NLSAT Cutoff Trends 2022–2025: General Category Analysis 2026 & Predictions Video

The National Law School Admissions Test (NLSAT) for NLSIU Bangalore’s 3-year LL.B (Hons.) program has seen a steady rise in cut-off scores over the past few cycles. In this blog, we’ll dive into year-wise NLSAT cutoff trends for the General (Male) category, examine how the bar has been rising – especially for Karnataka domicile candidates – and discuss what this means for aspirants. We’ll also use insights from Lawfren’s All India Mock Tests (AIMT) to predict the NLSAT 2026 cutoffs, highlighting why Lawfren’s mocks are a reliable crystal ball for your NLSAT prep. So, if you’re aiming for NLSIU, buckle up for some data-driven analysis and friendly advice on hitting that target score!

Understanding NLSAT Cutoff Criteria

NLSIU Bangalore admits 120 students each year into its 3-year LL.B (Hons.) program, through the NLSAT – a two-part entrance exam. Here’s a quick rundown of the exam structure and how cut-offs work:

• Part A is an objective section (multiple-choice questions) for a maximum of 75 marks, testing comprehension, current affairs, and critical reasoning. Every correct answer yields +1, and every wrong or unanswered question incurs –0.25 negative marking. Part A essentially serves as the first filter in the admissions process.
• Part B is a subjective section (essay and problem-based questions) for another 75 marks, assessing legal aptitude and analytical ability. Only candidates who score above a certain threshold in Part A have their Part B copies evaluated – typically a 1:5 ratio of candidates per seat is used (i.e. only about five candidates per seat make it to Part B evaluation, based on Part A performance).
• Final selection is based on the combined score of Part A + Part B (aggregate out of 150). Additionally, NLSIU also conducts an interview of 10 marks for those who qualify, as per past prospectus, though the written exam largely determines who makes the merit list.

How are NLSAT cutoff defined? Officially, NLSIU sets a percentile-based minimum criterion. General category (and EWS) candidates must score above the 75th percentile in both Part A and Part B (as well as in the combined score) to be eligible for admission. Reserved categories (SC/ST/OBC/PwD) have a lower threshold (40th percentile). In simple terms, a general category aspirant needs to perform better than at least 75% of all test-takers in each part of the exam to even be considered. This ensures a high standard, but in reality the effective cut-off is even higher because of competition.

NLSIU also has a 25% horizontal reservation for “Karnataka Students” (candidates who meet the domicile criteria) across all categories. This means 30 out of 120 seats are reserved for Karnataka-domiciled candidates (proportionally divided among General, SC, ST, etc.). Importantly, these reserved candidates compete among themselves for those seats, leading to potentially different cut-off scores for the domicile category versus the all-India category. We’ll explore how this plays out for General category males in a moment.

General (Male) category focus: You might be wondering – does NLSIU have gender-based cut-offs? Formally, admissions are gender-neutral; however, to maintain diversity, NLSIU ensures a healthy representation of all genders. In practice, this sometimes reflects in separate cut-off observations for male and female candidates within the general category (especially under the domicile quota). Many analyses, including Lawfren’s, track the General Male segment to see if there’s a gap between male and female cut-off scores. Typically, the difference (if any) arises from efforts to include more female candidates or from variations in performance distributions. In the data below, we’ll mention “General Male” for clarity where relevant – chiefly for Karnataka domicile seats where such distinctions have been observed. Overall, if you’re a general category aspirant, the trends apply to you regardless of gender, but it’s interesting to note the nuances.

With that background set, let’s compare the year-wise cut-off trends for NLSAT Part A and Part B, focusing on the General category (Male). We will look at the years 2022, 2023, and 2025, since those correspond to the first three admission cycles of the 3-year LL.B. (Note: NLSAT 2024 was a planned cycle but its admissions got aligned slightly differently, so our analysis highlights the most significant years of data).

Year-wise NLSAT Cutoff for General Category (Male)

To make sense of the cut-off trajectory, we’ll consider the approximate minimum performance needed by a General (Male) candidate to secure admission in each year. Since NLSIU doesn’t officially publish exact cut-off marks, we rely on percentile cut-offs and analysis from official sources (NLSIU’s criteria) and Lawfren’s insights. The table below breaks down the Part A and Part B cut-off benchmarks for 2022, 2023, and 2025:

Admission Year	Part A NLSAT Cutoff (≈Percentile)	Part B NLSAT Cutoff (≈Percentile)
2022 – Inaugural NLSAT	~82% (Part A)	~75% (Part B)
2023 – Second Intake	~85% (Part A)	~78% (Part B)
2025 – Latest Cycle*	~90% (Part A)	~82% (Part B)

*(Note: NLSAT 2025 figures are estimates based on analysis, as official percentile data is not explicitly released. The trend, however, indicates a continued rise.)

As shown above, the cut-off percentiles have climbed year after year. In 2022 (the first ever NLSAT for the 3-year LL.B.), a general candidate needed to be roughly in the 82nd percentile in Part A and around the 75th percentile in Part B to make it throughlawfren.com. By 2023, this bar went up to about 85th percentile (Part A) and 78th percentile (Part B)lawfren.com. Fast forward to 2025, and early data suggests you’d likely need to be around the 90th percentile in Part A and above 80th percentile in Part B as a general category aspirantlawfren.com. In other words, three out of four was once the requirement; now we’re talking about four out of five peers to beat in each section!

Trend of rising NLSAT cut-off percentiles for General category candidates (approximate Part A and Part B percentile cut-offs for 2022, 2023, 2025). As competition intensifies, aspirants need to outperform a larger share of peers each year to secure admission.

Why this consistent rise in NLSAT cutoff? A few key reasons:

• Increased Competition: The popularity of NLSIU’s 3-year law program has grown. For instance, NLSIU is the top-ranked law school in India, so each cycle attracts even more serious aspirants, naturally pushing cut-offs upward.
• Improved Preparation: Awareness of NLSAT’s pattern has spread since 2022. Coaching institutes (like Lawfren!) and self-preparing candidates have refined their strategies over time. The result is better average performance, again lifting the percentile thresholds. In 2023 and 2025, candidates were likely more prepared for the test’s nuances (critical reasoning, essay writing, etc.) than the pioneer batch of 2022.
• Static Seat Intake: The intake has remained at 120 seats, with ~30 for Karnataka quota. With applicant numbers rising and seats constant, the selection ratio gets tougher. Coupled with the percentile rule (75th percentile minimum), if the pool performs better overall, the NLSAT cutoff percentile itself can effectively rise above the bare minimum. We see this in how actual required percentiles overshoot the formal 75% NLSAT cutoff for generals.
• Difficulty Level Variation: NLSAT papers can vary in difficulty year to year. A slightly easier paper yields higher scores generally, which can raise the percentile NLSAT cut-offs. Conversely, a tough paper might keep raw scores lower but if top performers still do well, percentile cut-offs remain high. NLSAT cutoff 2025 was comparable or slightly easier than previous, potentially explaining the jump to ~90th percentile requirement in Part A.

In summary, the general trend is clear: each year it’s getting a bit harder to clear the NLSAT cutoff bar for the general category. If you’re aiming for NLSIU, you should be targeting not just the official minimum (75th percentile) but rather to be safe, aim for the 85–90th percentile range or higher in both parts of the exam. That roughly translates to scoring around 65–70% of the marks in Part A and Part B. For example, to be in the 87+ percentile in Part A (out of 75 marks), you might need something like 57+ correct (net score ~55–60 after negatives) – of course, this is an approximation since percentile depends on how others do.

Now, let’s zero in on a specific slice of the general category that has seen a notable shift: the Karnataka domicile candidates (General Male).

The Rise of Karnataka Domicile NLSAT Cutoff (General Male)

One of the most interesting developments in NLSAT admissions is how the Karnataka students’ quota has evolved for general candidates. In the first year (2022), the 25% domicile reservation meant that some Karnataka-based general category students were admitted with lower scores than their all-India counterparts – simply because those 30 reserved seats had to be filled. In other words, the “Karnataka General” cut-off was lower than the “All-India General” cut-off in 2022. This was a boon for local aspirants in the initial phase, as it gave a slightly easier pathway if they fell short of the all-India cut-off. However, that gap has been rapidly closing.

By 2023, as more Karnataka-domiciled aspirants geared up for NLSAT, the performance level rose. Fewer “easy” seats were on offer – many local candidates now met or even exceeded all-India NLSAT cut-off scores. Fast forward to 2025, and the distinction between a general merit candidate from Karnataka and one from outside largely vanished in terms of required scores. In fact, data analysis from NLSAT cut-off 2025 results indicates that the NLSAT cutoff for a Karnataka domicile General (Male) candidate was nearly on par with the all-India general NLSAT cutoff. The last admitted Karnataka general male scored roughly 92.5 out of 150 combined, only a hairbreadth lower than his all-India peers. To put this in perspective, if an outside (non-domicile) general candidate needed about 89–90 marks to get in, a Karnataka general candidate needed ~92.5+ – essentially no significant advantage anymore.

What does this tell us? Firstly, Karnataka students are bringing their A-game – the reservation is no longer a crutch but just a second chance for those who might narrowly miss the all-India list. The General Male domicile cutoff has risen each year, reflecting increased participation and preparation among local aspirants. In 2022, perhaps a Karnataka general seat was secured by someone barely over the minimum 75th percentile. But in 2025, that same seat was taken by someone at ~90th percentile overall, which is almost as competitive as the open category!

Secondly, the slight differences between General Male and General Female within the domicile pool have also been instructive. In 2025, for example, the last Karnataka General Female admitted had a total score about 1 mark lower than the last General Male. Conversely, males had to push just a bit more for that final spot. The difference wasn’t huge (roughly 91.5 vs 92.5 total), but it’s an interesting insight into how micro-dynamics play out when instituting reservations alongside merit. The takeaway for male aspirants from Karnataka: don’t bank on the quota as a safety net. By 2025 it’s effectively as competitive as the open category; you need to aim just as high as everyone else.

To summarize this trend: the domicile reservation’s “cushion” for general candidates has thinned out considerably. If the cut-off gap between all-India and Karnataka general was X in 2022, it’s down to almost 0 by 2025. We anticipate that in 2026, a Karnataka general candidate will essentially need the same score as any other general candidate to get in, especially for male applicants. The silver lining is that many more Karnataka students are now among the top scorers – which is great for representation. But aspirants should plan as if there is no score relaxation at all for being a local candidate in the general merit pool. Fight for your place on merit – because everyone else in the quota will be doing just that!

Predicting NLSAT 2026 Cutoffs (Using Lawfren AIMT Insights)

With the observed trajectory, what can future aspirants expect? NLSAT 2026 is on the horizon, and if trends hold, cut-offs could climb a notch further. Let’s break down our predictions, informed by both historical data and the latest Lawfren All India Mock Test (AIMT) performance.

Overall NLSAT Cutoff Outlook for 2026

We anticipate that the General category cutoff (for final admission) will be around the 90–92 percentile range in Part A, and around 85+ percentile in Part B. In terms of total marks, this means a combined score roughly in the 90s out of 150 for the last general seat. In 2025 the expected general cutoff was about 92.5–95 marks, so for 2026 we’re looking at maybe 90–95 marks as the safe zone. Essentially, aim for 60+ in Part A and 30+ in Part B at the minimum – and realistically, try to push even higher to be comfortable.

Insights from Lawfren’s AIMT

Lawfren conducts All India Mock Tests for NLSAT aspirants, and these have proven to be eerily accurate indicators of exam trends. Fun fact – a number of Lawfren AIMT toppers often go on to top the actual NLSAT! This isn’t just coincidence: the mocks are designed by experts and taken by serious aspirants nationwide, so the score distributions reflect the real competition. Let’s consider the data from the latest Lawfren AIMT (2025) for NLSAT cutoff 2026:

• High Scores Achieved: The topper in a recent Lawfren AIMT scored 62.5 marks in Part A (out of 75). Several others were not far behind – the second rank got 60, and the top 10 all scored above ~46 marks. These are impressive scores, indicating that students are already performing at a level required to clear NLSAT. A 60/75 in Part A roughly corresponds to 80% score, which would likely be well above the 90th percentile in an actual exam setting.
• Mock NLSAT Cut-Off Indications: In Lawfren’s AIMT, typically we observe a “Part A cut-off” (score needed to be in top 5 per seat) around the mid-50s out of 75. If 60 is AIR 1 in the mock, 50-55 might be AIR 120 (around where general admissions might close). This aligns with the idea that ~65-70% raw score in Part A could be needed for the real exam’s last general seat. It’s a rough estimate, but the mock results give you a ballpark – if you’re scoring, say, 40 in Part A mocks, you might be around the 75th percentile, which historically was just the bare minimum. To be safe, you’d want to boost that into the high 40s or 50s by exam day.
• AIMT vs Actual: Lawfren’s mocks have demonstrated predictive value. For example, if the mock difficulty and population are comparable, an AIMT topper scoring ~62.5 might correspond to an actual NLSAT top score (combined) being somewhat higher (since Part B adds). In 2025, many predicted the top NLSAT score would be around 120/150. We won’t know until results, but our mock toppers were already hitting ~100/150 in combined score (mock Part A + an evaluated Part B simulation). Historically, candidates who excel in Lawfren’s AIMTs often replicate that success because they’ve tested themselves in exam-like conditions. So, if our mocks are anything to go by, NLSAT cut-off 2026 could see even higher performance ceilings – and thus higher NLSAT cutoffs – than previous years.

In short, for NLSAT 2026, General (Male) aspirants should gear up to score at least 90+ marks total to feel confident of admission, given current trends. Part A remains crucial – since if you don’t clear that Part A percentile threshold, Part B won’t even get evaluated. By the looks of it, clearing Part A might require something like 60%+ score (which is ~45/75 marks) just to get to Part B, and then you’ll need to do very well in Part B as well to hit that combined 90+ mark. The rising graph of cutoffs shows no sign of leveling off yet.

Why Lawfren AIMTs are Your Secret Weapon for clearing NLSAT Cutoff

Preparing to meet these rising cutoffs can be daunting, but that’s where Lawfren’s mocks and resources come in. Lawfren AIMTs simulate the NLSAT closely, helping you gauge where you stand. The fact that AIMT toppers often become NLSAT toppers means that if you can conquer the mock, you’re on track to ace the real test. The predictive credibility of Lawfren’s mock exams lies in:

• Realistic Difficulty: The questions are crafted to mirror NLSAT’s difficulty and pattern. So a score you get in AIMT is a good reflection of what you might get in NLSAT (give or take a few marks due to exam-day factors).
• Nationwide Ranking: You compete with a broad pool of aspirants across India in these mocks. Being in the top 100 or top 120 in an AIMT is a strong signal of your chances at NLSIU, given 120 seats. If you’re not there yet, the AIMT results give you clear feedback on which areas to improve – be it critical reasoning speed or essay structure in Part B.
• Focused Preparation: Lawfren provides detailed analytics and explanations for its mock tests. This helps you improve incrementally. For example, if your Part B score isn’t up to par, you can practice with faculty feedback on essay writing. Many students who diligently followed Lawfren’s mock test feedback found themselves improving their scores by the time of the actual exam – sometimes by 10+ marks, which can be the difference between a rank of 50 and 150.

Conclusion and NLSAT Cutoff 2026

The NLSAT cutoffs for NLSIU’s 3-year LL.B are undoubtedly on an upward swing. For General category aspirants (especially General Male, including Karnataka domicile candidates), the competition gets stiffer each year – but with the right preparation, you can absolutely meet and even exceed these cut-offs. The data from 2022, 2023, and 2025 shows that while the bar is rising, it’s a challenge that can be mastered with awareness and hard work. Use this knowledge to your advantage: set your target score high, practice across both Part A and Part B, and keep an eye on those percentile requirements.

If you’re reading this and planning to take NLSAT 2026 (or even later), now is the time to act. Lawfren is here to support your journey. We invite you to leverage our carefully designed mock tests, courses, and study resources to boost your preparation. Check out our NLSAT preparation courses and consider enrolling in the next Lawfren All India Mock Test series – it’s as close as you can get to the real exam experience and will help you calibrate your performance to meet NLSIU’s demanding NLSAT cutoff. Many successful NLSIU students started where you are right now, identified what it takes, and used Lawfren’s guidance to get there.

Remember: every mark counts when cutoffs are this competitive. With dedication and the right strategy, you could be among those future top percentile scorers. Good luck, and see you on the NLSIU campus!

Did you find these insights useful? Feel free to share this blog with fellow aspirants and spread the word. And if you have any questions or want to know more about NLSAT prep, drop a comment or reach out to us on Lawfren – we’re always happy to help you achieve your law school dream.