The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) has officially released the CLAT 2026 second allotment list on January 22, 2026.Shortlisted law aspirants must now choose between the Freeze, Float, and Exit options to confirm their provisional seat assignments. A non-refundable confirmation fee of ₹20,000 must be paid by January 29 to secure the seat and proceed with the centralized counseling rounds. This list is crucial for candidates seeking upgrades to higher-preference universities or those receiving their first-ever NLU assignment for the 2026-27 session.

The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) has officially published the second merit list for the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT 2026). Law aspirants across the country can now access their individual seat status through the centralized counselling portal. This release is particularly significant for students who opted for the "Float" option in the first round, as well as for those who were previously waitlisted. As of today, the Consortium has updated the dashboard with university-wise PDFs, reflecting the provisional seat status based on vacancies remaining after the Round 1 confirmation window.

Important Dates and Fee Payment Schedule

With the second merit list now live, the window for mandatory actions has officially opened. Candidates who have been allotted a seat for the first time, or those whose preferences have been upgraded, must complete their counselling formalities by January 29, 2026. Failure to act within this timeframe will result in the automatic cancellation of the current provisional seat, and the candidate will be excluded from all subsequent allotment rounds in the 2026-27 admission cycle.

• Publication Date: January 22, 2026 (10:00 AM).
• Payment Deadline: The confirmation fee must be paid by January 29, 2026 (01:00 PM).
• Freeze Option: Used by candidates satisfied with their current assignment; this locks the seat and ends their participation in further rounds.
• Float Option: Allows candidates to hold their current provisional seat while remaining eligible for an upgrade in the third list, scheduled for February 5.

Mandatory Document Verification and Status Checks

Aspirants are advised to log in to the counselling portal to check for any status changes or alerts regarding their documentation. For those receiving a fresh allotment, the Consortium requires the immediate upload of scanned original certificates to ensure that the legal education eligibility criteria are met. Any discrepancy found during this digital verification stage could lead to the immediate forfeiture of the seat, even if the confirmation fee has been successfully processed.

• Required Documents: Class 10 and 12 marksheets, CLAT admit card, and category certificates (if applicable).
• Status Updates: Candidates should check if their "Admission Status" has moved from "Waitlisted" to "Provisionally Allotted."
• Confirmation Fee: A non-refundable amount of ₹20,000 is mandatory for those confirming or floating their provisional seat.
• Technical Support: The Consortium's helpdesk remains active on the counselling portal for resolving payment gateway errors or login issues.

Conclusion

The release of the second merit list marks a decisive turn in the CLAT 2026 centralized counseling process. For thousands of students, this round represents the last major opportunity for significant movement before the premium seats in top-tier NLUs stabilize. By completing the necessary counselling formalities before the January 29 deadline, candidates ensure their progress toward a career in legal education. As the academic community looks toward the third round in February, the focus now remains on the timely verification of documents and the strategic selection of "Freeze" or "Float" to maximize admission chances in the country’s most prestigious law universities.