The National Law School Admission Test (NLSAT) is one of the most competitive law entrance exams in India, offering just 120 seats for the prestigious 3-Year LL.B. program at NLSIU Bengaluru. With the growing popularity of the exam, understanding the cut-off trends is critical to planning your strategy effectively.
In this blog, the National Legal Training Institute (NLTI) breaks down NLSAT previous year cutoffs, presents expected NLSAT 2025 cutoffs, and offers data-backed insights into NLSAT 2026 predicted cutoff marks.
NLSAT Previous Year Cutoff Analysis (2022–2024)
Let’s first understand the trend over the last three years.
General Category
Reserved Categories (SC/ST/OBC/EWS/PwD)
Insight: Despite no official cut-off marks being published by NLSIU, NLTI’s analysis suggests that the general category cut-off consistently lies around the 85–90 percentile range, which corresponds to 65–70% of the total marks. For reserved categories, cut-offs tend to fall within the 70–80 percentile range.
Read More : NLSAT 2023–24 Papers Insights for 2026 Prep Strategy
1. Percentile vs Marks
NLSIU doesn’t officially release marks-based cutoffs but relies on percentile-based shortlisting.
However, internal analysis and student disclosures allow marks-to-percentile approximations.
2. Dual Weightage
Part A (Objective : 75 marks) + Part B (Subjective : 75 marks)
Both sections are considered during the final merit list. Performance must be balanced across both.
3. Category-Wise Variation
Cutoffs for reserved categories (SC, ST, OBC-NCL, EWS, PwD) are significantly lower due to seat reservation quotas.
Waiting lists also see deeper conversion in reserved categories sometimes up to Rank 350+.
Read More : Journey of NLSAT Topper Laila AIR 26
Based on past trends and 2025 difficulty levels, here is NLTI’s projected cut-off breakdown combining Part A + Part B (Total: 150 marks):
Note: These are tentative cut-offs and not official. Final cut-off marks will be declared by NLSIU along with the NLSAT 2025 merit list.
Looking ahead to NLSAT 2026, the competition is expected to intensify further. NLTI’s forecast for the upcoming cycle is based on paper difficulty trends and growing applicant volume.
Predicted Cutoff Ranges for 2026
Rising number of serious test-takers
Increasing awareness and outreach by NLSIU
More competitive writing in Part B, especially with essay and legal reasoning themes
Stronger reading and critical reasoning tested in Part A
To secure a place at NLSIU Bengaluru through NLSAT 2026, your preparation must target:
90+ marks out of 150 for general category
Strong, structured writing in Part B
High accuracy + speed in Part A (especially in Critical Reasoning & RC)
Current affairs awareness, especially for Legal GK
Past papers, mock tests, and NLTI’s mentorship resources can help you consistently hit these marks.
FAQs on NLSAT Cut-Offs
Q1. What is the safe score for General category in NLSAT?
A total score of 88–92 out of 150 is considered safe for the General category based on 2023 and 2025 trends.
Q2. Does NLSIU release official cut-off marks?
No. NLSIU typically releases only the final list of selected and waitlisted candidates. Cut-off marks are estimated based on ranks and student disclosures.
Q3. Are cut-offs the same for all categories?
No. Each category (General, OBC-NCL, EWS, SC, ST, PwD) has a different cut-off depending on reservation policies and rank-based intake.
Q4. Does the difficulty of the paper affect cut-off marks?
Yes. A more difficult paper usually leads to a slightly lower cut-off and vice versa.
Q5. Can I clear NLSAT without scoring full marks in Part A or Part B?
Yes. Selection is based on combined merit across both parts. A strong score in one part can compensate for a slightly lower score in the other.
