CLAT 2026 Third Round Confirmation Window Closed; Candidates Await Next Allotment Phase

The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) has officially closed the seat confirmation window for the CLAT 2026 third allotment round as of February 12, 2026. Following the successful submission of the ₹20,000 confirmation fee and the selection of Freeze or Float options, thousands of law aspirants are now entering a brief hiatus before the fourth round of counselling begins. While the postgraduate (PG) merit lists remain on schedule, the undergraduate (UG) counselling track is undergoing a critical reconciliation phase due to recent legal directives regarding the answer key. This report details the upcoming May allotment timeline, final university fee deadlines, and the document verification protocols for the 2026-27 academic session.

As of today, February 14, 2026, the Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) has concluded the seat confirmation window for the third provisional allotment list. The deadline for candidates to exercise their "Freeze" or "Float" options and complete the mandatory ₹20,000 confirmation fee was February 12, at 1:00 PM. This Turnstile in the admissions process marks the end of the primary seat stabilization phase for the current academic cycle. Candidates who successfully navigated this Interval have secured their provisional placements in the 24 participating NLUs, while those who failed to pay the fee have forfeited their allotted spots.

• Admission Status: The third merit list, released on February 5, served as a crucial deciding factor for candidates ranked above 1000.
• Freeze vs. Float: Candidates choosing "Freeze" have locked their current university, while "Float" allows them to remain eligible for higher-preference upgrades in the next Turnstile.
• PG Consistency: The PG - 3rd Provisional Allotment List for LL.M. courses remains the definitive guide for postgraduate admissions as of this morning.
• UG Postponement: Due to judicial directives from the Allahabad High Court, the UG counselling track is currently paused for data reconciliation before the May rounds.

Upcoming Allotment Schedule and Academic Readiness

With the Round-3 formalities finalized, the admission cycle enters a planned transition period. The official CLAT 2026 counselling schedule indicates that the next major Turnstile will occur in May. This gap allows for the final processing of university-level fees and the verification of academic credentials by individual institutes. For candidates who have frozen their seats, the focus now shifts to the final balance payment and physical reporting.

• Reconciliation Phase: The Consortium is currently managing the parallel Interval of seat matrix adjustments following the UG answer key revision.
• Verification Documents: Candidates must keep their 10th/12th marksheets and CLAT admit cards ready for institutional verification.
• Exit Option: The final window to exit the counselling process without a penalty of ₹5,000 is May 8, 2026.
• Final Allotment: The fifth and terminal merit list is scheduled for release on May 15, 2026, marking the end of the centralized process.

Conclusion

The closure of the February 12 Interval brings a temporary conclusion to the intense activity of the third allotment round. As of February 14, the Consortium is focused on the internal audit of joined candidates to prepare the vacant seat matrix for the fourth round. This Turnstile is essential for maintaining the integrity of the merit-based distribution system. For the law Aspirant, this period serves as a bridge between the high-pressure decision-making of February and the academic commencement in July. Those who have chosen the "Float" option are particularly advised to monitor the portal for the May 2 update, which may offer significant upgrades as university fee payments begin to stabilize the overall matrix. The successful completion of this current Turnstile ensures that the 2026-27 session at India’s premier law schools remains on track for an excellence-driven start.