CLAT 2026 counselling has reached its final round. On May 20, 2026 at 10:00 AM, the Consortium of National Law Universities released the fifth and final allotment list on consortiumofnlus.ac.in. If your name is on it, the next five days decide where you spend the next five years. This is a compact, no-jargon walkthrough of every deadline, every fee, and every choice point.
The dates that matter — at a glance
| Event | Window |
|---|---|
| Fifth & final allotment list released | May 20, 2026 — 10:00 AM |
| Accept seat + pay Rs. 20,000 confirmation fee | May 20 (10:00 AM) → May 25, 2026 (2:00 PM) |
| Pay balance university fee to allotted NLU | By May 30, 2026, 5:00 PM |
Two clocks are ticking. The first ends on May 25 at 2:00 PM — miss it and your seat is permanently cancelled. The second ends on May 30 at 5:00 PM — miss it and the NLU can refuse your admission even though the Consortium has confirmed you. Calendar both.
How to check your name on the fifth list
- Open consortiumofnlus.ac.in/clat-2026.
- Log in with your CLAT 2026 application number and password.
- Navigate to Counselling → Allotment → Round 5.
- Download the allotment letter (PDF). Save two copies — one on your phone, one on a parent’s email.
If your application portal still shows “Allotment Pending” after 12:00 noon on May 20, refresh, clear cache, and try a different browser before assuming bad news. Server load on allotment day is real.
Round 5 is final — only Freeze or Exit
This round is different from the four that came before. Earlier rounds let you Float (hold this seat but try for a better NLU next round) or Upgrade. Round 5 removes both options. You can only:
- Freeze — accept the allotted NLU, pay Rs. 20,000, and lock in the seat.
- Exit — refuse the allotment and forfeit any further claim in CLAT 2026 counselling.
There is no float, no slide, no waitlist queue. The math is brutal but simple — say yes by May 25 at 2:00 PM, or walk away.
The Rs. 20,000 confirmation fee — what it actually does
The Rs. 20,000 confirmation fee is not an extra cost on top of your university fee. It is a deposit that gets adjusted against the total NLU fee you will eventually pay. Think of it as the first instalment, not a separate ticket.
Pay via the payment gateway on the Consortium portal — UPI, net banking, debit card, or credit card all work. Save the transaction receipt immediately. If the gateway fails mid-payment, do not retry blindly — check your bank statement first; double-debits during counselling rush are common, fixable, but slow.
What happens between May 25 and May 30
You have paid the Rs. 20,000 confirmation fee. The Consortium considers you confirmed. But your admission at the allotted NLU is not complete until you pay the balance university fee directly to that NLU by May 30 at 5:00 PM.
Each NLU has its own portal, its own fee structure, and its own document checklist. Some accept a single demand draft, others use net banking, a few use SBI Collect. The moment your seat is confirmed on May 25, log into the allotted NLU’s website and start the on-campus admission process. Do not wait until May 30 morning.
Document checklist for NLU reporting
Most NLUs ask for the same core set. Carry originals + 3 sets of self-attested photocopies:
- CLAT 2026 admit card and score card
- Round 5 allotment letter
- Class 10 and Class 12 mark sheets & passing certificates
- Category certificate (SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS/PwD) — issued in the format prescribed by the allotted NLU
- Domicile certificate (for state-domicile reservation)
- Character certificate from the last attended institution
- Passport-size photographs (8–10)
- Photo ID — Aadhaar, passport, or PAN
- Migration certificate (if applicable)
- Medical fitness certificate (NLU-specified format)
NLU-specific quirks exist — NALSAR asks for an income certificate in EWS cases, NLU Delhi has its own AILET pathway you do not need here, NLSIU Bangalore has separate hostel forms. Read your allotted NLU’s reporting circular line by line.
What if you do not get an allotment in Round 5?
If you have been in the merit pool through earlier rounds but the fifth list does not have your name, CLAT 2026 counselling closes for you. That is a hard moment — and it is not the end of the road. Real options that open up this week:
- LSAT India 2026 backup routes — registrations close around this time of year; check today.
- State law entrance exams — MH-CET Law, AP LAWCET, TS LAWCET, KSLU CET, PU UGLAW each have their own calendars and decent 5-year LLB colleges attached.
- Symbiosis SET-Law (SLAT), NMIMS NPAT-Law, BHU LLB entrance — all run independently of CLAT.
- Drop year for CLAT 2027 — only worth it if you can honestly diagnose what went wrong this year and have a study plan you’ll actually stick to.
If you froze in Round 4 — does Round 5 affect you?
No. A Round 4 freeze is final. The Round 5 list is for candidates who exited, floated, or did not get a seat in earlier rounds. If you froze at, say, RMLNLU Lucknow in Round 4, your seat is yours — go pay the balance fee at RMLNLU on its timeline, not the May 30 Consortium-level deadline.
NLU fee structure — a 2026 snapshot
Annual fees (tuition + hostel) at top NLUs cluster in this band — verify on your allotted NLU’s official site before paying:
- NLSIU Bangalore — Rs. 3.25–3.50 lakh/year
- NALSAR Hyderabad — Rs. 2.90–3.20 lakh/year
- NUJS Kolkata — Rs. 2.80–3.00 lakh/year
- NLIU Bhopal — Rs. 2.30–2.60 lakh/year
- GNLU Gandhinagar — Rs. 2.20–2.50 lakh/year
- Newer NLUs (HNLU, RMLNLU, NUSRL, MNLU-A) — Rs. 1.80–2.30 lakh/year
NLUs offer fee-waiver and scholarship schemes for SC/ST, EWS, and PwD candidates — these apply after admission, not at the confirmation-fee stage. So budget the full Rs. 20,000 + balance now, and apply for waivers in the first week of August.
Reporting day — what to actually do
- Reach the campus a day early if you can. Hostels open in late June–early July; the city you’ll live in for five years deserves a calm first look.
- Verification is in person — laptops and printouts are not enough. Originals matter.
- Open a savings account in a bank with a branch on or near campus. Mess fees, library deposits, society fundraisers — campus life moves on UPI.
- Pre-induction reading lists are usually emailed in the second week of June.
Common Round 5 mistakes to avoid
- Paying Rs. 20,000 and forgetting the balance fee. The Consortium and the NLU are two separate counters. You need both.
- Waiting for a parent’s WhatsApp confirmation before clicking Freeze. The clock does not pause.
- Re-applying after Exit, hoping for a Round 6. There is no Round 6. Exit is final.
- Ignoring the NLU’s own documents page. Each NLU has format quirks for category and domicile certificates.
Real students. Real journeys.
Every batch we have walked with has at least one student whose Round 5 letter arrived a week after they had emotionally moved on. Some accepted and thrived. Some declined, took a year, and came back stronger in CLAT 2027. Both choices are valid — what is not valid is freezing by indecision until the May 25 clock runs out. Whichever side of the line you are on, decide on purpose.
For anyone reading this on May 25 morning still unsure — our team at CLAT Gurukul is on the helpline today till 8 PM. Call 7033005444. We will not push you either way; we will just help you think clearly.
Quick recap
- Fifth list out — May 20, 2026, 10:00 AM
- Confirmation fee Rs. 20,000 — by May 25, 2:00 PM
- Balance university fee — by May 30, 5:00 PM at the allotted NLU
- Only Freeze or Exit; no Float, no Upgrade, no Round 6
- Stuck? Helpline 7033005444
Test what you’ve learned
Practice Quiz — 10 CLAT-Style Questions
Click an option to reveal the answer and explanation.
Frequently asked questions
Can I appeal if my name is not on the fifth allotment list?
No formal appeal exists at this stage. The fifth list is computed strictly on merit + preference + seat availability. You can email the Consortium grievance cell if you suspect a technical error, but be ready with documentary proof.
Can I change my preferred NLU after Round 5 allotment?
No. Round 5 is single-shot: accept the allotted NLU or exit. The Float/Upgrade flexibility ended with Round 4.
What if I have already paid Round 4 confirmation fee but want to take a Round 5 upgrade?
Round 5 does not offer upgrades. If you froze in Round 4, you stay with the Round 4 allotment.
How much is the confirmation fee for CLAT 2026 Round 5?
Rs. 20,000, payable on the Consortium portal between May 20 (10:00 AM) and May 25, 2026 (2:00 PM). It is adjusted against the eventual NLU fee.
Sources: Consortium of NLUs — CLAT 2026 Counselling; CLAT 2026 UG Admission Instructions; Bar & Bench — SC stay on Delhi HC CLAT 2025 order.
Real students. Real journeys. For doubts on Round 5 acceptance, fee payment, or document verification, the CLAT Gurukul team is on 7033005444 through admission week.
