 round one rank around 1665. Its campus at Rajiv Gandhi Education City near Delhi gives strong access to the capital's legal ecosystem.

Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University (RMLNLU), Lucknow, is Uttar Pradesh's flagship National Law University, ranked 21st in the NIRF 2025 law list and eighth by India Today in 2024. It admits students through CLAT and offers about 160 BA LLB (Hons) seats. The five-year fee is about 8.4 lakh rupees, among the more affordable NLUs, the general-category cutoff closes within roughly the top 720 to 780 CLAT ranks, and the median undergraduate placement was about 7 lakh rupees a year in the NIRF 2025 data. RMLNLU is especially strong for litigation and judiciary careers.

Gujarat National Law University (GNLU), Gandhinagar, is India's fifth-ranked National Law University in the NIRF 2025 law list, up from eighth, and completes the premier tier. It admits students through CLAT and offers the widest range of integrated law degrees of any NLU, led by the five-year BA LLB (Hons). The all-inclusive five-year cost is about 12.5 to 13.5 lakh rupees, among the most affordable of the top five, the general-category cutoff closes within roughly the top 400 to 460 CLAT ranks, and the median undergraduate placement was about 18 lakh rupees a year in the NIRF 2025 data.

Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU), Raipur, is a respected government National Law University in Chhattisgarh, named after former Chief Justice of India Mohammad Hidayatullah. It admits students through CLAT and offers about 180 BA LLB (Hons) seats on a green, 65-acre fully residential campus. The total five-year fee is about 8.65 lakh rupees, among the more affordable NLUs, the general all-India cutoff closed around rank 736 to 858 in CLAT 2026, and recent placements averaged about 6 to 7 lakh rupees. HNLU is ranked among the top six law schools by India Today 2024, though it did not feature in the NIRF 2025 top 40.

Himachal Pradesh National Law University (HPNLU), Shimla, is Himachal Pradesh's National Law University, established in 2016 and ranked 34th in the NIRF 2025 law list. It admits students through CLAT and has a small intake of 60 BA LLB (Hons) seats. The five-year BA LLB costs about 16 lakh rupees all-inclusive, on the higher side for an NLU, and the general-category cutoff closed within roughly the top 1824 CLAT ranks in 2026. Its placements are strong for a newer NLU, with a median undergraduate package of about 10 lakh rupees a year in the NIRF 2025 data and recruiters including AZB and Partners and Khaitan and Co.

India International University of Legal Education and Research (IIULER), Goa, also called NLU Goa, is India's first international law university, established in 2022 by the Bar Council of India Trust. It admits students through CLAT as a Consortium member and offers 120 BA LLB (Hons) seats within a total of 220. Its defining feature is a premium fee: the annual fee is about 7.2 to 8.5 lakh rupees depending on CLAT rank, plus hostel of about 3.5 lakh rupees a year, far above most NLUs, though rank-based scholarships substantially reduce the cost for higher rankers. As a very new university, it does not yet feature in the NIRF rankings.

Maharashtra National Law University, Aurangabad (MNLU Aurangabad), is the 21st National Law University in India and the third of Maharashtra's NLUs, functioning from 2017. It admits students through CLAT and has a small intake of about 60 BA LLB (Hons) seats. The five-year law fee is roughly 10 to 12 lakh rupees for general candidates, with Maharashtra domicile concessions, the general-category cutoff closed around rank 1573 in CLAT 2026 round three, and the 2024 placements averaged about 6 lakh rupees a year. It is distinctive for a multidisciplinary spread that adds an MBA and an MA in Public Policy.

Maharashtra National Law University, Mumbai (MNLU Mumbai), is Maharashtra's National Law University in the state capital, established in 2014 and ranked 31st in the NIRF 2025 law list. It admits students through CLAT and offers around 120 BA LLB (Hons) seats. The five-year fee is roughly 9.5 to 12 lakh rupees for general candidates and about 6.7 lakh rupees for Maharashtra domicile candidates, the general round one cutoff closes around the top 500 CLAT ranks (extending to about 1473 in later rounds), and the median undergraduate placement was about 10 lakh rupees a year in the NIRF 2025 data. Its Mumbai location gives strong corporate and financial law exposure.

Maharashtra National Law University, Nagpur (MNLU Nagpur), is one of Maharashtra's three National Law Universities, ranked 28th in the NIRF 2025 law list, up from 34th in 2024. It began functioning in 2016, admits students through CLAT, and offers around 120 BA LLB seats including a distinctive honours stream in adjudication and justicing. The BA LLB fee is about 3.65 lakh rupees, among the more affordable NLUs, the general-category cutoff closes within roughly the top 1225 to 1400 CLAT ranks, and the median undergraduate placement was about 7 lakh rupees a year in the NIRF 2025 data.

NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, is India's third-ranked National Law University in the NIRF 2025 law list and one of the best law schools in the country. It offers 132 BA LLB (Hons) seats and admits students to its flagship five-year course only through CLAT, on merit. The BA LLB costs about 3.12 lakh rupees in the first year, the general-category cutoff closes within roughly the top 150 to 160 CLAT ranks, and the 2025 batch saw 100 percent placement with an average package of about 19 lakh rupees a year.

National Law Institute University (NLIU), Bhopal, founded in 1997, is one of the oldest National Law Universities, the third after NLSIU and NALSAR, and is ranked 27th in the NIRF 2025 law list. It admits students through CLAT and offers BA LLB and BSc LLB, with about 202 undergraduate seats. The all-inclusive five-year cost is about 19.5 to 20.5 lakh rupees, the general BA LLB cutoff closes within roughly the top 450 to 500 CLAT ranks, and the undergraduate average placement was about 16 lakh rupees a year in the NIRF 2025 data, with nearly 80 percent placed.

NLSIU Bangalore is India's first and top-ranked National Law University, placed 1st in the NIRF 2025 law list for the eighth year running. It offers 310 BA LLB (Hons) seats for 2026-27 and admits students to its flagship five-year course only through CLAT, on merit. The BA LLB costs about 5 lakh rupees in the first year, the general-category cutoff closes within roughly the top 100 to 120 CLAT ranks, and the median undergraduate placement was about 16 lakh rupees a year.

National Law University Meghalaya (NLU Meghalaya), Shillong, is one of India's newest National Law Universities, established in 2022. Its key recent development is that it has joined the Consortium of National Law Universities and, from the 2026-27 session, admits students through CLAT, having previously run its own entrance test. It offers BA LLB, BBA LLB and BSc LLB degrees, with a total undergraduate fee of about 9.78 lakh rupees. Because 2026-27 is its first CLAT-based intake, it does not yet have a CLAT cutoff history, and as a very new NLU it does not yet feature in the NIRF rankings.

National Law University Odisha (NLUO), Cuttack, is a well-placed established National Law University, ranked 15th in the NIRF 2025 law list. It admits students through CLAT and offers 120 BA LLB (Hons) seats, plus a distinctive BA LLB with Honours in Adjudication and Justicing and a BBA LLB. The five-year academic fee is about 9.6 lakh rupees, among the more affordable NLUs, the general-category cutoff closes within roughly the top 800 to 1050 CLAT ranks, and the 2025 placements averaged about 14.33 lakh rupees a year, ahead of many peers.

National Law University Tripura (NLUT), Agartala, is one of India's newest National Law Universities, the 25th, established in 2022. It admits students through CLAT and offers a five-year BA LLB (Hons) with 60 seats. NLU Tripura has one of the lowest fees of any NLU, with a five-year tuition of about 1 lakh rupees, and its general-category cutoff is among the more accessible, closing within roughly the top 2015 to 2855 CLAT ranks recently. As a very young university, it does not yet have an established placement record, with its first batch graduating around 2027.

National Law University and Judicial Academy, Assam (NLUJAA), Guwahati, is Northeast India's National Law University, ranked 35th in the NIRF 2025 law list. Established in 2009, it uniquely pairs a law university with a judicial academy. It admits students through CLAT and has a small intake of around 60 BA LLB (Hons) seats. The five-year fee is about 6.70 lakh rupees, among the more affordable NLUs, the general-category cutoff closes within roughly the top 1750 to 2150 CLAT ranks, and the median undergraduate placement was about 8.90 lakh rupees a year in the NIRF 2025 data.

National Law University Delhi is India's second-ranked National Law University in the NIRF 2025 law list and the only premier NLU that admits through AILET rather than CLAT. It offers 120 BA LLB (Hons) seats, of which about 110 are filled through AILET on merit. The all-inclusive five-year cost is about 20.5 to 21 lakh rupees, the general-category AILET cutoff closes within roughly the top 60 to 75 ranks, and the median undergraduate placement was about 18 lakh rupees a year in the NIRF 2025 data.

National Law University, Jodhpur (NLUJ), is one of India's most respected National Law Universities, especially known for corporate law, intellectual property and international trade law. It admits students through CLAT and offers about 130 BA LLB (Hons) seats plus a BBA LLB. The all-inclusive five-year cost is about 18 to 18.5 lakh rupees, the general-category cutoff closes within roughly the top 300 to 400 CLAT ranks, and its recent placements included a top domestic package of about 22.5 lakh rupees and a top international package of about 60 lakh rupees. NLUJ did not feature in the NIRF 2025 top 40, so weigh its specialisation and placements rather than a NIRF rank.

Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (RGNUL), Patiala, is Punjab's flagship National Law University, ranked 24th in the NIRF 2024 law category and seventh by Outlook in 2024. It admits students through CLAT and has one of the larger undergraduate intakes, with 240 BA LLB (Hons) seats. The five-year fee is roughly 8 to 10.5 lakh rupees, the general-category cutoff closes within roughly the top 1050 to 1300 CLAT ranks, and the median undergraduate placement was about 9 lakh rupees a year in the NIRF 2025 data. Its large intake makes it a realistic target for a solid CLAT score.

Tamil Nadu National Law University (TNNLU), Tiruchirappalli, is the first National Law University in Tamil Nadu, established in 2012. It admits students through CLAT and offers about 120 BA LLB (Hons) seats within a total intake of around 183. TNNLU is best known for having one of the lowest fee structures of any NLU, with a five-year BA LLB tuition of roughly 3 lakh rupees, backed by strong access-focused scholarships. The general-category cutoff closes within roughly the top 1370 to 1763 CLAT ranks, and graduates receive an average package of about 6 to 9 lakh rupees a year.

The National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS), Kochi, is the first and only National Law University in Kerala, established in 2005. It admits students through CLAT and is a small-batch institution with 60 BA LLB (Hons) seats. The five-year fee is about 9.96 lakh rupees, the general-category cutoff closes within roughly the top 1050 to 1200 CLAT ranks, and the median undergraduate placement was about 15 lakh rupees a year in the NIRF data, though many students choose litigation and higher studies over corporate placements. NUALS was ranked 38th by NIRF and ninth by India Today in 2024.