Where Is It Easiest to Get Into an NLU This Year?
A data-verified, narrative-driven snapshot of India’s legal education landscape.
Every year, thousands of CLAT aspirants chase the dream of entering the National Law University system — but behind every dream lies a number:
the closing rank.
The Courtroom Index was created for one purpose: to transform scattered cut-off data into sharp, transparent, decision-ready insight.
This 2025 edition answers a deceptively simple question with mathematical precision:
“Which NLU was the easiest to enter this year, based purely on General Category All-India CLAT ranks?”
No opinions.
No hype.
Just clean, verifiable numbers — elevated into a narrative every aspirant can understand.
How This Index Works
The methodology is intentionally strict:
Only CLAT 2025 General Category – All India closing ranks
Only 5-year UG programmes (BA LL.B / BBA LL.B)
Rankings based on the least competitive closing rank per NLU
Higher rank = easier to enter
No subjective factors, no institutional judgments
Think of it as India’s Admission Difficulty Map — a ground truth snapshot of where you stand.
The Courtroom Index Table 2025
The 15 Easiest NLUs to Enter — From “Competitive” to “Wide Open”
This table is your clear, unfiltered view of the 2025 landscape.
| Rank | NLU | Official Website | Highest Closing Rank (General–All India) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | GNLU Silvassa Campus | https://gnlu.ac.in | 1461 |
| 14 | MNLU Mumbai | https://mnlumumbai.edu.in | 1473 |
| 13 | CNLU Patna | http://cnlu.ac.in | 1555 |
| 12 | MNLU Nagpur | https://mnlunagpur.edu.in | 1623 |
| 11 | DSNLU Visakhapatnam | https://dsnlu.ac.in | 1682 |
| 10 | NUSRL Ranchi | https://nusrlranchi.ac.in | 1760 |
| 9 | DBRANLU Sonepat | https://dbranlu.ac.in | 1930 |
| 8 | TNNLU Tiruchirappalli | http://tnnlu.ac.in | 1947 |
| 7 | NLUJAA Assam | https://nluassam.ac.in | 2141 |
| 6 | MPDNLU Jabalpur | https://mpdnlu.ac.in | 2243 |
| 5 | MNLU Aurangabad | https://mnlua.ac.in | 2393 |
| 4 | RPNLU Prayagraj | https://rpnlup.ac.in | 2469 |
| 3 | HPNLU Shimla | https://hpnlu.ac.in | 2634 |
| 2 | IIULER Goa | https://iiuler.edu.in | ~2832 |
| 1 | NLU Tripura (NLUT Agartala) | https://nlutripura.ac.in | 2855 |
The Index, Interpreted — What These Ranks Really Mean
Numbers tell a story. Here’s the story they tell this year:
15 → 12: The “Competitive but Pragmatic” Band
These NLUs — GNLU Silvassa, MNLU Mumbai, CNLU Patna, MNLU Nagpur — still attract strong national interest. But when cut-offs stretch beyond 1450, aspirants gain breathing room.
11 → 8: The “Accessible Core”
Visakhapatnam, Ranchi, Sonepat, Trichy:
NLUs that consistently hold their ground but remain approachable for mid-range AIRs.
7 → 5: The “Wide-Zone Middle Order”
Assam, Jabalpur, Aurangabad — all showing broad intake, with closing ranks rising above 2100. This is where many aspirants statistically enter the NLU system.
4 → 2: The “Deep Cut-Off Frontier”
Prayagraj, Shimla, Goa: Universities still shaping their identity, with cut-offs extending dramatically — sometimes beyond 2800.
1: The Clear Outlier
NLU Tripura : With a closing rank of 2855, it stands as the easiest entry point into the NLU ecosystem in 2025, strictly by the numbers.
Institution Snapshots
GNLU Silvassa
Newer campus. Moderate All-India pull.
MNLU Mumbai
A major city advantage — yet a surprisingly gentle closing rank.
CNLU Patna
Stable admissions profile; demand remains mid-range.
MNLU Nagpur
Deeper closing ranks than Mumbai; strong regional uptake.
DSNLU Visakhapatnam
Accessible, steady performer.
NUSRL Ranchi
Established but not cut-throat; closing ranks comfortable for many.
DBRANLU Sonepat
Growing steadily; admissions still very open.
TNNLU Tiruchirappalli
Respected Southern NLU with realistic entry thresholds.
NLUJAA Assam
Geographical distance shapes demand; broad closing range.
MPDNLU Jabalpur
Large window of entry opportunity.
MNLU Aurangabad
Consistently deeper cut-offs among the MNLUs.
RPNLU Prayagraj
New CLAT entrant; wide cut-off movement is expected.
HPNLU Shimla
One of the widest closing ranks this year.
IIULER Goa
A young NLU with early-cycle behaviours — broadest cut-offs after Tripura.
NLU Tripura (NLUT)
The easiest NLU to enter in 2025, based purely on CLAT General All-India closing ranks.
How Aspirants Should Use This Index
If you’re scoring high:
This Index is not your destination — but it tells you how the lower end of the spectrum behaves.
If you’re mid-range:
This table becomes your navigation chart.
Ranks 12 → 5 are your strategic zone.
If you’re just crossing the threshold:
Ranks 4 → 1 show you where entry is statistically most feasible.
If you’re planning for next year:
This Index reveals demand patterns, not reputations. It tells you how students voted with their preference lists — the most honest indicator of competition.
Key Takeaway
The Courtroom Index does not tell you which NLU is “best.”
It tells you something far more honest:
Where India’s CLAT ecosystem opened its doors the widest this year.
In a landscape crowded with opinions, coaching-based rankings, and unverifiable claims, the Courtroom Index stands for one principle:
Data should speak first.
And this is exactly what it spoke in 2025.
Also Read: 10 Mind-Blowing Facts from the History of Law (Yes, It’s That Wild)
