Which NLU Can I Get With CLAT Rank 1000? Complete 2027 Guide
A CLAT rank of 1000 in 2027 makes you eligible for NUALS Kochi, RGNUL Patiala, CNLU Patna and several other National Law Universities in General category. It puts you borderline for NLIU Bhopal and RMLNLU Lucknow — both realistic targets if you maintain all counselling rounds. It is generally not enough for GNLU Gandhinagar, NLU Jodhpur, WBNUJS Kolkata, NALSAR Hyderabad or NLSIU Bangalore in General category.
However, your category changes everything. At rank 1000 in OBC category, GNLU Gandhinagar is a real target. At rank 1000 SC, NALSAR Hyderabad is within range. At rank 1000 ST, NLSIU Bangalore itself is reachable.
Important update from CLAT 2026: Cutoffs at mid-tier NLUs compressed dramatically between 2025 and 2026. HNLU Raipur and NLU Odisha — which closed near AIR 1800 in 2025 — closed near AIR 900-1000 in 2026. Rank 1000 in 2027 is significantly more competitive than it was two years ago. Plan accordingly.
I have counselled over 4,000 to 5,000 students through NLU selection across 15+ years of CLAT teaching. The cutoff data below is based on CLAT 2026 verified closing ranks with expected CLAT 2027 projections.
“A rank of 1000 gives you real options — but only if you understand which options they actually are. Most students at this rank make their NLU list based on reputation rather than cutoff reality, and end up losing seats they could have secured.”
— Manav Lawania, Founder, MEGA LAW & G.K.
Complete NLU Cutoff Table — CLAT 2027 Expected (Based on 2026 Data)
All ranks are approximate expected closing ranks based on CLAT 2026 data and historical trends. SC/ST ranks exclude domicile-based state quota. ⚠ = borderline at rank 1000. ✓ = comfortably within range. NLU Delhi not included — it uses AILET, not CLAT.
| # | NLU | General (AIR) | OBC (AIR) | SC (AIR) | ST (AIR) | At Rank 1000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NLSIU Bangalore | ~100–115 | ~300–400 | ~700–1000 | ~1200–1800 | ❌ General ⚠ SC ✓ ST |
| 2 | NALSAR Hyderabad | ~160–175 | ~450–600 | ~1200–2000 | ~2500–3500 | ❌ General ❌ OBC ✓ SC ✓ ST |
| 3 | WBNUJS Kolkata | ~330–360 | ~900–1200 | ~2000–3000 | ~4000+ | ❌ General ✓ OBC ✓ SC ✓ ST |
| 4 | NLU Jodhpur | ~355–400 | ~950–1300 | ~2500–3500 | ~5000+ | ❌ General ✓ OBC ✓ SC ✓ ST |
| 5 | GNLU Gandhinagar | ~800–950 | ~2000–2800 | ~4000–5500 | ~7000+ | ⚠ General ✓ OBC ✓ SC ✓ ST |
| 6 | NLIU Bhopal | ~950–1100 | ~2400–3200 | ~4500–6000 | ~7000+ | ⚠ General ✓ OBC ✓ SC ✓ ST |
| 7 | HNLU Raipur | ~900–1050 | ~2200–3000 | ~4000–5500 | ~6500+ | ⚠ General ✓ OBC ✓ SC ✓ ST |
| 8 | RMLNLU Lucknow | ~1000–1200 | ~2500–3300 | ~5000–6500 | ~8000+ | ⚠ General ✓ OBC ✓ SC ✓ ST |
| 9 | MNLU Mumbai | ~1000–1300 | ~2500–3500 | ~5000–6500 | ~8000+ | ⚠ General ✓ OBC ✓ SC ✓ ST |
| 10 | NLU Odisha Cuttack | ~950–1150 | ~2300–3100 | ~4500–6000 | ~7000+ | ⚠ General ✓ OBC ✓ SC ✓ ST |
| 11 | NUALS Kochi | ~1200–1450 | ~3000–4000 | ~6000–8000 | ~9000+ | ✓ General ✓ All |
| 12 | RGNUL Patiala | ~1300–1550 | ~3200–4200 | ~6500–8500 | ~10000+ | ✓ General ✓ All |
| 13 | CNLU Patna | ~1400–1650 | ~3400–4500 | ~7000–9000 | ~10000+ | ✓ General ✓ All |
| 14 | NUSRL Ranchi | ~1700–2100 | ~4000–5500 | ~8000–11000 | ~13000+ | ✓ General ✓ All |
| 15 | MNLU Nagpur | ~1600–1900 | ~3800–5000 | ~7500–9500 | ~11000+ | ✓ General ✓ All |
| 16 | HPNLU Shimla | ~2000–2500 | ~5000–6500 | ~9500–12000 | ~14000+ | ✓ General ✓ All |
| 17 | MNLU Aurangabad | ~2100–2600 | ~5000–6500 | ~10000+ | ~14000+ | ✓ General ✓ All |
| 18 | DBRANLU Sonepat | ~2500–3200 | ~6000+ | ~12000+ | ~17000+ | ✓ General ✓ All |
| 19 | TNNLU Tiruchirappalli | ~2600–3500 | ~6500+ | ~13000+ | ~18000+ | ✓ General ✓ All |
Rank 1000 by Category — The Full Picture
General category at rank 1000: Borderline for NLIU Bhopal, RMLNLU Lucknow, HNLU Raipur and NLU Odisha — all closed between AIR 900 and 1200 in CLAT 2026. Safe options: NUALS Kochi, RGNUL Patiala, CNLU Patna, NUSRL Ranchi, MNLU Nagpur and newer NLUs.
OBC category at rank 1000: OBC closing ranks are typically 2.5 to 4× higher numerically than General at the same NLU. At rank 1000 OBC, WBNUJS Kolkata and NLU Jodhpur become borderline options, and GNLU Gandhinagar (~AIR 2000-2800 OBC) is a comfortable target. RMLNLU, HNLU, NLIU, NLU Odisha and MNLU Mumbai are all solidly within range.
SC category at rank 1000: At rank 1000 SC, NALSAR Hyderabad (SC ~1200-2000) is reachable. WBNUJS Kolkata, NLU Jodhpur and GNLU Gandhinagar are all solid targets. NLSIU Bangalore (SC ~700-1000) is at the borderline — rank 1000 SC puts you at or just outside the NLSIU SC cutoff depending on the year.
ST category at rank 1000: Rank 1000 ST is a strong position. NLSIU Bangalore (ST ~1200-1800) and NALSAR Hyderabad (ST ~2500-3500) are both comfortably within range. Essentially all NLUs become accessible at rank 1000 ST.
The Honest Assessment at Rank 1000 General Category
What rank 1000 is NOT enough for (General): NLSIU Bangalore (~100-115), NALSAR Hyderabad (~160-175), WBNUJS Kolkata (~330-360), NLU Jodhpur (~355-400) and GNLU Gandhinagar (~800-950). Listing these as preferences at rank 1000 General wastes counselling slots.
The borderline zone (General): GNLU, NLIU Bhopal, HNLU Raipur, RMLNLU Lucknow, NLU Odisha and MNLU Mumbai all closed between AIR 900 and 1200 in CLAT 2026. Whether you get these depends on: (1) preference order — list highest to lowest and use Float; (2) counselling round — some open in rounds 2-4; (3) 2027 competition level.
What rank 1000 secures comfortably (General): NUALS Kochi, RGNUL Patiala, CNLU Patna, NUSRL Ranchi, MNLU Nagpur, HPNLU Shimla, MNLU Aurangabad, DBRANLU Sonepat and newer NLUs. NUALS Kochi and RGNUL Patiala in particular offer strong practical value for students targeting South India and Punjab/Haryana/Delhi practice respectively.
The Best NLU Options at Rank 1000 — What to Prioritise
RMLNLU Lucknow (Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya NLU) | closing rank ~1000-1200: One of the most well-established NLUs in North India. Strong alumni presence in Allahabad High Court, Lucknow bench and corporate firms in Delhi. Affordable fee structure. The Lucknow location is a genuine advantage for aspirants planning a practice-oriented career in North India.
NUALS Kochi | closing rank ~1200-1450 (closed AIR 1287 in Round 3, 2026): Well within safe range at rank 1000. Located in Kochi — High Court of Kerala proximity is a genuine asset. Strong in ADR, international trade law and maritime law. The Kerala location is attractive for students targeting South India practice or international placements.
RGNUL Patiala | closing rank ~1300-1550: Comfortably within range at rank 1000. Established alumni network in Punjab and Haryana High Court and Delhi courts. Good infrastructure and placement track record for an NLU at this rank band.
5 Mistakes Students Make When Reading NLU Cutoffs
- Listing NLUs based on reputation without checking whether the cutoff is reachable. At rank 1000 General, listing NALSAR or NUJS as preferences wastes slots. Those seats will not open at your rank.
- Using 2024 or 2025 cutoff data for 2027 planning. CLAT 2026 data showed significant compression — NLUs that closed at AIR 1800 in 2025 closed at AIR 900-1000 in 2026. Old data systematically over-estimates your options.
- Confusing round-1 and final-round closing ranks. The round-1 closing rank is most restrictive. Ranks open significantly through rounds 2-5. The final closing rank across all rounds is the correct figure to compare against.
- Ignoring the Float option during counselling. Float keeps you in the pool for upgrades while securing your current allotment. Many students at borderline ranks secure upgrades in rounds 2-4 through this mechanism. Not floating is one of the most avoidable mistakes at this rank.
- Treating domicile quota seats as the same as All India seats. State domicile quotas at some NLUs have entirely different closing ranks from the All India quota. The table above shows All India quota ranks only.
Should You Accept Rank 1000 or Push for a Better Rank?
Rank 1000 gives you real NLU options — RMLNLU, NUALS, RGNUL, CNLU and several others are genuinely good law schools. But rank 700 gives you GNLU Gandhinagar. Rank 400 gives you NLU Jodhpur. Rank 250 gives you NALSAR. The marginal return per 100 rank improvement is extremely high between rank 1000 and rank 400.
If you are a first-time aspirant projecting around rank 1000-1200 right now, the honest advice is: push. A 4 to 6 mark improvement in your CLAT score typically moves you 200 to 400 ranks at the rank-1000 band. That improvement translates into a meaningfully different set of NLU options.
If you are a dropper with a first-attempt rank of around 1000, the calculation is the same but the stakes are higher. The NLU options at rank 700 versus rank 1000 are significantly different. See megalaw.in/clat-dropper-rank-improvement/ for data on how 3 out of 4 droppers improved their rank after structured second attempts.
Read Next
- Your CLAT Rank vs NLU Reality — Honest Cutoff Data
- Top Law Colleges in India — Complete NLU Guide
- 3 Out of 4 CLAT Droppers Improved Their Rank — What Changed
- CLAT Revision Strategy: How to Revise Without Starting From Scratch
- How to Analyse CLAT Mocks Like a Topper
- CLAT Exam 2027 — Complete Guide, Syllabus & Pattern
Frequently Asked Questions
Which NLU can I get with rank 1000 in CLAT 2027?
At CLAT rank 1000 in General category, comfortable options include NUALS Kochi, RGNUL Patiala, CNLU Patna, NUSRL Ranchi, MNLU Nagpur and newer NLUs. Borderline options — depending on counselling round and preference order — include RMLNLU Lucknow, NLIU Bhopal, HNLU Raipur and NLU Odisha Cuttack, all of which closed near AIR 900-1200 in CLAT 2026. At rank 1000 OBC, GNLU Gandhinagar and RMLNLU become solid targets. At rank 1000 SC, NALSAR Hyderabad is within range. At rank 1000 ST, NLSIU Bangalore is reachable.
Is rank 1000 enough for NALSAR Hyderabad in CLAT 2027?
No, not in General category. NALSAR Hyderabad closed near AIR 168 for General category in CLAT 2026. Rank 1000 General is significantly outside NALSAR's range. For OBC category, NALSAR's closing rank is typically around 450-600 — also out of range at rank 1000 OBC. For SC category, NALSAR (SC closing rank ~1200-2000) is reachable at rank 1000. For ST category, rank 1000 comfortably reaches NALSAR.
What is the expected CLAT 2027 cutoff for GNLU Gandhinagar?
GNLU Gandhinagar expected closing rank for General category is approximately 800-950 based on CLAT 2026 data. Rank 1000 is borderline — you may or may not secure a seat depending on the counselling round. In OBC category, GNLU's closing rank is significantly higher numerically (~2000-2800), making rank 1000 OBC a comfortable position for GNLU. GNLU's actual 2027 cutoff will be confirmed during the January to March 2028 counselling process.
Which NLU should I choose at CLAT rank 1000?
At rank 1000 General, the most realistic targets with good practical value are RMLNLU Lucknow (strong North India placement network), NUALS Kochi (Kochi's legal ecosystem, strong in ADR and maritime law) and RGNUL Patiala (Punjab and Haryana High Court connections). Among safely reachable NLUs, CNLU Patna and MNLU Nagpur also offer solid foundations.
What rank do I need for NLSIU Bangalore in CLAT 2027?
NLSIU Bangalore closed near AIR 108-115 for General category in CLAT 2026. A rank under 100 General is the practical target for NLSIU in CLAT 2027. For OBC, approximately AIR 300-400. For SC, approximately AIR 700-1000. For ST, approximately AIR 1200-1800. NLU Delhi does not admit through CLAT — it uses AILET, a separate examination.
About the Author
Manav Lawania, India's Teens & Twenties Mentor. Founder of MEGA LAW & G.K. and UsefullBooks, Agra, Uttar Pradesh. Former Intelligence Officer, Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India. 15+ years of teaching experience and 4,000 to 5,000 students counselled for CLAT and AILET. Manav scored 13 out of 100 in Class 12 before rebuilding his own path, and that comeback is the lens he brings to every student he now mentors. He writes and teaches under the belief that CLAT preparation is as much about having the right data as it is about having the right mindset.