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.
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
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
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 CLAT Cutoff is decided by following factors
- Exam Difficulty
- Number of Applicants
- Seat Availability
- Reservation Policy
- Domicile Quota
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.
Read More:

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Student Forum
Answered a week ago
Yes, candidates who have registered for the CLAT exam can access the sample papers through their login credentials.
P
Contributor-Level 8
Answered a week ago
The practice the sample papers of CLAT released by the consortium follow these steps
Go to consortiumofnlus.ac.in
Login and click on attempt sample paper
You will now see instructions on your screen
Read the instructions and click on Start Mock Test
Attempt the question paper
M
Contributor-Level 8
Answered a week ago
Yes, students can take admissions to BITS Law School without appearing from CLAT exam. BITS Law School admissions also conducts its own entrance exam called BITS Law Admission Test. Shortlisted candidates need to appear for Personal Interview rounds for admissions.
P
Contributor-Level 9
Answered a week ago
No, CLAT is not compulsory to take admission in the law courses at Innovative Institute of Law. Candidates are shortlisted based on merit achieved in last qualifying exam. However, the institute accepts CLAT score as well.
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
To check the merit list for NLU Silvassa, students can refer to the list of pointers below.
- Go to the official Consortium of NLUs website.
- Click on the CLAT OPTION in the top-right corner
- Scroll down to the notification section
- Check the merit list for all courses at the UG and PG levels.
Students shou
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
To get a seat at GNLU Silvassa for the UG and PG-level law courses, students have to appear for the CLAT entrance examination and then the counselling process to be considered eligible for admission.
The GNLU Silvassa CLAT cutoff 2026 was concluded after 5 rounds of seat allotment for the above-ment
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Yes, you could get into GNLU Silvassa with a 4000 rank if you belong to the SC AI category. For this category, the overall cutoff range was 2843 to 8902. Hence, a rank of 4000 could get you a seat at this institute.
Students can see the table below to know the last round closing ranks for available
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
GNLU Silvassa CLAT cutoff 2026 concluded after the release of the final round of seat allotment for the BA LLB (Hons) and LLM courses. The cutoff was out for several AI and HS quota categories.
For the General AI category, the overall cutoff ranged from 336 to 1500 for both courses, with LLM course
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
To get a seat at Dr B.R. Ambedkar National Law University for the BA LLB and LLM courses, students have to first appear for the CLAT entrance exam and then sit for the CLAT counselling process to be considered eligible for admission to the above-mentioned courses.
The NLU Sonepat CLAT cutoff 2026 was
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Yes, you could get into NLU Sonepat with a CLAT rank of 300 if you belong to the OBC AI category.
For this category, the overall cutoff ranged from 3409 to 4684 for the BA LLB and LLM courses. Students can refer to the table below to know the first and last round closing ranks for this category.
| Course | Round 1 | Last Round |
|---|---|---|
| B.A. LL.B. | 3409 | 3780 |
| Master of Legislative Laws (LL.M.) | 3526 | 4684 |
Not
N
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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