CLAT 2027 Counselling Process: Rounds, Fees, Result Timeline

The CLAT 2027 counselling process has not been announced yet, but CLAT 2026 shows how it will probably run: results about nine days after the exam, a counselling registration window of ten days, a minimum of 15 NLU preferences for UG, and up to five rounds of provisional allotment lists with Freeze, Float and Exit options. CLAT 2027 is on 6 December 2026; the Consortium’s press release says dates for the admit card, result and counselling will follow “in due course”.

CLAT result date and the CLAT 2026 timeline as a model

The CLAT 2027 result date is not yet known, so use last year’s sequence as a guide, not a promise.

1. 7 December 2025: CLAT 2026 exam.
2. Up to 12 December 2025, 5:00 pm: objections to the question paper and provisional answer key.
3. 16 December 2025: final answer key and result. For UG, one question was withdrawn and the paper was evaluated out of 119 marks. The notice reported the highest UG score as 112.75 and attendance as 96.01%.
4. 17 December 2025: counselling instructions published; registration ran from 6:00 pm that day to 10:00 pm on 27 December 2025.

Scorecards are downloaded from your account on the Consortium’s portal. If two candidates have equal marks in CLAT 2027, the instructions break the tie by higher marks in the Legal Aptitude section, then higher age, then a computerised draw of lots.

The CLAT 2027 counselling process: registration, preferences, rounds

All 5-year integrated LL.B. admissions for 2027-28 through the participating NLUs run through CLAT, so the CLAT 2027 counselling process will decide your seat. In CLAT 2026 the steps were:

• Register and pay the counselling fee. ₹30,000 for General, ₹20,000 for reserved categories. It was refundable if, for example, no seat was allotted after round 5.
• Fill preferences. A minimum of 15 NLUs for UG. You are considered only for NLUs you list, and a preference can only be moved upward later. Read the list of NLUs through CLAT 2027 before you rank them.
• Wait for the allotment list. Each round has a provisional allotment list.
• Choose an option. Freeze, Float or Exit (below). Doing nothing by the deadline counts as “Not Interested” and you lose the seat.

Freeze, Float and Exit: CLAT seat allotment options

• Freeze: accept the seat and leave the later rounds. You pay a confirmation fee to the Consortium, adjusted against your NLU fee, and the balance to the NLU by its deadline.
• Float: keep the seat but stay in the process for a higher preference. If you are upgraded, you cannot return to the earlier seat. Float was available only up to round 4. In round 5 you had to Freeze or Exit.
• Exit: leave the process. The confirmation fee is forfeited if you had chosen Freeze or Float.

CLAT 2026 counselling schedule: planned and revised

The 17 December 2025 notice planned the first list for 7 January 2026, the second for 22 January, the third for 5 February, the fourth for 2 May and the fifth for 15 May 2026. Later notices shifted the schedule: the third list was published on 25 February 2026 with payments up to 6 March, the fourth on 9 May (payment window to 14 May) and the fifth and final list on 20 May (to 25 May). NLU fees for Freeze candidates were due on 24 April 2026 for rounds 1 to 3 and on 30 May 2026 for rounds 4 and 5. The lesson for 2027: keep documents ready early and watch the website, because dates can move.

Documents for UG in 2026 included the Class 10 marks sheet and the CLAT admit card (mandatory), plus the Class 12 marks sheet, character and transfer certificates and category certificates such as caste, PwD and domicile. A mismatch can lead the NLU to reject admission.

After allotment

Once you have a seat, a certificate such as Law School Starter, ₹349 can help you prepare for first-year study. It is a Lexfolio certificate of completion, not a qualification. If you are still preparing for the exam, see the CLAT 2027 last 50 days strategy.

Frequently asked questions

When will the CLAT 2027 result be declared?

The CLAT 2027 result date has not been announced. The Consortium says dates will follow in due course. For CLAT 2026, the exam was on 7 December 2025 and the result was approved on 16 December 2025, after the answer key objections closed on 12 December.

What is the CLAT 2027 counselling process?

Expect registration with a counselling fee, a preference list of at least 15 NLUs for UG, up to five rounds of provisional allotment lists, and a Freeze, Float or Exit choice after each allotment. This is based on CLAT 2026; the 2027 notification will confirm the rules.

What is the CLAT counselling fee?

In CLAT 2026 the counselling registration fee was ₹30,000 for General candidates and ₹20,000 for SC, ST, OBC, BC, EWS and PWD candidates, refundable under stated conditions. Check the 2027 notice for the amount.

Is there a CLAT merit list?

The Consortium issues scorecards and provisional allotment lists for each round. Seats are allotted on your CLAT rank, category and preference list. Equal marks are separated by Legal Aptitude marks, then age, then a computerised draw of lots.

How many rounds of CLAT counselling are there?

CLAT 2026 had five rounds. After round 5 the central process closed, and NLUs could fill any vacant seats under their own norms.

Quick quiz

Sources

• Consortium of National Law Universities, CLAT 2027 press release and UG instructions (tie-break; dates to follow), read 29 October 2026
• Consortium, CLAT 2026 result notification (16 December 2025)
• Consortium, CLAT 2026 Instructions for the Admissions Counselling Process (17 December 2025)
• Consortium, CLAT 2026 UG notices on the third, fourth and fifth round schedules

This page is for education and general information. Lexfolio is not affiliated with the Consortium of NLUs. The CLAT 2026 process is described as a guide only; CLAT 2027 rules and dates will be as notified. Details as on 29 October 2026.