List of NLUs in India (Updated List): NIRF Ranking 2024, Admissions, Eligibility, Courses, Fees and Seats

NLUs are the first choice of law aspirants because many of them are listed among the top law colleges as ranked by NIRF Rankings. The Ministry of Education releases the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) Rankings every year which helps many aspirants to understand which college to pursue law from. In this article, we take a close look at NLUs in India including, NIRF Ranking 2024 Law, courses offered, seat matrix, fee structure, and admission criteria.

Any law aspirant worth his salt knows or at least has heard about the National Law Universities (NLUs). In fact, institutes like NLSIU Bangalore, NALSAR, and NLU Delhi are the flag bearers of law education in the country, having produced and shaped some of the sharpest legal minds. So, come application season, there is a great rush to get admission to the NLUs. But admission to the NLUs is easier said than done, especially the older ones, many of which are the top law colleges in the country. To begin with, the number of applications these colleges receive is huge, and on top of that, the NLU entrance exam is no walk in the park.

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In this article, we look at the list of NLUs in the country, the course-wise seat available at each NLU, the admission process, and much more. Keep reading.

NIRF Law Ranking 2024: NLUs Position (Latest)

The Ministry of Education has released the NIRF Ranking Law Colleges 2024 and the top 5 ranked law colleges in India are:

1. NLSIU Bengaluru
2. NLU Delhi
3. NALSAR University of Law
4. The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS)
5. Symbiosis Law School

The detailed NIRF Law Ranking List has been published as under:

Also read: Top 10 Private Law Colleges in India - NIRF Ranking 2024

According to NIRF Ranking 2024, like in the previous years, is dominated by the NLUs. Among the top five law colleges in the country, the top four are NLUs. 

1. NLSIU Bengaluru
2. NLU Delhi
3. NALSAR University of Law
4. WBNUJS

The fifth position is occupied by a non-NLU, SLS Pune. Check college predictor for CLAT and college predictor for AILET  based on your marks in these entrance exams.

List of NLUs in India - NIRF Ranking, UG and PG seats

Now, there are a total of 25 NLUs in India offering admissions to undergraduate and postgraduate law courses (seat intake) as listed below:

Also Read: What are NLUs (National Law Universities)? How are these different from other Law schools?

Law Courses offered at NLUs

Undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses, Ph.D., and diploma courses are offered at NLUs include:

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• All About NLU Courses - Five-Year LLB, LLB, LLM, PhD in Law and Distance Law Courses
• NLU Fees for the five-year LLB courses

NLU Admission Process 2025

Admission to all the NLUs, except for NLU Delhi, is conducted based on CLAT scores. NLU Delhi conducts its own entrance exam, the AILET. 

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CLAT Sample Papers 2025 (PDF Link) - Past Years' Sample Paper Download Here

Let us understand the basic difference between both the above-mentioned law entrance exams for NLU admissions:

What is CLAT?

CLAT is a national-level law entrance exam, conducted for admission to 24 National Law Universities in India (except for NLU Delhi). A consortium of NLUs conducts the law entrance exam, the governing body of which includes vice-chancellors of all the 24 NLUs. Through CLAT, admissions are open to 3,213 seats for five-year integrated law courses and 1,217 seats for postgraduate law courses. The intake mentioned above doesn't include extra, supernumerary and NRI seats. CLAT exam WAS conducted on December 1, 2024 in a pen-paper based test mode. CLAT 2025 Result was announced on December 7, 2024.

What is AILET?

All India Law Entrance Test, popularly known as AILET, is the only entrance exam conducted and accepted by NLU Delhi. This national-level exam is conducted once a year for admission to the university’s five-year integrated LLB and LLM courses. The LLB course has 110 seats, and LLM course has 70 seats, not including J&K, supernumerary and NRI seats. The National Law University, Delhi closed online applications for AILET 2025 on November 22, 2024. The AILET 2025 was held on December 8, 2024.

Difference in CLAT and AILET exam pattern for UG courses:

Last year, CLAT Consortium made major changes in the exam pattern of CLAT. However, NLU Delhi still continues with its previous AILET exam pattern. Check the table below for key features of CLAT pattern and AILET pattern for UG courses:

Difference in CLAT and AILET exam pattern for LLM courses:

The CLAT consortium removed the 'Descriptive Paper' of CLAT LLM in 2020. However, the Consortium has re-introduced the subjective section in the exam from 2023. On the other hand, the exam pattern of AILET 2024 for LLM courses remains the same as previous years. Check the exam pattern of CLAT and AILET for PG course:

Check complete CLAT LLM exam pattern and AILET LLM exam pattern for PG courses.

Eligibility Criteria for NLU Admissions 2025

The eligibility criteria for undergraduate and postgraduate law courses offered at NLUs (including NLU Delhi) is as under:

Academic criteria for UG admissions:

• Candidates who have passed or are appearing in Class 12 qualifying examination are eligible to apply for NLU admissions
• They must secure at least 45 percent marks in the qualifying examination if belonging to General/ OBC/ PWD/ NRI/ PIO/ OCI categories
• For candidates belonging to SC/ ST categories, a five percent relaxation in minimum qualifying marks is given i.e. they should obtain at least 40 percent marks in the qualifying examination of Class 12.

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Academic criteria for PG admissions :

• Candidates seeking admission to LLM courses offered at NLUs should possess an LLB degree or an equivalent from any recognised law college or university
• They should obtain at least 55 percent marks in the qualifying law degree if they belong to General/ OBC/ PWD/ NRI/ PIO/ OCI categories
• For candidates belonging to SC/ ST categories, the minimum marks required is 50 percent or an equivalent grade
• Candidates appearing in the final year examination of their law degrees are also eligible to apply

Age limit criteria for NLU admissions :

The Bar Council of India has removed any upper or lower age limit criteria for admissions to law courses. Check CLAT eligibility 2024.

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