Overview
Maharashtra National Law University, Nagpur (MNLU Nagpur), is one of Maharashtra's three National Law Universities, located in Nagpur in the eastern part of the state. Established under the Maharashtra National Law University Act, 2014, it began functioning in 2016, admits students through CLAT, and is ranked 28th in the NIRF 2025 law list, a rise from 34th the year before. MNLU Nagpur offers a broad set of undergraduate law degrees, including a distinctive honours stream in adjudication and justicing, at an affordable fee. This profile covers its ranking, courses, eligibility, admission, seats, cutoff, fees, hostel, scholarships and placements.
Why MNLU Nagpur stands out
MNLU Nagpur climbed from 34th to 28th in the NIRF law ranking between 2024 and 2025, scoring 56.54, one of the better mid-tier movers, and it also features in the QS law rankings. It offers an unusually wide range of undergraduate options and ten LLM specialisations spanning corporate, intellectual property, constitutional, real estate and infrastructure, cyber and investment and securities law. Its low fee and NLU status make it a solid choice for aspirants in central India and beyond.
Courses offered at MNLU Nagpur
MNLU Nagpur offers several five-year integrated undergraduate law degrees admitted through CLAT: the BA LLB (Hons), a BBA LLB (Hons), and a distinctive BA LLB with Honours in Adjudication and Justicing. At the postgraduate level it offers a one-year LLM across ten specialisations through CLAT PG, along with PG Diploma and PhD programmes. Most CLAT aspirants target the BA LLB, which is the focus of the sections below unless stated otherwise.
MNLU Nagpur eligibility criteria
For the BA LLB (Hons) and BBA 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.
MNLU Nagpur admission process and how to apply
MNLU Nagpur admits students to the BA LLB, BBA 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 MNLU Nagpur high in your preference order. Maharashtra home-state candidates should claim the domicile quota with the required documents. If a seat is allotted, you report to the Nagpur campus for document verification and fee payment. PhD admissions are through the university's own All India Entrance Test.
MNLU Nagpur seats and reservation
MNLU Nagpur offers around 120 seats across its BA LLB (Hons) and other integrated undergraduate degrees, and 60 seats in the one-year LLM. A large share of seats is reserved for Maharashtra home-state 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. The heavy home-state quota makes Maharashtra domicile seats close at more relaxed ranks than the all-India list.
MNLU Nagpur CLAT cutoff
MNLU Nagpur is a mid-tier NLU by cutoff. In the general all-India category, its BA LLB (Hons) has closed within roughly the top 1225 to 1400 CLAT ranks in recent years, with the round one general rank around 1225 in 2026 and a round three closing near 1306, while the BBA LLB closes slightly higher. Reserved categories and Maharashtra home-state seats close at more relaxed ranks. The exact closing rank moves each year with the applicant pool and counselling movement, so treat any single figure as indicative. 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.
MNLU Nagpur fees
MNLU Nagpur is one of the more affordable NLUs. The BA LLB (Hons) fee is about 3.65 lakh rupees, and the one-year LLM is about 3.13 lakh rupees, with tuition of about 1.45 lakh rupees, and Maharashtra domicile concessions apply. Hostel and mess are provided at a modest cost. The low fee is one of the university's main attractions.
| Programme | Approximate fee |
|---|---|
| BA LLB (Hons) | About 3.65 lakh rupees |
| LLM, one-year | About 3.13 lakh rupees |
Maharashtra domicile concessions apply. To compare MNLU Nagpur against the other NLUs on total cost, see the NLU fees comparison.
MNLU Nagpur hostel and campus
MNLU Nagpur provides modern hostels with round-the-clock security and a mess offering a variety of meals at a low monthly cost, alongside a law library, moot court facilities and academic infrastructure. The campus in Nagpur, a central Indian city with its own bench of the Bombay High Court, gives students access to courts and internships, and the residential setting makes for a close-knit campus community.
Scholarships at MNLU Nagpur
MNLU Nagpur offers scholarships and fee concessions, including support under the Maharashtra government's MahaDBT scheme, and SC and ST students can access government scholarships and fee reimbursements. Read each year's official notification for the current eligibility bands and amounts.
MNLU Nagpur placements: packages and outcomes
MNLU Nagpur has a solid placement rate, though its packages are more modest than the top NLUs, reflecting the local market. In the NIRF 2025 data its median undergraduate package was about 7 lakh rupees a year, with a highest package of about 12 lakh rupees, and around 85 percent of undergraduate students were placed. Many graduates also pursue litigation, the judiciary and higher studies. For how MNLU Nagpur compares with the other NLUs, see the NLU placements comparison.
| Placement metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Median UG package, NIRF 2025 | About 7 LPA |
| Highest package, recent | About 12 LPA |
| UG placement rate | About 85 percent |
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 MNLU Nagpur
Because MNLU Nagpur closes within roughly the top 1225 to 1400 general-category ranks for the BA LLB, it is a realistic target for a solid CLAT score, and the Maharashtra domicile quota helps home-state 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.