How Many Seats Are There for CLAT 2026 UG Aspirants? 

One of the most important questions after the conclusion of CLAT 2026 (UG) is not about ranks or cut-offs, but about seat availability. 

While tens of thousands of students appear for the examination each year, the number of undergraduate seats offered through CLAT remains limited and highly structured. Understanding how many seats exist, how they are distributed across National Law Universities (NLUs), and how domicile reservations affect access is essential to realistically assess admission prospects.

This article explains, in detail, the total number of undergraduate seats available through CLAT 2026, how these seats are divided across NLUs, the role of state domicile reservations, and which non-NLU institutions also accept CLAT scores.

Total Number of Seats for CLAT 2026 UG Aspirants

For CLAT 2026, undergraduate admissions are primarily conducted through centralised counselling by the Consortium of National Law Universities. The total number of UG seats offered by NLUs under CLAT is limited and categorised into different types of intake.

The undergraduate seat structure across all participating NLUs broadly consists of the following:

• Core CLAT UG seats: 3,705
• Supernumerary seats (NRI / NRI-sponsored / Foreign National): 247
• Other special category seats (EWS, J&K, Kashmiri Migrants, Transgender, etc.): 140

This brings the total undergraduate seat count to approximately 4,092 seats across all NLUs.

However, it is important to note that not all seats are accessible to all candidates. Most Indian students compete primarily for the core CLAT UG seats, as supernumerary seats are reserved for specific categories and often involve substantially higher fees.

Role of State Domicile Reservation in UG Seat Distribution

State domicile reservation plays a critical role in determining how UG seats are actually available to candidates during counselling. Many NLUs reserve a fixed percentage of their seats for candidates domiciled in the state where the university is located.

State domicile quota leads to a partition of seats within each NLU:

• A portion of seats is reserved exclusively for home-state candidates
• The remaining seats form the All India pool
• Category-based reservations are further applied within both pools

As a result, two candidates with the same All India rank may face entirely different admission outcomes based on domicile eligibility.

NLU-wise State Domicile Reservation Overview

The percentage of seats reserved for state domicile candidates varies significantly across NLUs, ranging from as low as 10% to as high as 62%. Universities with higher domicile percentages offer substantially greater admission opportunities to home-state candidates.

Examples include:

• Maharashtra NLUs (Mumbai, Nagpur, Aurangabad): 62% domicile reservation
• NLIU Bhopal, HNLU Raipur, CNLU Patna: 50% domicile reservation
• NLSIU Bengaluru and NALSAR Hyderabad: 25% domicile reservation

These reservations directly affect how many seats are realistically available to non-domicile candidates.

NLU-wise UG Seat Matrix for CLAT 2026

The table below provides a complete list of National Law Universities participating in CLAT 2026 UG admissions, along with the undergraduate programmes offered and the number of seats available through CLAT.

This table highlights two key realities:

• A significant number of NLUs offer 60–120 seats, not large intakes
• Course diversity (BA, BBA, BSc, BCom LL.B.) can influence competition levels within the same university

Colleges Accepting CLAT 2026 Scores Beyond NLUs: Non-NLU Institutions Accepting CLAT UG Scores

CLAT scores are not restricted to NLUs alone. Several private and deemed universities accept CLAT UG scores either as a primary shortlisting criterion or as part of their admission process.

The following institutions are known to accept CLAT scores for undergraduate law admissions:

• Jindal Global Law School, Sonipat
• NMIMS School of Law
• UPES School of Law, Dehradun
• Alliance University, Bengaluru
• Bennett University (School of Law)
• MIT-WPU School of Law, Pune
• ICFAI Law Schools (select campuses)
• IFIM Law School, Bengaluru
• Presidency University (School of Law)
• IUP Law School

Admission procedures at these institutions may involve:

• CLAT-based shortlisting
• Personal interviews
• Independent counselling rounds
• Internal cut-offs or merit lists

Unlike NLUs, admissions are not centralised, and timelines vary by institution.

Conclusion

For CLAT 2026 UG aspirants, seat availability remains the most defining constraint in the admission process. With approximately 4,000 undergraduate seats across all NLUs, and a significant portion subject to domicile and category reservations, competition for All India seats is intense. Understanding the NLU-wise seat matrix, the impact of domicile quotas, and the availability of non-NLU options is essential for making informed decisions during counselling.

Rather than viewing CLAT results in isolation, aspirants must interpret their outcomes against the structural reality of seat distribution. Only then can post-CLAT choices be made with clarity, realism, and strategic foresight.