How Many Seats Are There in CLAT 2027: Check Here NLUs Seat Matrix

CLAT 2027 notification was released on July 22. The number of seats in CLAT 2027 is the aggregate of all the seats in the participating NLUs. Candidates can see important permutations and combinations for the CLAT 2027 seats on this page.

CLAT 2027 Seat Intake

The Common Law Admission Test is conducted nationwide to select candidates for the Law Courses offered by the National Law Universities. There is a huge gap between the number of applications and the number of seats available in the NLUs.

As per the previous year’s records, the number of candidates who fill the CLAT registration form were over 90 thousand and increasing year after year. This year also, this number will increase. The CLAT registrations are going on and the last date to apply online for the CLAT exam is October 31. A good CLAT score can open the door to several National Law Universities (NLUs), but the number of seats available at each NLU is different.

This year, 26 National Law Universities are participating in the undergraduate admission process of CLAT. The current published UG seat intake across these NLUs is 3,511 seats, excluding supernumerary, NRI, extra and foreign-national seats. 

Also Read: CLAT Exam Eligibility

The Consortium, however, has clearly stated that individual NLUs can change their total seat intake and seat breakup before the final allotment. As per the official exam calendar, the CLAT 2027 exam date is December 6, 2026. Candidates appearing for the exam should therefore keep checking the official seat matrix and individual NLU brochures as counselling approaches.

CLAT 2027 Total Seats

As per the currently released CLAT 2027 college and seat-intake information, there are 3,511 UG seats across 26 participating NLUs. The figure does not include supernumerary, NRI, extra and foreign-national seats. Therefore, the number of students who may eventually receive admission offers can differ from the headline figure depending on the applicable category and NLU-specific rules.

CLAT 2027 UG Seat Intake at a Glance

Candidates can see the CLAT 2027 UG Seats intake highlights:

The Consortium's official instructions also state that candidates should refer to the individual NLU brochures for detailed information about intake, reservation, courses and fee structure.

NLU-Wise CLAT 2027 UG Seat Intake

Candidates can check the current NLU-wise seat intake below:

The published CLAT 2027 seat table reports 310 seats at NLSIU, 202 at NLIU Bhopal, 187 at RMLNLU Lucknow, 180 each at RGNUL, NLUO and HPNLU, among other intakes.

Note: Seat intake is subject to change. The Consortium's CLAT 2027 instructions state that participating NLUs reserve the right to change the total number of seats and their breakup according to their respective policies before final allotment.

Which NLU Has the Highest Number of CLAT Seats?

Among the current CLAT 2027 seat figures, NLSIU Bengaluru has the highest reported UG intake at 310 seats.

Other NLUs with comparatively large published UG intakes include:

• NLIU Bhopal – 202 seats

• RMLNLU Lucknow – 187 seats

• RGNUL Patiala – 180 seats

• NLU Odisha – 180 seats

• HPNLU Shimla – 180 seats

• GNLU Gandhinagar – 172 seats

• HNLU Raipur – 170 seats

These numbers should not be interpreted as the number of seats available in the General category. Each NLU has its own reservation and seat-allocation structure.

Are All CLAT Seats Open to All Candidates?

No. The total seat intake of an NLU is generally divided according to its applicable reservation and admission rules.

Depending on the university, the seat matrix may include categories such as:

• General

• Scheduled Caste (SC)

• Scheduled Tribe (ST)

• Other Backward Classes (OBC)

• Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)

• Persons with Disabilities (PwD)

• State domicile categories

• Other NLU-specific reservations

The exact category-wise breakup is different from one NLU to another. Candidates should therefore not simply divide the total number of seats by the number of categories to estimate their admission chances. The Consortium advises candidates to read the respective NLU's information brochure carefully before filling out their preferences.

What Are Supernumerary Seats in CLAT?

Supernumerary seats are seats that are over and above the regular intake prescribed for a programme. The published CLAT 2027 UG total of 3,511 seats excludes supernumerary seats, along with NRI, extra and foreign-national seats. This distinction is important because candidates may come across different seat figures on different websites. One source may report the regular CLAT seats, while another may include additional categories or supernumerary seats.

For admission planning, candidates should always check the latest official NLU seat matrix.

Does NLU Delhi Accept CLAT?

National Law University Delhi does not participate in CLAT UG admissions. It conducts the All India Law Entrance Test (AILET) for admission to its undergraduate and postgraduate law programmes. Therefore, candidates preparing specifically for CLAT should not include NLU Delhi's seats in the CLAT seat count.

The current CLAT 2027 list covers 26 participating NLUs, while NLU Delhi follows its separate admission examination route.

Does CLAT Seat Intake Include Private Law Colleges?

No. The figure of 3,511 seats refers to the reported UG intake across the 26 participating NLUs in the current CLAT 2027 list. CLAT scores are also accepted by several private universities and law colleges. Their admission policies and seat intake are separate from the NLU seat matrix.

Therefore, candidates should distinguish between:

CLAT participating NLUs: 26

Current reported UG NLU seats: 3,511

Private colleges accepting CLAT: Additional opportunities outside the NLU seat matrix.

Also Read: CLAT 2027 Total Marks

Why Is the CLAT Seat Matrix Important?

The seat matrix becomes particularly important during counselling. A candidate's CLAT rank alone does not determine the final college. Admission also depends on factors such as:

• Category

• NLU preferences

• Seat availability

• Reservation policy

• Domicile requirements, wherever applicable

• Course preference

• Number of candidates participating in counselling

• Movement of candidates between counselling rounds

For this reason, candidates should look at the seat matrix before filling their NLU preferences.

How Does CLAT Counselling Work With the Seat Matrix?

After the CLAT result is declared, eligible candidates participate in the centralised counselling process. During counselling, candidates provide their NLU preferences. The Consortium's counselling instructions state that candidates are considered only for the NLUs they have included in their preferences.

This makes preference filling an important part of the admission process. For example, a candidate who lists only a limited number of NLUs will not automatically be considered for every other participating NLU simply because seats are available there.

Candidates should therefore prepare their preference list after checking:

1. NLU seat intake

2. Category-wise reservations

3. Domicile rules

4. Previous admission trends

5. Course offered

6. Fees

7. Location

8. Academic and career preferences

Also Read: How to fill CLAT 2027 Application Form

CLAT Seats vs CLAT Applicants

A common mistake is to compare the total number of CLAT applicants directly with the total number of NLU seats. The two numbers represent different things.

The number of applicants includes everyone who registers or appears for the examination, whereas seat intake reflects the number of available seats in participating institutions. Also, not every CLAT candidate necessarily participates in counselling or chooses every NLU.

Therefore, the total number of candidates appearing for CLAT should not be treated as a direct measure of the number of candidates competing for every individual seat.

Also Read: CLAT 2027 Rank Predictor

Can CLAT 2027 Seat Intake Change?

Yes, this is particularly important for CLAT 2027 aspirants. The Consortium has explicitly mentioned that participating NLUs may change their total number of seats and the seat breakup before the final allotment. Reservation policies may also change at the discretion of the concerned authorities.

Candidates should therefore treat the current seat matrix as the latest available information rather than an immutable final figure.\

Also Read: CLAT 2027 Reservation Policy

How Many Seats Are There in CLAT 2027?

For the current CLAT 2027 UG seat matrix, there are 3,511 reported seats across 26 participating NLUs, excluding supernumerary, NRI, extra and foreign-national seats.

However, the actual number of seats available to a particular candidate depends on the candidate's category, the NLU's reservation policy and the applicable course and domicile rules.

Also Read: Top 10 NLUs

CLAT 2027 Seats: Conclusion

The current CLAT 2027 UG seat intake is 3,511 seats across 26 participating NLUs. NLSIU Bengaluru has the largest reported intake at 310 seats, while the remaining NLUs have different seat capacities ranging from 60 to 202 seats in the current published table.

For candidates, the important point is that the overall number of seats is only one part of the admission picture. The category-wise seat matrix, domicile rules, NLU preferences and counselling process can significantly affect which seats are actually available to an individual candidate.

Since the Consortium allows NLUs to revise their intake and seat breakup before final allotment, CLAT 2027 aspirants should check the latest official NLU brochures and the Consortium website before finalising their counselling preferences.

Also Read: 2 Month Success Plan for CLAT 2027