The Consortium of National Law Universities released the results for the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 2026 on December 16, 2025 . Soon after, the counselling registration process began on December 17, 2025 . Students who passed the CLAT 2026 exam are now looking for important information about admission to top law colleges.
Many students are especially interested in the expected cutoff ranks for the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS), commonly known as NLU Kolkata . Knowing these expected ranks helps students understand their chances of getting into NLU Kolkata. It also guides them in choosing their preferred law schools during the counselling process.
A "cutoff rank" is the lowest rank a student needs to get admission into a specific course and college. If a student's rank is better than or equal to the cutoff rank, they have a good chance of getting a seat. For NLU Kolkata, these expected ranks are based on trends from past years and are a guide for students.
Expected Cutoff Ranks for NLU Kolkata (CLAT 2026)
Below are the expected cutoff ranks for NLU Kolkata for different courses and student categories in CLAT 2026. Please remember these ranks are unofficial and are estimates.
BA LLB Course
For students applying to the five-year Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws (BA LLB) program, the expected cutoff ranks by category are:
| Category | CLAT 2026 Expected BA LLB Cutoff Rank |
| General | 320-380 |
| OBC | 4150-4200 |
| SC | 4750-4800 |
| ST | 6350-6400 |
BSc LLB Course
For students applying to the five-year Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Laws (BSc LLB) program, the expected cutoff ranks by category are:
| Category | CLAT 2026 Expected BSc LLB Cutoff Rank |
| General | 700-750 |
| OBC | 4580-4630 |
| SC | 6950-7000 |
| ST | 9700-9750 |
LLM Course
For students applying for the one-year Master of Laws (LLM) postgraduate program, the expected cutoff ranks by category are:
| Category | CLAT 2026 Expected LLM Cutoff Rank |
| General | 595-645 |
| OBC | 9500-9550 |
| SC | 2350-2400 |
| ST | 3500-3550 |
It is important to understand that these expected ranks are not final. The actual cutoff ranks are officially declared by the Consortium of NLUs during the counselling process. They can change slightly based on various factors.
What Influences NLU Kolkata Cutoff Ranks?
The final cutoff ranks for NLU Kolkata in CLAT 2026 depend on several key factors. These factors explain why the cutoffs can be higher or lower each year:
- Exam Difficulty: The CLAT 2026 exam was reported to be moderately easy compared to exams in previous years. When an exam is easier, more students tend to score higher marks. This can lead to a slight rise in the cutoff ranks.
- Number of Students: If a large number of students take the CLAT exam, the competition for seats increases. More competition usually pushes the cutoff ranks higher, meaning students need a better rank to secure a seat.
- Available Seats: NLU Kolkata has a limited number of seats for its law programs. For example, there are only 182 seats available in total for the BA LLB and BSc LLB courses combined. Limited seats with many applicants naturally keep the cutoff ranks high.
- Category Reservations: India's reservation policies ensure seats for different categories such as General, Other Backward Classes (OBC), Scheduled Castes (SC), and Scheduled Tribes (ST). Because of these reservations, the cutoff ranks will be different for each category.
- Counselling Rounds: The cutoff ranks can also change over the different rounds of counselling. Sometimes, if all seats are not filled in earlier rounds, the cutoff ranks might drop a little in later rounds.
Next Steps for Students
Students who have qualified in CLAT 2026 must complete their counselling registration on time. They should carefully list their preferred National Law Universities, keeping these expected cutoffs in mind. It is also important to regularly check the official website of the Consortium of NLUs for all updates and announcements regarding counselling and admissions.
