Overview
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Law University (DBRANLU), Sonipat, is Haryana's National Law University, named after the architect of the Indian Constitution, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. It was established under a 2012 state Act, and admitted its first BA LLB batch in 2019, making it one of the newer functioning NLUs. It admits students through CLAT and is based at Rajiv Gandhi Education City in Rai, Sonipat, within easy reach of Delhi. DBRANLU offers a full NLU education at a moderate fee, with a broad foundational curriculum. This profile covers its ranking, courses, eligibility, admission, seats, cutoff, fees, hostel, scholarships and placements.
Ranking and reputation of DBRANLU
DBRANLU is one of the newer NLUs, with its first BA LLB batch admitted only in 2019, and it did not feature in the NIRF 2025 top 40 law list, so it is best judged on its NLU status, its location near Delhi and its developing outcomes rather than a NIRF number. It was placed 30th by Outlook in 2024. As Haryana's NLU with a campus in the National Capital Region's education hub, it draws a strong applicant pool.
Courses offered at DBRANLU
DBRANLU's flagship programme is the five-year integrated BA LLB (Hons), admitted through CLAT, with a broad foundation in the early years spanning subjects such as English, Hindi, Sanskrit, economics and history alongside law. At the postgraduate level it offers a one-year LLM through CLAT PG, a merit-based PG Diploma in Corporate Law, and PhD programmes. Most CLAT aspirants target the BA LLB, which is the focus of the sections below unless stated otherwise.
DBRANLU eligibility criteria
For the BA LLB (Hons), you must have passed class 12 or an equivalent examination with at least 45 percent marks, or 40 percent for candidates in the SC and ST categories. Candidates awaiting their class 12 results may apply and appear for CLAT, subject to meeting the requirement at admission, and there is no upper age limit. For the LLM, you need an LLB degree with at least 50 percent marks, or 45 percent for SC and ST candidates.
DBRANLU admission process and how to apply
DBRANLU admits students to the BA LLB and LLM only through CLAT, run by the Consortium of National Law Universities, with the LLM through CLAT PG. Register for CLAT on the Consortium website during the application window, appear for the exam, and after results take part in the centralised CLAT counselling, placing DBRANLU high in your preference order. Haryana domicile candidates should claim the state quota with the required documents. If a seat is allotted, you report to the Sonipat campus for document verification and fee payment. PhD admission is through UGC NET or JRF or the university's own entrance test.
DBRANLU seats and reservation
DBRANLU offers 120 seats in the BA LLB (Hons) and 20 in the LLM, along with 30 in the PG Diploma in Corporate Law. Of the BA LLB seats, a share is reserved for Haryana home-state candidates and the rest are open to all-India applicants, with Haryana state reservation of 20 percent for SC, 8 percent each for BC-A and BC-B and 10 percent for EWS, plus 4 percent horizontal reservation for persons with disabilities. The home-state quota makes Haryana domicile seats close at more relaxed ranks than the all-India list.
DBRANLU CLAT cutoff
DBRANLU is a mid-tier NLU by cutoff, and its position has firmed up as the university has matured. In the general all-India category, its BA LLB (Hons) has closed within roughly the top 1665 to 2050 CLAT ranks in recent years, with the round one general rank around 1665 in 2026 and a 2025 closing near 1930. Reserved categories and Haryana home-state seats close at more relaxed ranks. The category-wise all-India closing ranks for the BA LLB in 2026 round one are below.
| Category | BA LLB all-India closing rank, 2026 |
|---|---|
| General | Around 1665 |
| EWS | Around 2594 |
| OBC | Around 3409 |
| SC | Around 11562 |
| ST | Around 20080 |
To check whether your expected rank is in range, use the CLAT college predictor, and see the NLU cut-offs page for round by round closing ranks.
DBRANLU fees
DBRANLU's fee is moderate for an NLU. Tuition for the BA LLB (Hons) is about 1.78 lakh rupees a year, which works out to roughly 9 lakh rupees in tuition over the five years, with hostel, mess and other charges added separately. The manageable fee, along with scholarships, keeps DBRANLU accessible.
| Fee component (BA LLB) | Approximate amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition, per year | About 1.78 lakh rupees |
| Five-year tuition | About 9 lakh rupees |
Hostel and mess charges apply separately. To compare DBRANLU against the other NLUs on total cost, see the NLU fees comparison.
DBRANLU hostel and campus
DBRANLU is located at Rajiv Gandhi Education City in Rai, Sonipat, a planned education hub in the National Capital Region. The campus offers Wi-Fi enabled and air-conditioned classrooms, a library, hostels and an internship and placement cell. Its proximity to Delhi is a real advantage, giving students access to the capital's courts, law firms and internship opportunities while studying on a modern campus.
Scholarships at DBRANLU
DBRANLU offers a good range of financial support, including university merit scholarships, Haryana State Government scholarships, an NLU aspirant scheme, and post-matric scholarships for SC, BC and EWS students through Haryana Saksham and the National Scholarship Portal, along with need-based aid. Read each year's official notification for the current eligibility bands and amounts.
DBRANLU placements: outcomes
DBRANLU's placement record is still developing, which is expected for a university whose first BA LLB batch was admitted in 2019 and has only recently begun graduating. The university runs an internship and placement cell that is building recruiter relationships and internship pipelines, and its location near Delhi supports access to firms and chambers in the capital. As with other new NLUs, many students pursue litigation, the judiciary and higher studies while the corporate placement base grows. For how the NLUs compare on placements once the data matures, see the NLU placements comparison.
Related NLUs
Comparing your options is the smart way to build a CLAT preference list. See the profiles of the premier NLUs: NLSIU Bengaluru, NLU Delhi, NALSAR Hyderabad, WBNUJS Kolkata and GNLU Gandhinagar, or return to the NLU profiles hub for the full list.
How to get into DBRANLU
Because DBRANLU closes within roughly the top 1665 to 2050 general-category ranks for the BA LLB, it is a realistic target for a solid CLAT score, and the Haryana home-state quota helps local candidates considerably. Aim for steady accuracy across the comprehension-heavy English, current affairs, legal reasoning, logical reasoning and quantitative sections, with enough mock-test practice to hold a strong rank. Law Prep Tutorial Delhi trains aspirants for these NLU cutoffs. Explore the college predictor to see your realistic NLU options, then return to the NLU profiles hub to build your full preference list.