Scored low in CLAT? You are not alone. Every year, many aspirants score below the expected NLU CLAT cut-off but still secure admission in reputed law colleges across India. A low CLAT score does not mean the end of your law career. With smart counselling choices, alternative entrance exams, and private university options, you can still pursue BA LLB or BBA LLB from a good institute.
Get list of private universities accepting CLAT scores
The list of affiliate colleges or Universities that will offer admission based on score in CLAT 2027 includes well-known names like Nirma University, UPES Dehradun, and GK Goenka University. Candidates must also consider appearing for other law entrance exams so that even if they have a low CLAT score 2027, they still have their chances of admission to some of the top law colleges in India. Read further to know more about the law colleges' admission through CLAT Score.
- What is Considered a Low CLAT Score in 2027?
- NLUs Accepting Low CLAT Scores (Expected Rank Range)
- Top law colleges accepting low CLAT Score
- Top Law Entrance Exams 2026-2027
- Should You Take a Drop for CLAT?
- Factors to Consider While Choosing Law College After Low CLAT Score
What is Considered a Low CLAT Score in 2027?
For CLAT UG (120 questions format), the expected safe scores usually vary each year depending on paper difficulty and competition. It is important to understand how much score is required to get admission in NLUs or other law colleges. Check the same below
- 95+ marks: Top 5 NLUs
- 85–95 marks: Mid-tier NLUs
- 70–85 marks: Lower-ranked NLUs
- Below 70 marks: Considered low for the General category
Note: Candidates from reserved categories may secure admission at comparatively lower scores.
Also Read: Top 10 Private Law Colleges in India 2026: NIRF Rank 2025
Commonly asked questions
There is no restriction as such for the CLAT exam. Thus, one can give CLAT any number of times they want to. Candidates should not feel bad if they are not able to clear the CLAT exam in first time.
No, you can not appear for counselling if you have not cleared CLAT Exam.
The CLAT cutoff means the minimum rank or score required to get admission into a National Law University (NLU). Candidates must get the cutoff to participate in the counselling process.
NLUs Accepting Low CLAT Scores (Expected Rank Range)
While during the CLAT Counselling the admission to top NLUs close early, newer and regional NLUs may offer seats at higher ranks. Check the list here
| NLU Name | Expected Closing Rank (General) | Fees (in INR) |
|---|---|---|
| National Law University & Judicial Academy, Assam | 1400-2000 | 2.2–2.5 lakh |
| Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University (DSNLU) Visakhapatnam | 1500-2200 | 2.5–3 lakh |
| Himachal Pradesh National Law University, Shimla | 1600-2500 | 2.3–2.8 lakh |
| Dr B R Ambedkar National Law University Sonipat, Haryana | 2500-3500 | 2–2.3 lakh |
| The Tamil Nadu National Law School, Tiruchirapalli | 3500+ | 2.4-2.6 lakh |
Note: Cut-offs vary every year and may drop in later counselling rounds.
Top law colleges accepting low CLAT Score
Many reputed private universities accept CLAT scores but do not have very high cut-offs. They also offer admission through their own entrance exams or direct merit basis.
| Name of college | Courses | Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Amity Law School | BA LLB BBA LLB |
INR 2 to 3 Lakh |
| Alliance School of Law | BA LLB Hons BBA LLB Hons LLB LLM PhD in Law |
INR 2 to 3 Lakh |
| Presidency University, Bangalore | BBA LLB Hons BA LLB Hons B.Com LLB Hons LLM (Intellectual Property Rights) LLM (Technology Law) |
INR 5 to 7 lakh |
| Nirma University | BA LLB (Hons.) B.Com LLB (Hons.) LLM |
INR 3 to 5 lakh |
| UPES Dehradun | BA LLB B.Com LLB Hons BBA LLB Hons LLB LLM PhD |
INR 2 to 3 lakh |
| GD Goenka University | BA LLB Hons BBA LLB Hons B.Com LLB Hons LLB Hons LLM |
INR 1 to 2 lakh |
| BML Munjal University | BA LLB Hons BBA LLB Hons LLB PhD |
INR 2 to 3 lakh |
Commonly asked questions
As of 2026, 26 National Law Universities (NLUs) participate in the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT). These universities offer undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) law programs, with over 5,600 seats available in total. NLU Delhi is the only exception, conducting its own entrance exam (AILET) rather than participating in CLAT
You should understand that once you opt to get out of the counselling process you can not go back. You will get option to either freeze your seat or choose to let it go and participate in next round. You can anytime exit the whole process too.
The expected cutoff for top 5 NLUs based on previous year is 90+.
Explore colleges based on CLAT
Top Law Entrance Exams 2026-2027
Apart from appearing for CLAT, candidates can also opt for sitting in some of the law entrance exams across the country. Most of the law entrance exams in India are held once a year and this year, the exam authorities will be conducting the upcoming exams as per the schedule below:
| To be announced | |
| 18-Jan-2026 | |
| To be announced | |
| 01-Apr-2026 and 02-Apr-2026 (For 3-year LLB) 08-May-2026 (5-year LLB) |
|
| To be announced | |
| To be announced | |
| To be announced |
|
| 26-Apr-2026 | |
| 26-Apr-2026 | |
| 28-Jun-2026 | |
| To be announced | |
| 05-Apr-2026 | |
| To be announced | |
| 18-May-2026 | |
| To be announced | |
| 18-May-2026 | |
| To be announced | |
| To be announced | |
| To be announced |
Also Read:
NLU vs Non-NLU: Which one is better?
Should You Take a Drop for CLAT?
Candidates must not get disheartened in case they have not scored well. However, there are certain factors that a candidate should consider before taking a drop. Some of them are
- If your score is below 60
- If you are aiming only for top NLUs like
NLSIU Bengaluru
NALSAR Hyderabad
- You are confident of improving by 15–20+ marks
Otherwise, joining a decent Tier-2 college and building your CV through internships may be more practical.
Factors to Consider While Choosing Law College After Low CLAT Score
Before deciding on pursuing the law courses from any university or college in the country, it is important to consider the following factors
1. Location advantage (Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore preferred for internships)
2. Internship opportunities
3. Alumni network
4. Faculty profile
5. Fee vs ROI
6. Hostel and campus facilities
After 5 years, your internships, moots, research papers, and networking matter more than just the college tag.
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Student Forum
Answered a week ago
Yes, you can join the BBA LLB programme in Amrita International School of Law without CLAT exam. If you have a valid AILET score, you can submit it for admission. Else you can appear for Amrita Law Admission Test (AmLAT).
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Yes, you can join Amrita International School of Law without CLAT exam. If you have a valid AILET score, you can submit it for BA LLB admission. Otherwise, you can appear for Amrita Law Admission Test (AmLAT).
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Both the Andhra Pradesh LAWCET and CLAT entrance exam are conducted for admission to the Law schools in India, however, the syllabus for these exams are different on many parameters and candidates should strategise differently for both the exams. Andhra Pradesh LAWCET exam has sections including Cur
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
No, CLAT is not compulsory to take admission in Ishaan Institute of Law. The institute offers admission into the courses such as LLB, BA LLB and LLM based on the merit achieved by the candidates in their last qualifying exam. Application process is compulsory and it can be conducted online/offline.
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
You can find it on many platforms, such as Lawprep Tutorial and Shiksha itself, but I'm a Law Prep student, and I found their format of solutions better.
P
Beginner-Level 1
Answered 3 weeks ago
The charges for CLAT registration are 4000 Rs. for General/OBC/PWD/NRI/PIO/OCI candidates. While its Rs. 3,500 for SC/ST/BPL candidates. Candidates have options like UPI, Credit Card, Debit Card & Net Banking when it comes to paying for the same.
Read more
D
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Based on recent CLAT analyses, the English Language and General Knowledge & Current Affairs sections were rated as the easiest. English is more about reading comprehension with direct questions. GK is highly scoring for those with consistent, up-to-date daily news preparation.
M
Contributor-Level 8
Answered a month ago
The CLAT exam for both undergraduate and postgraduate courses will be held for 2 hours. There will be 120 MCQs. The total number of sections in the question paper will be five.
D
Contributor-Level 8
Answered a month ago
Whether SLS Pune is better than an NLU really depends on what you want. SLS Pune gives a strong private college aura, with a good campus, nice location, and a good brand name. Many people think it's ahead of some low-tier NLUs (Tier 2 or Tier 3). But the top NLUs like NLSIU Bengaluru or NLU Delhi st
A
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
Yes, you can join quite a few law colleges in Kolkata without sitting for CLAT.
Note: All info. is from official sources and can change.
S
Contributor-Level 10
She has over 10 years of experience in the education and publishing sectors. She specialises in exam coverage and content creation. At Shiksha, she writes, analyses, and presents information for students preparing f
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