CLAT 2027 · Counselling
CLAT 2027 Counselling Process:
Rounds, Fees & Freeze/Float/Exit
The Consortium has not yet published a separate counselling notification for CLAT 2027 — it will follow after the CLAT 2027 result. This page describes how counselling actually worked in the CLAT 2026 cycle (the most recently completed one), based on the Consortium's own Instructions for the Admissions Counselling Process, so you know the mechanics and the stakes of each choice. Dates below are the CLAT 2026 calendar; the CLAT 2027 calendar will differ and we will update this page once the Consortium notifies it.
Updated
How Registration Works
Counselling is conducted entirely online by the Consortium of NLUs and is a separate process from your CLAT exam registration. Eligible candidates are invited in accordance with the rank list and each NLU's admissions matrix, and receive the invitation three ways: an email to the registered address, an SMS to the registered mobile number, and a notice on the CLAT portal. You must log in to your CLAT account and update your NLU preferences, then pay the Counselling Registration Fee within the registration window to complete registration. The Consortium is not responsible for undelivered emails or SMSs, and registration does not itself guarantee admission.
Registration fee (CLAT 2026 cycle)
Rs. 30,000 — General category
Rs. 20,000 — ST/SC/OBC/BC/EWS/PWD
Refundable per the Consortium's refund rules.
Minimum preferences
At least 15 NLU preferences for the UG programme (5 for PG). You are considered only for NLUs you have listed — an unlisted NLU is not available to you even if your rank would otherwise qualify.
The Five Rounds
CLAT counselling runs as a sequential process. If you are not allotted a seat in a round, you remain in the pool for the next one. Here is how the CLAT 2026 cycle's five rounds worked.
First allotment list published. Candidates allotted a seat choose Freeze, Float, or Exit, and pay the Confirmation Fee to Freeze or Float within the round's deadline.
Second allotment list. Seats vacated by Round 1 Freezes at higher-preference NLUs, and by Exits, become available. Float candidates may be moved up to a higher preference; once moved, they cannot return to the earlier seat.
Third allotment list, same mechanics as Rounds 1-2. In the CLAT 2026 cycle, candidates who chose Freeze in Rounds 1-3 then had to pay the balance university fee to the allotted NLU by a fixed date in late April.
Fourth allotment list — conducted to fill seats still vacant after the Round 1-3 university-fee deadline. Float is still available at this stage.
Fifth and final allotment list. Float is not available in this round — every candidate allotted a seat must choose Freeze or Exit, and the allotment is treated as final. Candidates who Freeze in Round 4 or 5 pay the balance university fee to the NLU by a later date in May.
After the fifth round, the Consortium's central admission process closes. Individual NLUs may separately admit candidates to fill any seats that remain vacant, following their own norms.
Freeze, Float & Exit — Exact Consequences
After each round in which you are allotted a seat, you must actively choose one of three options. There is no "do nothing" safe default — failing to choose is treated as "Not Interested" and you lose the seat.
Freeze
You accept the allotted seat and pay the Confirmation Fee (non-refundable) within the round's deadline. Once you Freeze and pay in Rounds 1-4, you are not considered in later rounds. You must then pay the balance university fee to the allotted NLU by the fixed deadline for your round — miss it, and you are deemed to have chosen Exit, forfeiting the seat and the Confirmation Fee.
Float
You hold the allotted seat and pay the Confirmation Fee, but remain eligible for a higher preference in a later round. If you move up to a more-preferred NLU, you cannot go back to the earlier one. Float is not available if you have already been allotted your highest-listed preference (you must Freeze or Exit that round instead), and it is not available at all in the fifth and final round — an allotment there is final, and you must choose Freeze or Exit.
Exit
You withdraw from counselling. If you had already chosen Freeze or Float before exiting, the seat is released to another candidate and the Confirmation Fee is forfeited (it is adjusted against NLU fees only if you complete admission — it is not refunded on Exit). Refund of the separate Counselling Registration Fee then follows the Consortium's refund schedule, which can involve a deduction depending on when you exit.
The Consortium's counselling instructions describe the Confirmation Fee as non-refundable and forfeited on a later Exit, but do not state its rupee amount in the notification we could access — it may be set separately by each NLU. Being verified — check consortiumofnlus.ac.in
University Fee Deadline & Documents Required
In the CLAT 2026 cycle, candidates who Froze a seat in Rounds 1-3 had to pay the balance university fee (after adjusting the Counselling Registration Fee and Confirmation Fee already paid) to the concerned NLU by a fixed date in late April 2026; those who Froze in Round 4 or 5 had a later date in May 2026. The exact CLAT 2027 dates are not yet published — check the Consortium's counselling calendar once it is released.
For the UG programme, keep scanned copies of these documents ready before counselling registration opens:
- —Class 10 statement of marks
- —CLAT admit card
- —Class 12 statement of marks
- —Character/conduct certificate from the educational institution last attended
- —Transfer/migration certificate from the educational institution last attended
- —Caste certificate (SC/ST/OBC etc.) — if applied and allotted under a reserved category
- —PwD/SAP certificate — if applied and allotted under the PwD category
- —Domicile/residence certificate — if applied and allotted under a domicile/resident-category seat
- —Any other supporting document for the category applied under (e.g. defence-personnel wards, EWS certificate)
Preference Filling — General Guidance
Your preference list should reflect NLUs you would genuinely attend, ranked in the order you would attend them — since you can only move up to a higher preference during Float, not down, there is little cost to listing an NLU low on the list even if you consider it unlikely. Rank ranges shift every year with the number of candidates and paper difficulty, so we do not repeat a rank-to-NLU table here.
For actual category-wise closing ranks from the most recent completed counselling cycle, see the NLU Cutoff 2026 page, which is generated from the Consortium's own allotment-list data rather than an estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the CLAT counselling process, fees, and seat allotment — based on the CLAT 2026 cycle pending the CLAT 2027 notification.
What was the CLAT 2026 counselling registration fee?
For the CLAT 2026 cycle, the Counselling Registration Fee was Rs. 30,000 for General-category candidates and Rs. 20,000 for ST/SC/OBC/BC/EWS/PWD candidates, payable by the registration deadline. It is refundable per the Consortium's refund rules (in full if you are not allotted a seat, or with deductions in some scenarios after a seat is allotted). The CLAT 2027 counselling notification has not yet been published — treat this as the most recent confirmed cycle, not a fixed figure for 2027.
How many NLU preferences must I fill during CLAT counselling?
In the CLAT 2026 counselling instructions, candidates were required to fill a minimum of 15 preferences for the UG programme (5 for PG). You are considered only for the NLUs you have listed — even if you would otherwise qualify for a seat elsewhere on merit, an NLU you did not list is not available to you. You can add more than the minimum, and can move only to higher preferences, not lower, once submitted.
What is the difference between Freeze, Float and Exit in CLAT counselling?
Freeze means you accept your allotted seat and pay the Confirmation Fee — you are then out of the counselling process and will not be considered in later rounds. Float means you hold your allotted seat while remaining eligible for a higher preference in a later round; once you move up, you cannot return to the earlier seat, and Float is not available in the fifth and final round. Exit means you withdraw from counselling; if you had already chosen Freeze or Float before exiting, your seat is released to another candidate and the Confirmation Fee is forfeited.
How many rounds of CLAT counselling are there?
The CLAT 2026 counselling process had five rounds. The Float option was available up to and including the fourth round; from the fifth and final round, every allotted candidate had to choose either Freeze or Exit, and the seat allotted in that final round was treated as final.
What happens if I do nothing after being allotted a seat?
If you do not exercise Freeze, Float or Exit within the deadline for a round, the Consortium treats you as "Not Interested" — your candidature is dropped, you lose the currently allotted seat, and you are not considered in subsequent allotment lists. There is no default outcome that protects your seat; you must actively choose an option in every round you are allotted a seat.
What documents are required for CLAT counselling?
For the UG programme, the CLAT 2026 counselling instructions listed: Class 10 mark sheet, CLAT admit card, Class 12 mark sheet, character/conduct certificate from your last institution, transfer/migration certificate, and — where applicable to your claimed category — caste certificate, PwD/SAP certificate, domicile/residence certificate, and any other supporting document for the category you applied under (e.g. defence-personnel wards, EWS certificate). Keep scanned copies ready before registration opens.
When is the university fee due after Freezing a seat?
In the CLAT 2026 cycle, candidates who chose Freeze in the first three rounds had to pay the balance university fee (after adjusting the Counselling Registration Fee and Confirmation Fee) to the concerned NLU by a fixed date in April; those who Froze in the fourth or fifth round had a later date in May. Missing this deadline is treated as an Exit — the seat and Confirmation Fee are forfeited. Exact CLAT 2027 dates will only be known once the Consortium publishes that cycle's counselling calendar.
How many total UG seats are available across NLUs through CLAT counselling?
Approximately 3,000 undergraduate seats are spread across the 26 NLUs that take CLAT scores for admission (NLU Delhi conducts its own AILET and is separate). This is an approximation — there is no single authoritative published aggregate, and individual NLU intakes vary. See the NLU cutoff page for category-wise closing ranks by NLU rather than relying on a seat-count estimate for your own chances.
Is CLAT counselling registration separate from the CLAT exam application?
Yes. Sitting for CLAT does not register you for counselling. Once results are declared, eligible candidates are separately invited (by email, SMS and a portal notice) to register for counselling, pay the Counselling Registration Fee, and fill NLU preferences. Missing the counselling registration deadline forfeits your chance at a seat regardless of rank.
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