Table of Contents
NLU in India
Each law aspirant dreams about getting into the top NLU in India (National Legal University). To kick start a good law career best NLUs in India play an important role. They must take the CLAT exam to be admitted to NLUs, except NLU Delhi. NLU of Delhi holds the AILET Entrance Exam separately for admission.
However, entrance to the NLUs is more difficult, particularly for the older ones, many of which are among the best law schools in the country. The CLAT 2025 exam will be held on December 1, 2024. Successful legal Students will get admission to 26 NLUs around the country. In this post, we will look at the list of best NLUs in India according to NIRF rankings, Courses, admissions process, eligibility, and much more.
India now has a total of 26 National law Universities, the new additions are – NLU Tripura (2022), NLU Meghalaya (2023), and GNLU Silvassa (2022).
NLU in India: About National Legal Universities
Best Law Institutes like NLSUI Bangalore, NALSAR, WBNUJS Kolkata, and NLU Delhi are the flag-bearers of law education in the country. They produce some of the most brilliant legal minds every year. So, there is a huge rush to get into the NLUs.
So these universities receive a large number of applications, and the NLU entrance exam is not easy. Every year, the Ministry of Education produces the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) Rankings, which help many aspirants decide which college to go to study law.
List of Top NLU in India
According to the NIRF Ranking 2023, NLUs continue to dominate in law schools. The top 5 law colleges in the country are National Law Universities – NLSIU Bengaluru, NLU Delhi, NALSAR Hyderabad, WBNUJS Kolkata, NLIU Bhopal.
Jamia Millia Islamia of New Delhi, a non-NLU occurred the 5th place in the top law schools in India. check the full list of best NLUs in India.
List of NLUs based on NIRF Rankings | ||
Sl No | NLUs in India | Rankings |
1 | National Law School of India University, Bangalore | 1 |
2 | National Law University, Delhi | 2 |
3 | National Academy of Legal Study & Research (NALSAR) University of Law, Hyderabad | 3 |
4 | The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata | 4 |
5 | National Law Institute University, Bhopal | 18 |
6 | National Law University, Jodhpur | – |
7 | Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar | 7 |
8 | Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow | 21 |
9 | Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala | 20 |
10 | Chanakya National Law University Patna | – |
11 | National University of Advanced Legal Studies, Kochi | – |
12 | National Law University Odisha, Cuttack | 30 |
13 | National University of Study & Research in Law, Ranchi | 24 |
14 | National Law University & Judicial Academy, Assam | 28 |
15 | Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University (DSNLU) Visakhapatnam | – |
16 | The Tamil Nadu National Law School, Tiruchirapalli | – |
17
|
Himachal Pradesh National Law University, Shimla
|
|
18 | Maharashtra National Law University, Mumbai | – |
19 | Maharashtra National Law University, Nagpur | – |
20 | Maharashtra National Law University, Aurangabad | – |
21 | Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur | – |
22 | Dharmashastra National Law University, Jabalpur | – |
23 | Dr B R Ambedkar National Law University Sonipat, Haryana | – |
24 | NLU Tripura (2022) |
– |
25 | NLU Meghalaya (2023) | – |
26 | GNLU Silvassa (2022) | – |
Top NLUs in India: Courses Offered
Top National Law University of India offered multiple UG and pg courses. Know about them below.
UG courses
- BA LLB (Hons.) (Five-year Integrated Law course)
- BBA LLB (Five-year Integrated Law course)
- BSc LLB (Five-year Integrated Law course)
- BLS LLB (Five-year Integrated Law course)
- BCom LLB (Five-year Integrated Law course)
- BBA LLB (Hons.)
PG courses
- LLM
- LLD
- PhD in Law
- PG Diploma in Urban Environmental Management and Law (NLU Delhi)
- Post Graduate Diploma in Tourism and Environmental Law (NLU Delhi)
- Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Law and Policy (NLU Delhi)
- Three-year LLB Course at NLSIU Bangalore
NLUs Seat Matrix
In this table we have discussed the seat matrix for LLB and LLM courses in our 24 law schools.
NLUs Seat Intake in UG Courses | ||
NLUs | Domicile % | UG Intake |
NLSIU Bengaluru | 25% | 300 |
NLU Delhi (Admission through AILET 2025) | – | 120 |
NALSAR Hyderabad | 25% | 132 |
WBNUJS Kolkata | 33% | 132 |
NLIU Bhopal | 50% |
202 (BA LLB 134, B.Sc LLB 68)
|
NLU Jodhpur | 25% | 120 |
HNLU Raipur | 50% | 180 |
GNLU Gandhinagar | 25% |
172 (total seats for all the courses)
|
GNLU Silvassa Campus | 25% | 66 |
RMLNLU Lucknow | 45% | 169 |
RGNUL Patiala | 10% | 180 |
CNLU Patna | 50% |
138( 69 seats each for BA LLB and BBA LLB
|
NUALS Kochi | 49% | 60 |
NLUO, Odisha, Cuttack | 25% |
180 (BA LLB 120, BBA LLB 60)
|
NUSRL Ranchi | 50% | 134 |
NLUJA Assam, Guwahati | 50% | 60 |
DSNLU Visakhapatnam | 48% | 138 |
TNNLU Tiruchirappalli | 48% |
120 (BA LLB 60 , B.Com LLB 60)
|
MNLU Mumbai | 62% | 100 |
MNLU Nagpur | 62% |
120 (BA LLB 60, BBA LLB 60)
|
MNLU Aurangabad | 62% |
120 (BA LLB 60, BBA LLB 60)
|
HPNLU Shimla | 25% |
120 (BA LLB 60, BBA LLB 60)
|
DNLU Jabalpur | 50% |
120+14 superannuary seats
|
DBRANLU, Sonipat, Haryana | 25% | 120 |
NLUT Agartala | 30% | 60 |
NLU Meghalaya | ||
RPNLU Prayagraj | 43% | 60 |
NLUs Seat Intake in PG Courses | ||
NLUs | Domicile | Intake |
NLSIU Bengaluru | 25 | 120 |
NLU Delhi | 80 | |
NALSAR Hyderabad | 25 | 66 |
WBNUJS Kolkata | 33 | 100 |
NLIU Bhopal | 50 | 60 |
NLU Jodhpur | 25 | 50 |
HNLU Raipur | – | 90 |
GNLU Gandhinagar | 25 | 57 |
GNLU Silvassa Campus | 25 | 33 |
RMLNLU Lucknow | 50 | 48 |
RGNUL Patiala | – | 60 |
CNLU Patna | – | 60 |
NUALS Kochi | 49% | 60 |
NLUO, Odisha, Cuttack | 25% | 50 |
NUSRL Ranchi | 50% | 60 |
NLUJA Assam, Guwahati | 50% | 40 |
DSNLU Visakhapatnam | – | 69 |
TNNLU Tiruchirappalli | 50% | 60 |
MNLU Mumbai | 66% | 50 |
MNLU Nagpur | 62% | 60 |
MNLU Aurangabad | 62% | 60 |
HPNLU Shimla | 25% | 80 |
DNLU Jabalpur | 50% | 50 |
DBRANLU, Sonipat, Haryana | – | – |
NLUT Agartala | 30% | 50 |
NLU Meghalaya | ||
RPNLU Prayagraj | – | – |
NLU Admission Eligibility Criteria
Academic criteria for NLU Admission for undergraduate and Postgraduate courses are listed below.
What is the Age criteria for NLU Admission?
The Bar Council of India no longer imposes age restrictions for admission to legal courses. Check CLAT eligibility in 2025.
LLB Eligibility Criteria
- Candidates who have passed or are taking the Class 12 qualifying exam are eligible to apply for NLU admissions.
- They must earn at least 45 percent marks in the qualifying examination if they belong to the General/OBC/PWD/NRI/PIO/OCI categories.
- Candidates from the SC/ST categories are granted a 5% reduction in the minimum qualifying marks, requiring them to score at least 40% in the Class 12 qualifying test.
LLM Eligibility Criteria
- To apply for LLM courses at NLUs, candidates must hold an LLB degree or equivalent from a recognized legal institution or university.
- If they fall into the General/OBC/PWD/NRI/PIO/OCI category, they must have at least 55% in their qualifying law degree.
- For applicants in the SC/ST categories, the minimum mark required is 50% or an equivalent grade.
- Candidates in the last year of their legal degrees are also able to apply.