If you are dreaming of studying at India’s No. 1 law university, then understanding the NLSIU Bangalore seat matrix becomes one of your most important first steps. For years, NLSIU has stood as the finest law school in the country, producing some of the most influential judges, lawyers, scholars, and policy leaders.
And as you prepare for CLAT or NLSAT, you know that every single seat here is precious.
For the academic year 2026–27, NLSIU offers a total of 310 seats in its flagship BA LLB (Hons.) programme, 120 seats in 3-Year LLB (Hons.), and 120 seats across LLM specialisations as per the official category-wise breakdown.
These NLSIU seats are structured under SC, ST, OBC-NCL, EWS, General, and horizontal reservations for PwD, Women, and Karnataka Students, ensuring that the university remains inclusive, diverse, and merit-driven.
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NLSIU Bangalore Seats 2026
Find the number of total seats in NLSIU Bangalore:
| Programme | Total Seats |
| BA LLB (Hons.) | 310 |
| LLM | 120 |
| 3-Year LLB | 120 |
| BA (Hons.) | 60 |
| MPP | 60 |
| PhD (Law) | 4 |
| Ph.D. (Social Sciences, Humanities and Public Policy) | 4 |
NLSIU Bangalore Seats for BA LLB (Hons.)
The total NLSIU Bangalore seats for BA LLB 5-year programme is 310:
| Category | Reserved | Seats |
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 15% | 45 |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 7.5% | 23 |
| Other Backward Classes – NCL | 27% | 81 |
| Economically Weaker Section (EWS) | 10% | 30 |
| General Category | — | 121 |
| Total | — | 300 |
| + Karnataka Students (Supernumerary) | — | 10 |
| Total | — | 310 |
Horizontal Reservations for BA LLB
- PwD Reservation (5%) → 15 seats
- Women Reservation (30%) → 90 seats
- Karnataka Students Reservation (25%) → 75 seats (compartmentalised)
- 10 extra Karnataka seats (supernumerary; based on merit list)
Karnataka Students Eligibility
You are eligible under this category if:
- You have studied for at least 7 years in a recognised school in Karnataka.
- Study certificates must be submitted during counselling.
Explore everything you need to know about NLSIU Bangalore here:
| NLSIU Bangalore: All details | NLSIU Bangalore Cut-off |
| NLSIU Bangalore Admission Process | NLSIU Bangalore Fee Structure |
NLSIU Bangalore Seats for 3-Year LLB
The total NLSIU seats for 3-year LLB programme is 120:
| Category | Reserved | Seats |
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 15% | 18 |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 7.5% | 10 |
| OBC – NCL | 27% | 32 |
| EWS | 10% | 12 |
| General Category | — | 48 |
| Total | — | 120 |
Horizontal Reservations
- PwD (5%) → 6 seats
- Women (30%) → 36 seats
- Karnataka Students (25%) → 30 seats (compartmentalised)
The 3-Year LLB seat matrix at NLSIU is fully structured with vertical and horizontal reservations. Out of 120 seats, 48 belong to the General category while the rest follow SC, ST, OBC, and EWS quotas. Women, PwD, and Karnataka domicile rules apply across all categories.
NLSIU Bangalore Seats for LLM
The total NLSIU Bangalore LLM seats are 120:
| Category | Reserved | Seats |
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 15% | 18 |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 7.5% | 10 |
| OBC – NCL | 27% | 32 |
| EWS | 10% | 12 |
| General Category | – | 48 |
| Total | 120 |
NLSIU Seats for MPP
There are a total of 60 MPP seats in NLU Bangalore:
| Category | Reserved | Total Seats |
| SC | 15% | 9 |
| ST | 7.5% | 5 |
| OBC-NCL | 27% | 16 |
| EWS | 10% | 6 |
| General | – | 24 |
| Total | – | 60 |
Reservation Policy:
- 5% of the total intake shall be reserved horizontally for Persons with Disabilities (PWD).
- 30% of the total intake shall be reserved horizontally for Women.
- 25% of the total intake shall be reserved horizontally (compartmentalised) for Karnataka Students.
Important Resources After CLAT Exam:
| CLAT 2026 Allotment List | CLAT 2026 Answer Key |
| CLAT 2026 Cut Off | CLAT 2026 Rank Predictor |
| CLAT 2026 Marks vs Rank | CLAT 2026 Question Paper |
| CLAT 2026 College Predictor |
NLSIU Seat Matrix for PhD
The total PhD seats in NLSIU Bangalore is 8:
| Programme | Total Seats |
| PhD (Law) | 4 |
| PhD (Interdisciplinary) | 4 |
Reservation Policy for NLSIU Bangalore Seats 2026
Understanding the reservation policy of NLSIU Bangalore is extremely important because your CLAT or NLSAT rank is evaluated within your category. NLSIU follows a combination of vertical and horizontal reservations, ensuring that students from different sections of society get equal opportunity.
Vertical Reservations (Category-Based)
These apply to the total intake of each programme:
| Category | Reservation % |
| Scheduled Castes (SC) | 15% |
| Scheduled Tribes (ST) | 7.5% |
| Other Backward Classes – NCL | 27% |
| Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) | 10% |
| General Category | Remaining Seats |
Horizontal Reservations (Across All Categories)
Horizontal reservation cuts across the vertical categories.
| Reservation Type | Percentage | Applicable To |
| Persons with Disabilities (PwD) | 5% | All categories |
| Women Candidates | 30% | All categories |
| Karnataka Students | 25% (Compartmentalised) | Applicable to all categories |
Karnataka Students Eligibility
You are eligible for this reservation if you have studied for at least 7 years in a recognised school in Karnataka. Study certificates must be produced during counselling.
How NLSIU Seats Are Allotted Through CLAT?
Seat allotment at NLSIU happens through CLAT 2026 counselling, conducted by the Consortium of NLUs.
1. Your CLAT Rank = Primary Factor
You are considered within your category, not in the overall list. The CLAT 2026 results will show your rank and score.
Example:
If you are in OBC, you compete for the OBC seats only.
2. Seat Allotment Happens in Multiple Rounds
There are generally five CLAT 2026 allotment lists:
- 1st allotment list of CLAT 2026 (Round 1)
- 2nd allotment list of CLAT 2026 (Round 2)
- 3rd allotment list of CLAT 2026 (Round 3)
- 4th allotment list of CLAT 2026 (Round 4)
- 5th allotment list of CLAT 2026 (Round 5)
Each round includes:
- Upgradation
- Retain options
- Exit options
- Fee payment windows
3. Category Rank Matters More Than AIR
Even if your AIR looks high, your category rank may be good enough for NLSIU.
4. Tie-Breaking Rules Apply
If two students have identical scores, priority is based on:
- Higher marks in Legal Reasoning
- Older age
- Computerized draw of dots
5. Horizontal Reservation Adjustments
Seats are reallocated to ensure women, PwD, and Karnataka quotas are met within each category.
6. Upgradation System
If you get your second preference in Round 1, you may be upgraded to NLSIU in Round 2-if seats open in your category.
Check the NLU Preference List for CLAT 2026.
7. Final Step: Document Verification
You must present category certificates, domicile certificates (for Karnataka), PwD documents, mark sheets, etc.
NLSIU Vacant Seats 2026
NLSIU rarely has vacant seats because the university is always the first choice for CLAT toppers. Even if a few seats open due to withdrawals:
- They get filled immediately in the next CLAT counselling round
- Or through upgradation from other NLUs
- Or during the final mop-up round
- Vacancies, if any, are very few and usually only in supernumerary categories.
If NLSIU publishes a vacancy list, we will update it in this section.
Law Colleges Information Related to CLAT:
FAQs About NLSIU Seats
NLSIU Bangalore has 310 seats for BA LLB, 120 seats for the 3-Year LLB, and 75 seats for LLM for AY 2026–27.
EWS candidates get 10% seats across BA LLB, LLB, and LLM.
30% of the seats across all categories are reserved for women.
Yes. Karnataka students get 25% horizontal reservation + 10 extra BA LLB seats.
The total revised intake is 310 seats.
There are 120 seats for AY 2026–27.
No. Foreign National seats are supernumerary and are over and above the total intake.
No. There is no management quota at NLSIU.
Yes. 30% of seats across all categories are reserved for women.
No. NLSIU does not offer sports quota seats.
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