Choosing between NLU Ranchi (NUSRL) and CNLU Patna is a common dilemma among CLAT aspirants, especially those targeting NLUs in the eastern region. Both universities offer strong academics, decent internships, and a structured academic environment, but they differ significantly in fees, seat intake, reservation policies, and cut-off trends.
This blog offers a complete comparison of fees, intake & reservation, and cut-off trends for B.A. LL.B., B.B.A., LL.B., and LL.M. for both universities.
Let’s dive in.
NUSRL Ranchi
Let’s first talk about NLU Ranchi or NUSRL:
NUSRL Fees for BA LL.B & BBA LLB
| Sr.No | Items (At the time of Admission) | Amount (₹) | |
| 1 | Admission Fee | One time | 15,000 |
| 2 | Tuition Fees | Per Semester | 75,000 |
| 3 | Internet & Digital Resource Charges | Per Semester | 7,500 |
| 4 | Caution Money | One time (Refundable) | 15,000 |
| 5 | Multi-Media & Library Fee | Per Semester | 7,500 |
| 6 | Examination Fee | Per Semester | 7,500 |
| 7 | Academic Activities | Per Semester | 7,500 |
| 8 | Campus Development Fee | One Time | 20,000 |
| 9 | Maintenance Fee | Per Semester | 7,500 |
| Sub Total | 162500 | ||
| 10 | Hostel Rent | Per Year | 24,000 |
| Total | 186,500 | ||
| 11 | Mess Fee (Adjustable) | Per Semester | 20,000 |
| Grand Total | (a) | 206,500 | |
| Fees for II Semester | |||
| 1 | Semester Fee | Per Semester | 75,000 |
| 2 | Internet & Digital Resource Charges | Per Semester | 7,500 |
| 3 | Multi-Media & Library Fee | Per Semester | 7,500 |
| 4 | Examination Fee | Per Semester | 7,500 |
| 5 | Academic Activities | Per Semester | 7,500 |
| 6 | Maintenance Fee | Per Semester | 7,500 |
| Sub Total | 112,500 | ||
| 7 | Mess Fee for II Semester(approx.) | Per Semester | 20,000 |
| Total Fees for II Semester | (b) | 132,500 | |
| 8 | Total Fee in the First Year | (a) + (b) | 339,000 |
| Actual Fee for 1st Year Without Mess Fee | 299,000 | ||
| Actual Fee for 1st Year With Mess Fee | 339,000 | ||
| Actual Fee for 2nd Year Without Mess Fee | 249,000 | ||
| Actual Fee for 2nd Year With Mess Fee | 289,000 | ||
| Actual Fee for 3rd Year Without Mess Fee | 249,000 | ||
| Actual Fee for 3rd Year With Mess Fee | 289,000 | ||
| Actual Fee for 4th Year Without Mess Fee | 249,000 | ||
| Actual Fee for 4th Year With Mess Fee | 289,000 | ||
| Actual Fee for 5th Year Without Mess Fee | 249,000 | ||
| Actual Fee for 5th Year With Mess Fee | 289,000 | ||
Also Read: How to get into NUJS Kolkata?
NUSRL Intake and Reservation for B.A.LL.B (Hons.)
NUSRL shall admit students to its B.A.LL.B (Hons.) Course as per the following table:
| Jharkhand | All India | ||
| Category | Number of Seats | Category | Number of Seats |
| General (50%) | 30 | General | 30 |
| Scheduled Tribe (26%) | 16 | Scheduled Tribe (7.5%) | 05 |
| Scheduled Cast (10%) | 06 | Scheduled Cast (15%) | 09 |
| Backward Classes (6%) | 03 | OBC (27%) | 16 |
| EBC (8%) | 05 | ||
| Specially Abled Person (SAP) | 03 | Specially Abled Person (SAP) | 03 |
| Over and Above Supernumerary Quota (EWS) | 06 | Over and Above Supernumerary Quota (EWS) | 06 |
| Supernumerary Quota (J&K ) | 02 | ||
NUSRL Intake and Reservation for (B.B.A-LL.B(Hons.))
NUSRL shall admit students to its B.B.A.LL.B (Hons.) course as per the following table:
| Jharkhand | All India | ||
| Category | Number of Seats | Category | Number of Seats |
| General (50%) | 15 | General | 15 |
| Scheduled Tribe (26%) | 8 | Scheduled Tribe (7.5%) | 2 |
| Scheduled Cast (10%) | 3 | Scheduled Cast (15%) | 5 |
| Backward Classes (6%) | 2 | OBC (27%) | 8 |
| EBC (8%) | 2 | ||
| Specially Abled Person (SAP) | 1 | Specially Abled Person (SAP) | 1 |
| Over and Above Supernumerary Quota (EWS) | 3 | Over and Above Supernumerary Quota (EWS) | 3 |
| Supernumerary Quota (J&K ) | 1 | ||
NUSRL Fee Structure of LL.M.
| Sr.No | Items ((At the time of Admission)) | Amount (₹) | |
| 1 | Admission Fee | One time | 15,000 |
| 2 | Tuition Fees | Per Semester | 50,000 |
| 3 | Internet & Digital Resource Charges | Per Semester | 7,500 |
| 4 | Caution Money | One time (Refundable) | 15,000 |
| 5 | Multi-Media & Library Fee | Per Semester | 7,500 |
| 6 | Examination Fee | Per Semester | 15,000 |
| 7 | Academic Activities | Per Semester | 5,000 |
| 8 | Campus Development Fee | One Time | 20,000 |
| 9 | Maintenance Fee | Per Semester | 7,500 |
| Sub Total | 142,500 | ||
| 10 | Hostel Rent | Per Year | 24,000 |
| Total | 166,500 | ||
| 11 | Mess Fee (Adjustable) | Per Semester | 20,000 |
| Grand Total | (a) | 186,500 | |
| Fees for II Semester | |||
| 1 | Semester Fee | Per Semester | 50,000 |
| 2 | Internet & Digital Resource Charges | Per Semester | 7,500 |
| 3 | Multi-Media & Library Fee | Per Semester | 7,500 |
| 4 | Examination Fee | Per Semester | 15,000 |
| 5 | Academic Activities | Per Semester | 5,000 |
| 6 | Maintenance Fee | Per Semester | 7,500 |
| Sub Total | 92,500 | ||
| 7 | Mess Fee for II Semester(approx.) | Per Semester | 20,000 |
| Total Fees for II Semester | (b) | 112,500 | |
| 8 | Total Fee in the First Year | (a) + (b) | 299,000 |
| Actual Fee for 1st Year Without Mess Fee | 259,000 | ||
| Actual Fee for 1st Year With Mess Fee | 299,000 | ||
Download PDF: CLAT 2026 Question Paper
NUSRL Intake and Reservation for LL.M.
NUSRL shall admit students to its LL.M. course as per the following table:
| Jharkhand | All India | ||
| Category | Number of Seats | Category | Number of Seats |
| General (50%) | 15 | General | 15 |
| Scheduled Tribe (26%) | 8 | Scheduled Tribe (7.5%) | 2 |
| Scheduled Cast (10%) | 3 | Scheduled Cast (15%) | 5 |
| Backward Classes (6%) | 2 | OBC (27%) | 8 |
| EBC (8%) | 2 | ||
| Specially Abled Person (SAP) | 1 | Specially Abled Person (SAP) | 1 |
| Over and Above Supernumerary Quota (EWS) | 3 | Over and Above Supernumerary Quota (EWS) | 3 |
| Supernumerary Quota (J&K ) | 1 | ||
NUSRL Year-Wise Cut-off
| Course Name | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
| B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) in Intellectual Property Law | 1476 | 1336 | 1389 |
| B.A. LL.B. Hons. in Constitutional Law | 1476 | 1336 | 1389 |
| BALLB Hons. (Corporate Law) | 1476 | 1336 | 1389 |
| B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) in International Law | 1476 | 1336 | 1389 |
| B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) in Criminal Law | 1476 | – | – |
NUSRL Category-wise Cut-off
| Course Name | EWS | General | GeneralPwD | OBC | SC | ST |
| B.A. LL.B. Hons. in Constitutional Law | 1911 | 1476 | 36722 | 3025 | 9324 | 13373 |
| B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) in International Law | 1911 | 1476 | 36722 | 3025 | 9324 | 13373 |
| B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) in Criminal Law | 1911 | 1476 | 36722 | 3025 | 9324 | 13373 |
| B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) in Intellectual Property Law | 1911 | 1476 | 36722 | 3025 | 9324 | 13373 |
| BALLB Hons. (Corporate Law) | 1911 | 1476 | 36722 | 3025 | 9324 | 13373 |
| BBA LLB (Hons.) | 2088 | 1504 | 24719 | 3634 | 9324 | 13619 |
CNLU Patna: Fee Structure, Intake, Reservation & Cut-off (Complete Details)
CNLU Patna Fee Structure for B.A., LL.B (Hons) & B.B.A., LL.B. (Hons.)
| Particulars | Fee Structure |
| Tuition Fees | ₹126733 |
| Admission Fee (One-Time Payment) | ₹1500 |
| Admission Processing Fee (One-Time Payment) | ₹5000 |
| Development charges | ₹10000 |
| Moot Court fee | ₹5000 |
| Arbitration & Mediation fee | ₹5000 |
| Sports fee | ₹5000 |
| Literary & Cultural Activities | ₹4000 |
| Outsourced Charges | ₹16000 |
| Internet Fee | ₹3000 |
| Examination Fee | ₹5000 |
| Library Fee | ₹5000 |
| Mess Fee (Tentative) | 35000 |
| Room Rent (double-seated) | ₹22000 |
| Electricity charges | ₹8000 |
| Alumni Fee (one-time payment) | ₹1000 |
| NSS Fee (one-time payment) | ₹20 |
| Refundable Deposits | |
| Library Deposit | ₹5000 |
| Hostel Deposit | ₹10000 |
| Total | ₹2,72,253 |
Resources for CLAT Preparation:
| Online CLAT Coaching | CLAT Study Material |
| CLAT Coaching in Park Street | CLAT Mock Test |
| CLAT Coaching in Kolkata | CLAT Previous Year Papers |
CNLU Patna Seat Matrix for B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) & B.B.A., LL.B. (Hons.)
| Sr. No. | Category | Percentage | Seats |
| 1 | Unreserved Category | 40% | 28 |
| Economically Weaker Section (EWS) | 10% | 07 | |
| 2 | Scheduled Castes (SC) of Bihar | 16% | 11 |
| 3 | Scheduled Tribes (ST) of Bihar | 01% | 01 |
| 4 | Extremely Backward Classes – EBC (Annexure-I) of Bihar | 18% | 12 |
| 5 | Backward Classes – BC, (Annexure-II) of Bihar | 12% | 08 |
| 6 | Women of Backward Classes (WBC) of Bihar | 03% | 02 |
| Total | 100% | 69 | |
CNLU Patna Fee Structure for 3-Year LL.B. (Hons.)
| Particular | Fee Structure |
| Tuition Fees | ₹114950 |
| Admission Fee (One-Time Payment) | ₹1500 |
| Admission Processing Fee (One-Time Payment) | ₹5000 |
| Development charges | ₹10000 |
| Moot Court fee | ₹5000 |
| Arbitration & Mediation fee | ₹5000 |
| Sports fee | ₹5000 |
| Literary & Cultural Activities | ₹4000 |
| Outsourced Fee | ₹16000 |
| Internet Fee | ₹3000 |
| Examination Fee | ₹5000 |
| Library Fee | ₹5000 |
| Alumni Fee (one-time payment) | ₹1000 |
| NSS Fee (one-time payment) | ₹20 |
| Refundable Deposits | |
| Library Deposit | ₹5000 |
| Total Fee | ₹1,85,470 |
CNLU Patna 3-Year Law Course Seat Matrix
| Sr. No. | Category | Percentage | Seats |
| 1 | Unreserved Category | 40% | 24 |
| Economically Weaker Section (EWS) | 10% | 06 | |
| 2 | Scheduled Castes (SC) of Bihar | 16% | 09 |
| 3 | Scheduled Tribes (ST) of Bihar | 01% | 01 |
| 4 | Extremely Backward Classes – EBC (Annexure-I) of Bihar | 18% | 11 |
| 5 | Backward Classes – BC, (Annexure-II) of Bihar | 12% | 07 |
| 6 | Women of Backward Classes (WBC) of Bihar | 03% | 02 |
| Total | 100% | 60 | |
CNLU Patna Fee Structure for LL.M.
| Particular | Fee Structure |
| Tuition Fees | ₹121275 |
| Admission Fee (One-Time Payment) | ₹4000 |
| Development Charges | ₹10000 |
| Library Fee | ₹8000 |
| Internet Fee | ₹3000 |
| Outsourced Charges | ₹16000 |
| Electricity Fee | ₹4000 |
| Refundable Deposits | |
| Library Deposit | ₹5000 |
| Examination Fee | |
| Written Examination ₹700/- (Per Paper) | ₹7000 |
| Dissertation | ₹4000 |
| Alumni Fee (one-time payment) | ₹1000 |
| Total Fee (Without Hostel Charges) | ₹1,83,275 |
| Hostel Fees | |
| Room Rent (double-seated) | ₹22000 |
| Electricity Fee | ₹8000 |
| Mess Fee (Tentative) | ₹35000 |
| Total Hostel Fee | ₹65000 |
| Total Fee (With Hostel Charges) | ₹2,48,275 |
| Re-admission fee for Registered Students | ₹4000 |
| Repeat Examination fee | ₹700/- per paper |
CNLU Patna Seat Matrix for LL.M.
| Sr. No. | Category | Percentage | Seats |
| 1 | Unreserved Category | 40% | 26 |
| Economically Weaker Section (EWS) | 10% | 06 | |
| 2 | Scheduled Castes (SC) of Bihar | 16% | 11 |
| 3 | Scheduled Tribes (ST) of Bihar | 01% | 01 |
| 4 | Extremely Backward Classes – EBC (Annexure-I) of Bihar | 18% | 12 |
| 5 | Backward Classes – BC, (Annexure-II) of Bihar | 12% | 08 |
| 6 | Women of Backward Classes (WBC) of Bihar | 03% | 02 |
| Total | 100% | 66 | |
Apply Now: CLAT 2027 Registration Form
CNLU Patna Cut-off 2025
| Courses | Round 1 (Closing rank) | Round 2 (Closing rank) | Round 3 (Closing rank) |
| BALLB Hons. | 1278 | 1398 | – |
| BBA + L.L.B. (Hons.) | 1424 | 1547 | 1555 |
CNLU Patna Cut-off 2024
| Category | Closing Rank | Closing Marks |
| General | 1349 | 84 |
| OBC | 2398 | 75.5 |
| SC | 4790 | 63.25 |
| ST | 6905 | 56.5 |
| EWS | 1975 | 78.75 |
| PwD | 8430 | 51.25 |
CNLU Patna Cut-off 2023
| Category | Closing Rank | Closing Marks |
| General | 1278 | 85.75 |
| OBC | 2290 | 76 |
| SC | 4530 | 65.25 |
| ST | 6540 | 59 |
| EWS | 1890 | 79.25 |
| PwD | 8210 | 53.5 |
CNLU Patna 2022
| Category | Cut-off (Opening Rank-Closing Rank) |
| General | 932-1498 |
| OBC | – |
| SC | – |
| ST | – |
NLU Ranchi vs CNLU Patna: Quick Overview
| Parameter | NLU Ranchi (NUSRL) | CNLU Patna |
| Location | Ranchi, Jharkhand | Patna, Bihar |
| Courses Offered | BA LL.B (Hons.)BBA LL.B (Hons.)LL.MPhD | BA LL.B (Hons.)BBA LL.B (Hons.)LL.M3-year LL.B (from 2025–26) |
| Seat Intake – BA LL.B | 134 seats | 69 seats |
| Seat Intake – BBA LL.B | 67 seats | 69 seats |
| Seat Intake – LL.M | Seat-wise categories for Jharkhand + All India (approx. 60 total, incl. categories) | 66 seats |
| Seat Intake – 3-Year LL.B | — | 60 seats |
| Domicile Reservation | 50% seats for Jharkhand + ST/SC/OBC/EBC categories | Bihar-category reservation (UR/EWS/SC/ST/EBC/BC/WBC) |
| PWD/SAP | 3 SAP (supernumerary) | 5% horizontal in each course |
| Supernumerary Seats | EWS + J&K | NRI/Foreign (5 seats each) |
| First Year Fee – BA/BBA LL.B | ₹3,39,000 (with mess) | ₹2,72,253 (with hostel & mess) |
| Yearly Fee (excluding mess) – BA/BBA LL.B | ₹2,99,000 | Approx. ₹2.1–2.2 lakh |
| Per Year Mess Charges | ₹40,000 approx. | ₹35,000 + electricity |
| Hostel Rent (UG) | ₹24,000 yearly | ₹22,000 yearly |
| LL.M 1st Year Fee | ₹2,99,000 | ₹1,83,275 (without hostel) ₹2,48,275 (with hostel) |
| Cut-off 2025 (UG) | General – 1476 (BA/BBA LL.B all branches) | BA LL.B – 1278 to 1398BBA LL.B – 1424 to 1555 |
| Cut-off 2024 (Category-wise) | General – 1476EWS – 1911OBC – 3025SC – 9324ST – 13373 | General – 1349OBC – 2398SC – 4790ST – 6905EWS – 1975PWD – 8430 |
| Cut-off 2023 (General) | 1389 | 1278 |
| Campus Type | Residential | Residential |
| Admission Mode | CLAT | CLAT (plus NRI/Foreign supernumerary) |
Also Check: CLAT 2027 AIOM in Kolkata
FAQs About NLU Ranchi vs CNLU Patna
Which is better: NLU Ranchi or CNLU Patna?
Both universities are reputed NLUs in the eastern region, but the better choice depends on your priorities:
Choose NLU Ranchi (NUSRL) if you want:
– A bigger campus
– Larger peer group (higher intake)
– Stronger reputation for academics & research-driven programs
– Better student–faculty ratio in some departments
Choose CNLU Patna if you prefer:
– Lower annual fees
– Availability of 3-year LL.B (from 2025–26)
– Good internships and proximity to Patna High Court
What is the first-year fee for LL.M. at NLU Ranchi and CNLU Patna?
– NLU Ranchi (LL.M) – ₹2,99,000 per year (with mess)
– CNLU Patna (LL.M) – ₹1,83,275 (without hostel) or ₹2,48,275 (with hostel)
What is the seat intake for BA LL.B at NLU Ranchi and CNLU Patna?
– NLU Ranchi: 134 seats
– CNLU Patna: 69 seats
Which NLU is better for placements?
Both NLUs offer decent opportunities, but:
– NLU Ranchi generally sees slightly better placements due to a larger alumni base & active student committees.
– CNLU Patna allows strong litigation exposure due to its proximity to the Patna High Court.
For corporate placements, NUSRL has an edge. For litigation & judiciary preparation, CNLU performs strongly.
Does CNLU Patna offer a 3-year LL.B program?
Yes. CNLU introduced a 3-year LL.B (Hons.) program starting 2025–26, with 60 seats.
Is the academic curriculum different at NLU Ranchi and CNLU Patna?
Yes:
– NLU Ranchi offers multiple honors specializations (Criminal, Corporate, Constitutional, IPR, and International Law).
– CNLU Patna offers standard BA/BBA LL.B honours programs without multiple specializations.
