The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) has officially closed the confirmation window for the CLAT 2026 Round-1 seat allotment as of January 15. Law aspirants who opted for Freeze or Float were required to pay a non-refundable amount of ₹20,000 to secure their positions. With the first phase of documentation and payment complete, the focus now shifts to the publication of the second allotment list scheduled for January 22.

The first major phase of the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 2026 admission cycle concluded today, January 15, as the window for seat confirmation and fee payment officially closed at 1:00 PM. Following the release of the first provisional merit list on January 7, the Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) provided a week-long period for students to secure their allotted seats. This phase required candidates to navigate the online portal and choose from the Freeze, Float, or Exit options, marking a critical transition point for those aiming to join India’s top-tier legal institutions in the 2026-27 academic session.

Final Actions in the Round-1 Window

The closing of the confirmation window signifies that all candidates who were allotted seats in the first round have now made their definitive choices. For many, this involved the payment of a mandatory confirmation fee of ₹20,000, which is adjusted against the total university fees at a later stage.

• Freeze Status: Candidates who were fully satisfied with their initial NLU choice selected this option, thereby locking their seat and withdrawing from further seat movements.
• Float Status: Many high-ranking aspirants chose to Float, securing their current seat while remaining eligible for an upgrade to a higher-preference NLU in the upcoming second round.
• Exit Protocol: Students who chose not to pursue an NLU seat through CLAT this year used the Exit option to officially leave the counselling process.
• Automatic Forfeiture: Any candidate who failed to make a choice or complete the payment by the 1:00 PM deadline today is now considered to have forfeited their seat.

Documentation and Verification Progress

Parallel to the payment window, the participating NLUs have been conducting the digital verification of documents uploaded by the candidates. This verification is essential to validate the academic and category-based claims made during the registration process.

The NLU-specific admission offices will continue to review these scanned records over the next few days. If any discrepancy is found during this verification, the provisional allotment can be cancelled even after the fee payment, and the vacancy will be added to the pool for the next list.

Preparation for the Second Allotment List

With the Round-1 formalities behind them, the Consortium is now analyzing the remaining vacancies. The second provisional allotment list is scheduled to be published on January 22, 2026, at 10:00 AM. This next allotment will cater to candidates who were either in the "Waitlist" or those who opted for a Float in the first round and are eligible for an upgrade based on vacant seats at higher-ranked NLUs.

• Vacancy Calculation: The number of seats available for the second round depends on the number of "Exits" and forfeitures from the first window.
• Rank Movement: Experts anticipate a moderate shift in ranks for mid-tier NLUs, while the top three institutes (NLSIU, NALSAR, and WBNUJS) typically see minimal movement after the first list.
• Round-2 Timeline: Successful candidates in the next round will have from January 22 to January 29 to complete their respective confirmation payments.
• Continuous Updates: The official website (consortiumofnlus.ac.in) remains the only source for downloading the PDF lists for each participating university.

Conclusion

The successful closure of the Round-1 confirmation window today brings the CLAT 2026 admission process one step closer to finalizing the incoming batch of law students. For those who have successfully paid their confirmation fee and completed the verification, the next major milestone will be the payment of the remaining university balance in April. Meanwhile, the thousands of aspirants still on the waiting list are now looking forward to January 22, when the second allotment will reveal fresh opportunities across the 24 National Law Universities. This structured approach ensures that every vacant seat is filled strictly on the basis of merit and preference as the 2026 academic year approaches.