Overview
✅ Who is an NRI (Non-Resident Indian)?
For the purpose of law admissions in India, an NRI is typically:
- A person of Indian origin who resides abroad.
- May include OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) and PIO (Person of Indian Origin) cardholders.
- In most cases, the candidate or their parent/sponsor must be an NRI.
Each law college may define NRI status slightly differently, but most follow the Income Tax Act definition — someone who resides outside India for more than 183 days in a financial year.
🎓 Eligibility & Criteria for Admission under NRI Quota
- NRI/NRI-Sponsored Categories:
- NRI Category: Candidate is an NRI themselves.
- NRI-Sponsored Category: Candidate is sponsored by a close relative who is an NRI (usually parent, grandparent, or legal guardian).
- Educational Qualifications:
- Must have completed Class 12 or equivalent (for 5-year integrated law courses like BA LL.B).
- Some colleges require the qualifying education to be done abroad (especially private universities).
- Entrance Exam:
- Most NLUs: Require a valid CLAT score for NRI/NRI-sponsored seats.
- Private Universities (e.g., Symbiosis, Amity): May require SLAT, LSAT–India, or conduct their own entrance exams.
- Foreign nationals/OCI candidates may sometimes be exempt from entrance exams (check specific college rules).
- Documents Required:
- Passport and visa/residence proof of NRI or sponsor.
- Sponsorship affidavit (for NRI-sponsored category).
- CLAT/SLAT/LSAT/MHCET scorecard (if applicable).
- Academic certificates (10th and 12th).
- Proof of relationship with the NRI sponsor.
🏛️ Law Colleges Offering NRI Quota
- National Law Universities (NLUs) such as:
- NLU Jodhpur
- GNLU Gandhinagar
- NUALS Kochi
- HNLU Raipur
- NUJS Kolkata
(Note: **NLSIU Bangalore does NOT offer NRI quota.*)
- Private Law Schools:
- Symbiosis Law School (Pune, Noida, Hyderabad)
- OP Jindal Global Law School
- Amity Law School
- NMIMS Kirit Mehta Law School
- Maharashta Colleges (Under Mhcet) Such As ;
- GOVERNMENT LAW COLLEGE, MUMBAI
- ILS,PUNE.
💰 Fees & Seats
- NRI seats are supernumerary — they don’t reduce general category seats.
- Fee Structure:
- Much higher than regular seats.
- Ranges from USD $6,000 to $15,000 per year depending on the college.
- Paid in INR or USD.
NRI Admission and Academic Programs at NLUs (2025–26)
Eligibility Criteria for NRI/NRI-Sponsored Admission
Under the NRI/NRI-sponsored category, a candidate can secure admission if they are themselves an NRI/OCI/PIO card holder or if they are sponsored by an eligible relative who is an NRI/OCI/PIO card holder. Eligible sponsors include only specified first- or second-degree relatives, such as parents, full siblings, grandparents, or real aunts/uncles. The rules emphasize these close-family connections to restrict sponsorship to immediate family members.
NRI Quota UG Seats and Fee Structures across NLUs
Most NLUs reserve a small number of seats for NRI-category students in their undergraduate law programs. Tuition fees differ greatly, ranging from INR 2.23 lakh to USD 12,500 annually. Some top universities like WBNUJS, GNLU, and RMLNLU offer the most seats, while newer NLUs have fewer NRI slots.
Related Table:
|
COLLEGE NAME |
UG SEATS |
TUITION FEES |
|
West Bengal National Law University of Judicial Sciences, Kolkata |
20 |
11,940 USD |
|
National Law University, Bhopal |
18(BA LLB) |
10000 USD |
|
National Law University, Jodhpur |
16 |
Rs. 12,00,000 |
|
Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar |
16 |
12,500 USD |
|
Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow |
20 |
10000 USD |
|
Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala |
05 |
6494 USD |
|
National Law University Odisha, Cuttack |
10 |
6000 USD |
|
Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University (DSNLU) Visakhapatnam |
12 |
4,30,000/- |
|
National University of Study & Research in Law, Ranchi |
18 |
8000 USD +80,000/- |
|
Maharashtra National Law University, Mumbai |
20 |
5000 USD |
|
The Tamil Nadu National Law School, Tiruchirapalli |
03 |
2,23,000/- |
|
Himachal Pradesh National Law University, Shimla |
18(BALLB) |
7,50,000/- |
|
Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur |
08 |
US $ 5000 + Rs.15,000 |
|
National University of Advanced Legal Studies, Kochi |
06 |
USD 6500 |
NRI Quota PG Seats and Fee Structures
Few NLUs offer NRI seats for postgraduate (LL.M) programs. These include GNLU, RMLNLU, DSNLU, and HPNLU. PG tuition fees range between USD 6,000 and INR 7.5 lakh annually, with only 5–12 seats available per institution.
Related Table:
|
COLLEGE NAME |
PG SEATS |
TUITION FEES |
|
Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar |
05 |
6000 USD |
|
Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow |
05 |
10000 USD |
|
Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University (DSNLU) Visakhapatnam |
06 |
3,00,000/- |
|
Himachal Pradesh National Law University, Shimla |
12 |
7,50,000/- |
NLU Rankings (NIRF 2023–24) and Seat Availability
The top NLUs by NIRF ranking—NLSIU Bangalore, NLU Delhi, NALSAR Hyderabad, and WBNUJS Kolkata—have large UG and PG seat counts. Rankings remained consistent in 2023 and 2024. NLSIU leads with the highest UG intake.
Related Table:
|
NLUs in India |
NIRF Ranking 2024 |
NIRF Ranking 2023 |
Seats (UG and PG courses) |
|
National Law School of India University, Bangalore |
1 |
1 |
310 seats for UG and 100 seats for PG course |
|
National Law University, Delhi |
2 |
2 |
123 seats for UG (including Supernumerary seats) and 83 and seats for PG course (including Supernumerary seats) |
|
National Academy of Legal Study & Research (NALSAR) University of Law, Hyderabad |
3 |
3 |
132 seats for UG and 66 seats for PG course |
|
The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata |
4 |
4 |
132 seats for UG and 70 seats for PG course |
|
National Law Institute University, Bhopal |
14 |
14 |
102 seats for UG and 60 seats for PG course |
|
National Law University, Jodhpur |
8 |
8 |
120 seats for UG and 50 seats for PG course |
|
Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar |
6 |
6 |
172 seats for UG and 57 seats for PG course |
|
Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow |
15 |
15 |
187 seats for UG and 33 seats for PG course |
|
Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala |
16 |
16 |
180 seats for UG and 60 seats for PG course |
|
Chanakya National Law University Patna |
– |
– |
132 seats for UG |
|
National University of Advanced Legal Studies, Kochi |
26 |
26 |
120 seats for UG and 60 seats for PG course |
|
National Law University Odisha, Cuttack |
18 |
18 |
180 seats for UG and 46 seats for PG course |
|
National University of Study & Research in Law, Ranchi |
– |
– |
120 seats for UG and 50 seats for PG course |
|
National Law University & Judicial Academy, Assam |
20 |
20 |
60 seats for UG and 40 seats for PG course |
|
Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University (DSNLU) Visakhapatnam |
28 |
28 |
120 seats for UG and 60 seats for PG course |
|
The Tamil Nadu National Law School, Tiruchirapalli |
– |
– |
120 seats for UG and 60 seats for PG course |
|
Maharashtra National Law University, Mumbai |
– |
– |
100 seats for UG and 50 seats for PG course |
|
Maharashtra National Law University, Nagpur |
– |
– |
120 seats for UG and 60 seats for PG course |
|
Maharashtra National Law University, Aurangabad |
– |
– |
60 seats for UG and 60 seats for PG course |
|
Himachal Pradesh National Law University, Shimla |
– |
– |
180 seats for UG and 80 seats for PG course |
|
Dharmashastra National Law University, Jabalpur |
– |
– |
120 seats for UG and 50 seats for PG course |
|
Dr B R Ambedkar National Law University Sonipat, Haryana |
– |
– |
120 seats for UG course |
|
Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur |
– |
– |
170 seats for UG and 90 seats for PG course |
|
Sikkim National Law University, Gangtok |
– |
– |
– |
|
National Law University, Tirupura |
– |
– |
120 seats for UG and 50 seats for PG course |
|
GNLU Silvassa Campus |
– |
– |
66 seats for UG and 33 seats for PG course |
|
Dr. Rajendra Prasad National Law University, Prayagraj |
– |
– |
60 seats for UG course |
Course Offerings for NRI Candidates by NLU
NLUs offer different integrated law programs for NRI candidates, with B.A. LL.B being the most common. Some universities like GNLU also offer B.B.A., B.Com, B.Sc., and BSW variants. Program availability varies by institution.
Related Table:
|
NAMES |
COURSES OFFERED |
|
West Bengal National Law University of Judicial Sciences, Kolkata |
BSc LLB & BALLB |
|
National Law University, Bhopal |
BALLB |
|
National Law University, Jodhpur |
BALLB & BBALLB |
|
Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar |
LLB |
|
Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow |
BALLB |
|
Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala |
BALLB |
|
National Law University Odisha, Cuttack |
BALLB & BBALLB |
|
Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University (DSNLU) Visakhapatnam |
BALLB |
|
National University of Study & Research in Law, Ranchi |
BALLB |
|
Maharashtra National Law University, Mumbai |
BALLB |
|
The Tamil Nadu National Law School, Tiruchirapalli |
BALLB,B.COM LLB |
|
Himachal Pradesh National Law University, Shimla |
B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) |
|
Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur |
BALLB |
|
National University of Advanced Legal Studies, Kochi |
BALLB |
Overview of UG Programs in NLUs: Seat Intake, Eligibility, and Specializations
All NLUs admit students through CLAT, requiring 45% in 10+2 (40% for SC/ST). Programs like B.A. LL.B and B.B.A. LL.B offer specializations in fields such as corporate law, cybersecurity, and banking. Seat intake ranges from 60 to over 300 depending on the institution.
Related Table:
|
University |
Program(s) |
Seat Intake |
Eligibility |
Specializations/Remarks |
|
NLSIU, Bengaluru |
B.A. LL.B. (Hons.), B.A. (Hons.) (3-yr) |
310, 60 |
CLAT / NLSAT; 10+2 ≥45% (SC/ST: 40%) |
Broad curriculum, optional majors in social sciences |
|
NALSAR, Hyderabad |
B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) |
132 |
CLAT; 10+2 ≥45% (SC/ST: 40%) |
Corporate Law, electives available |
|
NLIU, Bhopal |
B.A. LL.B. (Hons.), B.Sc. LL.B. (Cyber Security) |
134, new course |
CLAT; 10+2 (Science for B.Sc.) ≥45% |
Cybersecurity specialization from 2025-26 |
|
WBNUJS, Kolkata |
B.A. LL.B. (Hons.), B.Sc. LL.B. (Hons.) |
110, 52 |
CLAT; 10+2 (Science for B.Sc.) ≥45% |
Forensic and Banking Law focus options |
|
NLU Jodhpur |
B.A. LL.B. (Hons.), B.B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) |
120 |
CLAT; 10+2 ≥45% (SC/ST: 40%) |
4th year specializations: Business, Criminal Law, etc. |
|
HNLU, Raipur |
B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) |
180 |
CLAT; 10+2 ≥45% (SC/ST: 40%) |
Honours tracks in 5 legal fields |
|
GNLU, Gandhinagar |
BA/BBA/B.Com/B.Sc./BSW LL.B. (Hons.) |
193 |
CLAT; 10+2 ≥45% (SC/ST: 40%) |
Multidisciplinary options |
|
GNLU Silvassa |
B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) |
New campus |
CLAT; 10+2 ≥45% (SC/ST: 40%) |
UG specialization in Constitutional & Admin Law |
|
RMLNLU, Lucknow |
B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) |
169 + 22 |
CLAT; 10+2 ≥45% (SC/ST: 40%) |
Honors in 5 law streams |
|
RGNUL, Patiala |
B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) |
180 |
CLAT; 10+2 ≥45% (SC/ST: 40%) |
Specializations in Business, Criminal Law, etc. |
|
CNLU, Patna |
B.A. LL.B. (Hons.), B.B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) |
69 each |
CLAT; 10+2 ≥45% (SC/ST: 40%) |
General programs |
|
NLUD, Delhi |
B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) |
120 |
AILET; 10+2 ≥45% (OBC: 42%, SC/ST: 40%) |
Prestigious AILET-based admissions |
|
DSNLU, Visakhapatnam |
B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) |
~120 |
CLAT; 10+2 ≥45% (SC/ST: 40%) |
— |
|
NLUO, Cuttack |
B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) |
120 |
CLAT; 10+2 ≥45% (SC/ST: 40%) |
— |
|
NUSRL, Ranchi |
B.A. LL.B. (Hons.), B.B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) |
134, 67 |
CLAT; 10+2 ≥45% (SC/ST: 40%) |
— |
|
NLUJA, Assam |
B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) |
60 |
CLAT; 10+2 ≥45% (SC/ST: 40%) |
— |
|
TNNLU, Tiruchirappalli |
B.A. LL.B. (Hons.), B.Com LL.B. (Hons.) |
60 each |
CLAT; 10+2 ≥45% (SC/ST: 40%) |
— |
|
MNLU Mumbai |
B.A. LL.B., B.B.A. LL.B. |
~120 each |
CLAT; 10+2 ≥45% (SC/ST: 40%) |
— |
|
MNLU Nagpur |
B.A. LL.B., B.B.A. LL.B. |
~120 each |
CLAT; 10+2 ≥45% (SC/ST: 40%) |
— |
|
MNLU Aurangabad |
B.A. LL.B. |
~120 |
CLAT; 10+2 ≥45% (SC/ST: 40%) |
— |
|
HPNLU, Shimla |
B.A. LL.B. |
~100 |
CLAT; 10+2 ≥45% (SC/ST: 40%) |
— |
|
DNLU, Jabalpur |
B.A. LL.B. |
~90 |
CLAT; 10+2 ≥45% (SC/ST: 40%) |
— |
|
DBRANLU, Sonipat |
B.A. LL.B. |
~100 |
CLAT; 10+2 ≥45% (SC/ST: 40%) |
— |
|
NLUT, Tripura |
B.A. LL.B. |
~100 |
CLAT; 10+2 ≥45% (SC/ST: 40%) |
— |
|
IIULER, Goa |
B.A. LL.B. |
~100 |
CLAT; 10+2 ≥45% (SC/ST: 40%) |
— |
|
NLU Meghalaya |
B.A. LL.B. |
~80 |
CLAT; 10+2 ≥45% (SC/ST: 40%) |
— |
|
RPNLU, Prayagraj |
B.A. LL.B. |
96 |
CLAT; 10+2 ≥45% (SC/ST: 40%) |
— |
Maharashtra Law Colleges with NRI Quota
Eligibility Criteria for NRI/NRI-Sponsored Admissions
Candidates seeking admission under the NRI category must themselves be Non-Resident Indians (NRI), Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card holders, or Persons of Indian Origin (PIO), or be sponsored by a first‐ or second‐degree relative who is an NRI/OCI/PIO card holder . (“First-degree” means parent or sibling; “second-degree” means grandparent, aunt/uncle, etc.) Such candidates are exempt from the MH-CET law exam and need not apply for the CET. They can directly register for the CAP (Centralized Admission Process) after CET results are announced. All other academic requirements (such as having passed 12th/HSC with the required marks) must be met as per Bar Council of India rules.
Colleges Offering NRI Reservation (Seats)
|
College |
UG Seats (5Y + 3Y) |
PG Seats (LLM) |
|
Government Law College, Mumbai |
540 (240 + 300) |
60 |
|
ILS Law College, Pune |
400 (240 + 160) |
60 |
|
K. C. Law College, Mumbai (HSNC University) |
300 (120 + 180) |
60 |
|
Rizvi Law College, Mumbai (Minority) |
300 (180 + 120) |
60 |
|
Bharati Vidyapeeth New Law College, Pune (Aided) |
300 (120 + 180) |
40 |
Table: Law colleges (MH CET‑listed) that reserve seats for NRI/NRI‑sponsored candidates, with their total approved intake for undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) law courses.
In Maharashtra’s CET system, several major law colleges offer an NRI quota. Government Law College (Mumbai) has a total intake of 540 UG students (240 in the 5‑year B.L.S.-LL.B. program plus 300 in the 3‑year LL.B.) and 60 LL.M. seats. Similarly, ILS Law College Pune admits 240 five-year and 160 three-year students (total 400 UG) and 60 LL.M. seats (UG+PG intakes based on official notices ). Other colleges like K.C. Law and Rizvi Law in Mumbai each admit ~300 UG students and 60 PG students. Bharati Vidyapeeth’s law college (Pune) also runs both 5-year and 3-year UG courses and a two-year LL.M. These numbers reflect the standard intake; typically only about 5% of each intake is reserved for the NRI category (e.g. roughly 12 seats in a 240-seat course) as per Maharashtra government rules. In practice, this means small NRI seat counts (often 10–20 per college) spread over their UG law programs.
NRI Tuition Fees for UG and PG Programs
|
College |
UG NRI Tuition (per year) |
PG NRI Tuition (per year) |
|
Government Law College, Mumbai |
~₹37,500 (≈ $450) 3 |
~₹2,38,875 (≈ $2,870) |
|
ILS Law College, Pune |
(5× domestic fee) |
(5× domestic fee) |
|
K. C. Law College, Mumbai |
(5× domestic fee) |
(5× domestic fee) |
|
Rizvi Law College, Mumbai |
(5× domestic fee) |
(5× domestic fee) |
|
Bharati Vidyapeeth New Law College, Pune |
(5× domestic fee) |
(5× domestic fee) |
Table: Approximate tuition fees for NRI-category students. In general, NRI tuition is set at about five times the domestic rates. (e.g. GLC Mumbai charges ₹7,500/year for Indian students vs. ~₹37,500 for NRI entrants .)
NRI-category fees are substantially higher than for regular students. By rule, NRI/foreign students pay about five times the normal tuition . For example, at Government Law College Mumbai the home‐ student tuition is only ₹7,500/year, so NRIs pay roughly ₹37,500/year . For the LL.M. program, foreign/ NRI students pay around ₹2.39 lakh per year (versus a few thousand for local students). Other colleges likewise charge “several lakhs” per year for NRI seats. (Exact figures vary, but the key trend is that NRI fees are very high relative to domestic fees.)
NIRF Rankings and Intake Capacities
|
College |
NIRF (Law 2024) Rank |
Total Intake (UG+PG) |
|
Government Law College, Mumbai |
Not ranked |
600 |
|
ILS Law College, Pune |
Not ranked |
460 |
|
K. C. Law College, Mumbai (HSNC University) |
Not ranked |
360 |
|
Rizvi Law College, Mumbai |
Not ranked |
360 |
Table: NIRF Law rankings (2024) of these colleges and their total intake (UG + PG). None of these institutions appear in the NIRF law rankings. By comparison, the top Maharashtra law school, Symbiosis Law School (Pune), is ranked #5 nationally (though it admits via SLAT, not MHCET).
Notably, none of the above MH‑CET colleges are listed in the NIRF law rankings. The NIRF 2024 law list is topped by NLUs and top private schools; among Maharashtra institutions only Symbiosis Law School (deemed university in Pune) appears at #5 , and CLAT-based NLUs like MNLU Nagpur are in the 30s. All of the government/aided/unaided MH‑CET colleges (GLC Mumbai/Pune, ILS, KC Law, Rizvi, etc.) are outside the NIRF top-50 “law” list. Their total intakes combine their UG and PG seats (e.g. GLC Mumbai 600 total) as shown. This suggests that, while these colleges have long histories, they are not ranked among the very top law institutes nationally.
Law Programs Offered under the NRI Quota
|
College |
UG Programs (NRI-eligible) |
PG Programs (NRI- eligible) |
|
Government Law College, Mumbai |
B.L.S.-LL.B. (5-yr), LL.B. (3-yr) |
LL.M. (2-yr) |
|
ILS Law College, Pune |
B.A./B.B.A. LL.B. (5-yr), LL.B. (3-yr) |
LL.M. (2-yr) |
|
K. C. Law College, Mumbai (HSNCU) |
B.A./B.B.A. LL.B. (5-yr), LL.B. (3-yr) |
LL.M. (2-yr) |
|
Rizvi Law College, Mumbai |
B.A./B.B.A. LL.B. (5-yr), LL.B. (3-yr) |
LL.M. (2-yr) |
|
Bharati Vidyapeeth New Law College, Pune |
B.A./B.B.A. LL.B. (5-yr), LL.B. (3-yr) |
LL.M. (2-yr) |
Table: Law courses under which NRI seats are offered. All these colleges admit NRI students into their integrated 5‑year law programs and 3‑year LL.B programs; most also have a 2‑year LL.M. program for NRI admissions.
Each listed college reserves NRI seats in both its integrated five-year law degree and three-year LL.B. program. In practice, all major law colleges offer B.A.‑LL.B. or B.B.A.‑LL.B. 5-year courses and standard 3- year LL.B., and these tracks include the NRI quota. Most (e.g. GLCs, ILS, K.C. Law, Rizvi, Bharati Vidyapeeth) also run a 2-year LL.M. program under which NRIs may apply. In other words, NRI/NRI‑sponsored candidates can gain admission into the same programs as regular candidates—integrated BA/BBA+LL.B and LL.B (3-yr)—as well as LL.M. The availability of both UG and PG options under the NRI quota provides flexibility (though UG intakes are much larger, so more NRI seats tend to be in the 5-year and 3-year courses).
Insights: Overall, NRI admission to Maharashtra law colleges is a small but structured category. Strict eligibility (NRI status and academic qualification) applies, and no entrance exam is required . Across institutions the reserved NRI seats represent only a few percent (typically 5%) of the intake. Government college intakes are large (hundreds of seats) but NRI spots remain limited (dozens). Fees for these seats are high (several times the regular fee) , reflecting the “supernumerary” nature of NRI seats. Finally, prospective NRI students should note that none of these MH‑CET colleges are among India’s top-ranked law
schools; entrance is competitive but cutoffs for the NRI quota tend to be much lower (since fewer candidates apply), and parents/ students often weigh the availability of foreign-fee seats against reputation and placement.
