Law Admission Phase 2026: January Deadlines and Allotments

The first major admission phase for undergraduate and postgraduate law programmes is drawing to a close. With CLAT and AILET Round 1 reporting ending this week and SLAT results expected on January 15, candidates are racing to finalize seat confirmations. This report details the final January deadlines, fee reconciliation processes, and the transition toward February merit lists.

The high-stakes January window for legal admissions in India is entering its final week, marking a significant transition point for thousands of aspirants. Following the December entrance marathon, the current phase has focused on the execution of the first provisional allotment lists and the reconciliation of admission fees. As of today, January 11, the National Law Universities (NLUs) and premier private institutions are preparing to conclude their initial reporting cycles, paving the way for the second wave of merit lists scheduled for late January.

Final Call for CLAT and AILET Round 1 Formalities

The first week of January saw the release of the most anticipated allotment lists in the legal sector. Candidates who secured seats in the premier institutes are currently under tight deadlines to formalize their status.

• CLAT Reporting Deadline: For the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 2026, the window for the first installment of the seat confirmation fee and document upload is set to close on January 15. Candidates who fail to exercise their 'Freeze' or 'Float' options by this date will forfeit their allotted seats.
• AILET Confirmation: At NLU Delhi, the deadline for the ₹50,000 admission confirmation fee for the first merit list is January 14. The university has clarified that no extensions will be granted, as they aim to release the second merit list by January 21.
• Fee Reconciliation: Institutions are currently processing thousands of digital payments. Candidates are advised to download their fee receipts immediately to ensure their "provisionally admitted" status is reflected on the centralized dashboards.
• Document Verification: Digital verification of Class 10 and 12 certificates is ongoing, with a focus on age criteria and category-specific reservation claims.

Anticipation for SLAT Results and Phase 2 Registration

While the NLU admissions are in the reporting stage, other major law entrance cycles are just reaching their first major milestone.

• SLAT Scorecard Release: Symbiosis International University is scheduled to declare the SLAT 2026 results on January 15. This will trigger the shortlisting process for the four Symbiosis Law Schools (SLS) in Pune, Noida, Hyderabad, and Nagpur.
• State CET Commencement: The Maharashtra State CET Cell has officially opened the registration window for the MH CET Law (3-year and 5-year LLB) as of January 9. This provides a fresh opportunity for those who did not secure their preferred NLU seats.
• Jindal Global Law School: The early admission phase for JGLS, which relies on LSAT-India and LNAT scores, is also drawing to a close this month, with the university expecting a final surge in applications before the February scholarship reviews.
• Interim Counselling: Many private universities are holding interim counselling sessions this week to fill seats under the management and NRI-sponsored quotas.

Law Admission 2026: January Closing Snapshots

The following table provides a summary of the critical deadlines that law aspirants must meet before the January phase officially concludes.

Conclusion

The draw of the January admission phase marks the end of the "first-best" opportunity for law aspirants to secure seats in India's top-tier legal institutions. This phase highlights the administrative efficiency of the centralized admission systems, which have successfully moved from testing to allotment within a single month. As the January 15 deadline for major fee payments approaches, the focus remains on the stabilization of the first-round intake. For those on the waitlists, the conclusion of this phase is equally important, as it determines the volume of vacancies that will be available in the February merit cycles. The transition from the high-pressure examination period to the meticulous documentation and reporting phase ensures that the academic session for 2026-27 begins with a verified and committed cohort of future legal professionals. The closing of these windows signifies a successful start to the 2026 law season, shifting the momentum toward state-level and university-specific selection rounds.