CLAT 2027 OBC Reservation Rules: Eligibility, Domicile Rules, NLU Seats

CLAT 2027 OBC Reservation Rules

OBC reservation varies across NLUs. Many universities use the OBC-NCL category, while some have state-specific categories such as Maharashtra OBC, Assam OBC-NCL and Chhattisgarh domicile-linked seats. A commonly followed reservation benchmark for OBC-NCL in several universities is 27%.

However, you must check the actual CLAT seat allocation NLU-wise because state laws, domicile reservations, and institutional policies can change the number of seats available to a particular category. Therefore, an OBC candidate should not assume that the same percentage or number of seats applies to every NLU.

CLAT 2027 OBC Seats in NLUs: UG

The following table lists the OBC seats specified for the CLAT 2027 UG programmes.

NLU Name	OBC Seats
NLSIU Bangalore	81
NALSAR Hyderabad	26
NLIU Bhopal	21
WBNUJS Kolkata	4
NLU Jodhpur	21% of seats (Total seats are 164+16 NRI/NRIs sponsored+16 EWS Supernumerary)
HNLU Raipur	11 for All India and 12 for Chhattisgarh Domicile
GNLU Gandhinagar	43
GNLU Silvassa	16
RMLNLU Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh)	43
NUSRL Ranchi	24
NLUJA Assam	OBC (NCL): 16 OBC (NCL)/MOBC (NCL) of Assam: 16
TNNLU Tiruchirappalli	28
MNLU Mumbai	MH-OBC: 19
MNLU Nagpur	45
MNLU Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar	BA.LL.B. (Hons.): OBC for Maharashtra Reserved Categories: 23, BBA.LL.B. (Hons.): OBC for Maharashtra Reserved Categories: 11
DNLU Jabalpur	16
DBRANLU Haryana	25
RPNLUP Prayagraj	17

Also Check the Total Seats in NLUs for CLAT

CLAT 2027 OBC Seats in NLUs: PG

The OBC reservation figures for CLAT 2027 PG programmes are given below.

NLU Name	OBC Seats
NLSIU Bangalore	33
NALSAR Hyderabad	14
NLIU Bhopal	17
WBNUJS Kolkata	2
NLU Jodhpur	21% of seats (Total seats are 80+8 EWS Supernumerary seats)
HNLU Raipur	24
GNLU Gandhinagar	14
GNLU Silvassa	8
RMLNLU Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh)	13
NUSRL Ranchi	8
NLUJA Assam	OBC (NCL): 16 OBC (NCL)/MOBC (NCL) of Assam: 16
TNNLU Tiruchirappalli	12
MNLU Mumbai	MH-OBC: 10
MNLU Nagpur	11
MNLU Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar	23
DNLU Jabalpur	8
DBRANLU Haryana	12
RPNLUP Prayagraj	3

CLAT 2027 OBC Eligibility for UG

OBC candidates must meet the same basic academic eligibility prescribed for the CLAT UG programme, along with the applicable requirements for claiming an OBC reservation at a particular NLU.

Candidates must have passed Class 12 or an equivalent exam with at least:

• 45% marks or equivalent for candidates under the General/OBC/EWS eligibility requirement.
• 40% marks or equivalent for candidates belonging to SC/ST/PwD categories.
• There is no upper age limit for CLAT 2027 UG.

CLAT 2027 OBC Eligibility for PG

For CLAT PG, candidates need an LL.B. degree or an equivalent qualification.

The minimum marks required are:

• 50% marks or equivalent grade for General/OBC/EWS.
• 45% marks or equivalent grade for SC/ST/PwD candidates.

There is no upper age limit for CLAT 2027 PG. Candidates who are appearing for their qualifying examination in 2027 are also eligible to apply.

OBC candidates should separately check whether the NLU they are targeting requires a particular OBC-NCL or state-specific certificate for claiming the reserved seat.

CLAT 2027 OBC Domicile Rules

OBC reservation and domicile reservation are separate considerations. A candidate may have an OBC category but may not automatically qualify for a state domicile seat.

Some NLUs have specific domicile or state-based conditions.

NLSIU Bengaluru Karnataka Students Category

NLSIU Bengaluru provides a Karnataka Students category based on the candidate's schooling history in Karnataka. A candidate can qualify by completing at least seven years of study in a recognised educational institution in Karnataka. 

Candidates must submit a study certificate from the recognised and affiliated institution during counselling. Certain candidates who studied outside Karnataka may also qualify under specified conditions. These include children of:

• Defence personnel or ex-servicemen who declared Karnataka as their hometown when joining service.
• Karnataka State Government employees serving outside the state.
• Serving or retired Karnataka-cadre All India Services officers who have served outside Karnataka.
• Central Armed Police Force personnel who declared Karnataka as their hometown and served outside the state.

These provisions depend on the candidate's period of study outside Karnataka and the applicable conditions.

WBNUJS Kolkata West Bengal Domicile

Candidates can be considered under the West Bengal Domicile category if they have studied for at least 10 years in a recognised educational institution in West Bengal by the last date for CLAT 2027 applications. A candidate living outside West Bengal is also eligible if their parent is a permanent resident of West Bengal and has a permanent residential address in the state.

NLU Jodhpur Rajasthan Domicile

NLU Jodhpur has a 25% horizontal reservation for Rajasthan State Domicile candidates. For UG, the total intake is 196 seats, including 164 regular seats, 16 NRI/NRIs-sponsored seats and 16 EWS supernumerary seats.

For the LL.M. programme, the intake is 80 seats plus 8 EWS supernumerary seats, with the same 25% horizontal reservation for Rajasthan domicile.

GNLU Gandhinagar Gujarat Domicile

GNLU Gandhinagar has 40 Gujarat Domicile seats for UG and 13 Gujarat Domicile seats for PG (LL.M.). Candidates seeking these seats need to meet the applicable Gujarat domicile conditions.

DSNLU Visakhapatnam Andhra Pradesh Domicile

For an Andhra Pradesh local candidate, the applicable study requirement is based on having studied for four to seven consecutive years in Andhra Pradesh.

Candidates who studied outside Andhra Pradesh but claim native domicile may use a 10-year residence certificate issued by the local Tahsildar as the alternative proof specified for this category.

Must Know for Every CLAT Aspirant:

CLAT Eligibility Criteria	CLAT Exam Pattern
CLAT Preparation Books	CLAT Marking Scheme

OBC Reservation vs Domicile Reservation in CLAT 2027

These two provisions should not be treated as interchangeable. OBC reservation is linked to the candidate's applicable social category and, where required, the relevant non-creamy-layer or state-specific classification.

Domicile reservation is linked to the candidate's connection with a particular state, which may be established through schooling, parental residence or other prescribed documents.

A candidate may need to satisfy both category-related and domicile-related conditions when applying for a seat reserved under a particular state category.

The exact benefit available will depend on the NLU's reservation structure and the category under which the candidate applies.

Documents for Claiming OBC and Domicile Benefits

Candidates seeking an OBC-reserved or domicile-linked seat should keep the relevant documents ready for counselling. Depending on the NLU and category, these may include:

• OBC-NCL or applicable state OBC certificate
• Domicile or residence certificate
• School study certificates
• Documents supporting parental residence, where applicable
• Category certificates in the prescribed format
• Academic qualification documents

What OBC Candidates Should Check Before CLAT 2027 Counselling

An OBC candidate should check three numbers before making an NLU preference list:

• The total intake of the NLU
• The number or percentage of OBC seats
• The number of seats linked to a particular state or domicile

For example, NLU Jodhpur specifies 21% OBC reservation and 25% Rajasthan domicile horizontal reservation, while HNLU Raipur lists 11 OBC seats for All India candidates and 12 for Chhattisgarh Domicile in UG. This shows why simply applying a single OBC percentage to every NLU can give an incorrect picture of the actual seat availability.

Recommended Resources for the CLAT Exam:

CLAT Age Limit	CLAT PG Eligibility Criteria
CLAT 12th Marks Criteria	CLAT Syllabus