Overview
Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU), Raipur, is a respected government National Law University in Chhattisgarh, named after Justice Mohammad Hidayatullah, a former Chief Justice of India. Established in 2003 by the Government of Chhattisgarh, it sits on a green, 65-acre fully residential campus in Raipur and admits students through CLAT. HNLU is a strong choice for aspirants who narrowly miss the higher-ranked NLUs, offering solid academics, an active mooting culture, an affordable fee, and growing national recognition, especially for litigation and judiciary preparation. This profile covers its ranking, courses, eligibility, admission, seats, cutoff, fees, hostel, scholarships and placements.
Ranking and reputation of HNLU Raipur
HNLU Raipur is rated among India's top law schools by India Today, which placed it around fifth or sixth in its 2024 law ranking, and it is often counted among the top government law colleges. It did not feature in the NIRF 2025 top 40 law list, so its standing rests on its India Today ranking, its affordability and its outcomes rather than a NIRF number. HNLU is particularly valued by students focused on litigation, the judiciary and well-rounded legal training.
Courses offered at HNLU Raipur
HNLU's flagship programme is the five-year integrated BA LLB (Hons), admitted through CLAT. At the postgraduate level it offers a one-year LLM across multiple specialisations through CLAT PG, along with PhD research programmes for which the university runs its own entrance process. Most CLAT aspirants target the BA LLB, which is the focus of the sections below unless stated otherwise.
HNLU Raipur 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.
HNLU Raipur admission process and how to apply
HNLU admits students to the BA LLB and LLM only through CLAT, run by the Consortium of National Law Universities. 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 HNLU high in your preference order. Seats are allotted across five counselling rounds, and if a seat is allotted you report to the Raipur campus for document verification and hostel allotment. Admission is purely on CLAT merit. PhD admissions are handled separately through the university's own process.
HNLU Raipur seats and reservation
HNLU offers about 180 seats in the BA LLB (Hons). A large share of seats, around half, is reserved for Chhattisgarh domicile candidates, with the remainder open to all-India applicants, and seats are further reserved vertically for the SC, ST, OBC and EWS categories, with horizontal reservation for persons with disabilities. This heavy domicile quota means the effective all-India competition is for a smaller pool of seats, which lifts the all-India cutoff.
HNLU Raipur CLAT cutoff
HNLU is a mid-tier NLU by cutoff. In the general all-India category, its BA LLB (Hons) closed within roughly the top 736 to 858 CLAT ranks across the 2026 counselling rounds. Reserved categories close at more relaxed ranks, and Chhattisgarh domicile seats are more accessible than the all-India list. The category-wise all-India closing ranks for 2026 are below, and they shift each year with the applicant pool and counselling movement.
| Category | All-India closing rank, 2026 |
|---|---|
| General | Around 736 |
| OBC | Around 1994 |
| SC | Around 6464 |
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.
HNLU Raipur fees
HNLU is one of the more affordable NLUs. The total fee for the five-year BA LLB (Hons) is about 8.65 lakh rupees, and the LLM costs about 1.7 lakh rupees a year. Because HNLU is a government-funded, fully residential university, hostel accommodation is part of campus life, and the total cost is well below that of the premier NLUs. That affordability, set against a solid placement record, makes HNLU strong on value.
| Programme | Approximate fee |
|---|---|
| BA LLB (Hons), five-year total | About 8.65 lakh rupees |
| LLM, per year | About 1.7 lakh rupees |
To compare HNLU against the other NLUs on total cost, see the NLU fees comparison.
HNLU Raipur hostel and campus
HNLU sits on a green, 65-acre fully residential campus in Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh, so hostel accommodation is a core part of student life. The campus offers smart classrooms with audio-visual aids, a law library, moot court facilities, and sports and recreation infrastructure, supporting an environment built around academics, research and all-round development. The residential setting and active societies make for a close-knit campus community.
Scholarships at HNLU Raipur
HNLU offers both university-funded and government-funded scholarships for deserving students across its undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Eligibility is generally based on academic performance, family income, and domicile or community criteria. Read each year's official notification for the current terms.
HNLU Raipur placements: packages and recruiters
HNLU has a solid, improving placement record, though its packages are more modest than the premier NLUs. In recent years the average package has been around 6 to 7 lakh rupees, with a highest package of about 16 to 23 lakh rupees. Placement is run by a dedicated placement cell through pre-placement talks, screening and interviews, and internships often convert into pre-placement offers. Regular recruiters include AZB and Partners, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, Trilegal, IndusLaw, J Sagar Associates and Lakshmikumaran and Sridharan, along with corporates such as ICICI Bank, Ernst and Young and Thomson Reuters. Many graduates also pursue litigation, the judiciary and higher studies. For how HNLU compares with the other NLUs, see the NLU placements comparison.
| Placement metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Average package, recent | About 6 to 7 LPA |
| Highest package, recent | About 16 to 23 LPA |
| Recruiter profile | Law firms, corporates, and strong litigation and judiciary paths |
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 HNLU Raipur
Because HNLU closes within roughly the top 750 general-category ranks for the BA LLB, a seat here is a realistic target for a strong CLAT score, and the Chhattisgarh domicile quota gives home-state candidates a better chance. Aim for high 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.