The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) has officially commenced the centralised counselling process for CLAT 2026 admissions. This follows the recent declaration of the Common Law Admission Test results. All qualified candidates can now register for the counselling to secure seats in undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) law programmes across participating NLUs.
CLAT 2026 Counselling: Key Dates and Registration Process
The online registration window for admissions counselling opens today, December 16, 2025, at 6:00 PM. Eligible candidates must complete their registration and pay the requisite counselling fee on the official CLAT portal before the deadline of 10:00 PM on December 27, 2025. The consortium has clarified that all counselling activities will be conducted exclusively through its official portal, warning candidates against third-party websites.
The seat allotment process will be conducted across five distinct rounds, stretching from January to May 2026. The first provisional allotment list will be published on January 7, 2026, at 10:00 AM. Following each allotment, candidates must carefully exercise their choice between 'Freeze', 'Float', or 'Exit' options and complete the necessary fee payments within the stipulated windows to confirm their seats.
Detailed Counselling Schedule for UG and PG Programmes
Here is the complete timeline for the CLAT 2026 counselling process as released by the consortium:
Registration Period: December 16, 2025 (6 PM) to December 27, 2025 (10 PM).
First Allotment List: Published on January 7, 2026 (10 AM). Confirmation fee payment and admission formalities must be completed by NLUs between January 7 (10 AM) and January 15, 2026 (1 PM).
Second Allotment List: Published on January 22, 2026 (10 AM). The confirmation window runs from January 22 (10 AM) to January 29, 2026 (1 PM).
Third Allotment List: Published on February 5, 2026 (10 AM). The confirmation window is from February 5 (10 AM) to February 12, 2026 (1 PM).
Fourth Allotment List: Published on May 2, 2026 (10 AM). The confirmation window is from May 2 (10 AM) to May 8, 2026 (1 PM).
Fifth and Final Allotment List: Published on May 15, 2026 (10 AM). The final confirmation window is from May 15 (10 AM) to May 20, 2026 (1 PM).
Candidates who choose the 'Freeze' option in the first three rounds must pay the university fee by April 24, 2026, by 5:00 PM. For those freezing seats in the fourth or fifth rounds, the university fee deadline will be notified by the respective NLUs.
Essential Documents and Counselling Options
Applicants must keep scanned copies of the following documents ready for upload during the counselling process. The list includes mandatory items for completing admission formalities:
Class 10 and Class 12 mark statements, CLAT 2026 admit card, and for PG candidates, the LL.B./B.L. degree mark sheet. Additionally, a character certificate, transfer/migration certificate from the last institution attended, and relevant category certificates (SC/ST/OBC, PwD/SAP, Domicile) if applicable, are required. Supporting documents for other categories like EWS or defence personnel wards should also be kept handy.
During each counselling round, candidates allotted a seat must strategically choose one option:
Freeze: Accept the allotted seat and withdraw from further rounds. A non-refundable confirmation fee must be paid.
Float: Accept the current allotment but remain eligible for consideration for preferred choices in subsequent rounds if seats are available.
Exit: Withdraw from the counselling process entirely.
The consortium has stressed that failure to complete the required formalities, including fee payment, within the given timeline will lead to the forfeiture of the allotted seat. Candidates are advised to regularly check the official CLAT portal for updates and adhere strictly to the published schedule.
