Overview
National Law Institute University (NLIU), Bhopal, is one of the oldest and most established National Law Universities in India, founded in 1997, making it the third NLU after NLSIU and NALSAR. Ranked 27th in the NIRF 2025 law list, it admits students through CLAT and is based on a residential campus in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. NLIU is distinctive for its BSc LLB and its cyber law programmes, a deep alumni network built over decades, and a strong average placement. This profile covers its ranking, courses, eligibility, admission, seats, cutoff, fees, hostel, scholarships and placements.
Why NLIU Bhopal stands out
NLIU holds 27th place in the NIRF 2025 law ranking and was placed fourth by India Today in 2024, reflecting a strong reputation that its NIRF number alone understates. As one of the earliest NLUs, it has decades of alumni across tier-one and tier-two law firms, corporates and the judiciary, and that network helps push its placement outcomes. It is also known for pioneering a BSc LLB and dedicated cyber law programmes among the NLUs.
Courses offered at NLIU Bhopal
NLIU offers two five-year integrated undergraduate law degrees, both admitted through CLAT: the flagship BA LLB (Hons) and a BSc LLB (Hons). At the postgraduate level it offers a one-year LLM through CLAT PG and a distinctive Master of Cyber Law and Information Security, along with PhD programmes. Most CLAT aspirants target the BA LLB, which is the focus of the sections below unless stated otherwise.
NLIU Bhopal eligibility criteria
For the BA LLB (Hons) and BSc 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.
NLIU Bhopal admission process and how to apply
NLIU admits students to the BA LLB, BSc 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 NLIU high in your preference order. Madhya Pradesh domicile candidates should claim the home-state quota with the required documents. If a seat is allotted, you report to the Bhopal campus for document verification and fee payment. Admission is purely on CLAT merit.
NLIU Bhopal seats and reservation
NLIU has a stable undergraduate intake of about 202 seats across the BA LLB (Hons) and BSc LLB (Hons). Notably, 50 percent of seats in every category are reserved for Madhya Pradesh 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. The heavy home-state quota means Madhya Pradesh domicile seats close at more relaxed ranks than the all-India list.
NLIU Bhopal CLAT cutoff
NLIU is a competitive NLU to enter, especially for all-India candidates. In the general all-India category, its BA LLB (Hons) has closed within roughly the top 450 to 500 CLAT ranks in recent years, with the round two general rank around 451 in 2026 and 480 in 2025. The BSc LLB opens further, with the general all-India rank around 666 in 2026 and a safe target under about 950. Madhya Pradesh domicile and reserved seats close at more relaxed ranks. The exact closing rank moves each year, 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.
NLIU Bhopal fees, year by year
NLIU's academic fee is moderate, but the all-inclusive cost with accommodation is in line with the older NLUs. The academic fee for the five-year BA LLB (Hons) or BSc LLB (Hons) is about 10.63 lakh rupees, with tuition of about 1.46 lakh rupees a year, while the all-inclusive cost with hostel and mess comes to roughly 19.5 to 20.5 lakh rupees over five years. The one-year LLM costs about 2.11 lakh rupees.
| Fee component | Approximate amount |
|---|---|
| BA LLB or BSc LLB, academic fee, five-year | About 10.63 lakh rupees |
| All-inclusive with hostel and mess, five-year | About 19.5 to 20.5 lakh rupees |
| LLM, one-year | About 2.11 lakh rupees |
To compare NLIU against the other NLUs on total cost, see the NLU fees comparison.
NLIU Bhopal hostel and campus
NLIU is a fully residential university with a large campus in Bhopal, and hostel and mess are built into the all-inclusive fee. The campus offers hostels, a law library, moot court halls, and academic and sports infrastructure befitting one of the older NLUs. Its established setting and long-running student societies make for an active campus culture, and its location supports internships across central India.
Scholarships at NLIU Bhopal
NLIU offers merit-based and need-based scholarships, including named merit-cum-means schemes, 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.
NLIU Bhopal placements: packages and recruiters
NLIU has a strong placement record, helped by its deep alumni network. In the NIRF 2025 data its undergraduate average package was about 16 lakh rupees a year, with a highest package of about 25 lakh rupees and a placement rate of nearly 80 percent, while its LLM median was about 7 lakh rupees. Placement is coordinated by a student placement committee that runs training, mock interviews and recruiter outreach. Regular recruiters include KPMG, HDFC Bank, Deloitte and Synopsys, alongside tier-one and tier-two law firms. Many graduates also pursue litigation, the judiciary and higher studies. For how NLIU compares with the other NLUs, see the NLU placements comparison.
| Placement metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Average UG package, NIRF 2025 | About 16 LPA |
| Highest UG package, recent | About 25 LPA |
| UG placement rate | About 80 percent |
| LLM median package | About 7 LPA |
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 NLIU Bhopal
Because NLIU closes within roughly the top 500 general-category ranks for the BA LLB, a seat here calls for a strong CLAT score, though the Madhya Pradesh domicile quota gives home-state candidates a much 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 top-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.