CLAT PG 2026 Round 5 Closes May 29: LLM Spot Round Strategy, Vacant NLU Seats & May 30 Fee Deadline

CLAT PG 2026 Final Round Closes May 29: Where LLM Aspirants Stand Today

The CLAT PG 2026 counselling cycle is ending exactly as the UG cycle did — at the wire. The Consortium of National Law Universities released the fifth (and final) PG merit list on May 15, 2026, and the fee deadline for confirmed allotments runs out by May 30, 2026 (1:00 PM). The Round 5 batch starts joining their respective NLUs from May 29, 2026. After that, the Consortium does not conduct any central spot round for PG — every remaining LLM seat is filled by the individual NLU on its own terms.

If you are a CLAT PG 2026 candidate who is still uncertain about your seat — or you were never allotted one and now wonder what’s next — this guide walks you through exactly what is happening between today and May 30, and what your options are once central counselling formally shuts.

For a personalised review of your rank and which NLU LLM specialisations remain realistic for you, call the CLAT Gurukul helpline at 7033005444.

What Just Happened: CLAT PG 2026 Counselling Timeline

Quick recap of the round-wise schedule the Consortium followed this season:

• Round 1: January 1, 2026
• Round 2: January 14, 2026
• Round 3: January 28, 2026
• Round 4: May 2, 2026 (with extended Allahabad-HC-related buffer)
• Round 5: May 15, 2026 — final merit list
• Fee deadline (university fee): May 30, 2026, 1:00 PM

Between January and early May, the PG counselling effectively paused while the Allahabad High Court considered challenges to the CLAT UG 2026 merit list. After the Division Bench restored the original CLAT 2026 results on February 20, 2026, the Consortium resumed both UG and PG rounds 4 and 5 back-to-back. (Read our earlier explainer on the Allahabad HC’s restoration of the CLAT 2026 merit list for the legal context.)

How Many LLM Seats Are in Play?

Across the 24+ participating NLUs that admit LLM through CLAT PG 2026, there are roughly 1,590 LLM seats. After Round 5, a meaningful number of these will remain unfilled — historically, mid-tier and lower-tier NLUs see the largest PG-seat surrender because most candidates ranked there either freeze at NLSIU/NALSAR/NUJS or drop out for a CLAT PG retake. Last year, around 12–18% of LLM seats stayed open after the final central round.

These unfilled PG seats are not redistributed by the Consortium. Each NLU runs its own residual admission process — and the rules vary widely.

What Happens After May 30: NLU-Level Residual Admissions

Once the Consortium closes Round 5, three distinct paths open up for LLM admissions at NLUs:

Path A — NLU-Specific Spot Lists

NLUs like NLU Jodhpur, NUSRL Ranchi, RMLNLU Lucknow, HNLU Raipur, and CNLU Patna typically publish an internal “spot” or “vacancy” notification on their own websites within 7–15 days of the Consortium closing. These are open only to CLAT PG 2026 candidates (a valid scorecard is mandatory) and the selection is done strictly on CLAT PG 2026 rank order against the vacant seats. There is no fresh test.

Path B — Direct LLM Admission via Separate Entrance

A few NLUs run a parallel LLM admission stream that does not use CLAT PG — for example, NALSAR’s executive/specialised LLM, NLU Delhi’s LLM (which uses AILET), and certain self-financed LLM seats at NLIU Bhopal, NLU Odisha, and RGNUL Patiala. If you missed CLAT PG cutoffs, these are your secondary options. Most have application windows running from June to August 2026.

Path C — Supernumerary, NRI and FN Seats

Almost every NLU sets aside a small block of LLM seats outside CLAT PG — typically 1–3 supernumerary seats per programme for NRI, NRI-sponsored, and Foreign National candidates. These are filled separately by each NLU via expression-of-interest forms. If you have eligible NRI/FN status, this is the third route. (For more on how these quotas operate, see our explainer on the 26-NLU seat-sharing pool.)

NLU-Wise PG Cutoff Pattern: What Round 5 Tells Us

Although final NLU-wise cut-offs for CLAT PG 2026 vary slightly by NLU and specialisation, the Round 5 movement followed a predictable hierarchy:

• NLSIU Bengaluru — General category effectively closed around rank 35–50 by Round 2; no fresh allotments in Round 5.
• NALSAR Hyderabad — General cut-off held around rank 80–100; some Round-5 churn on reserved seats.
• WBNUJS Kolkata — Cut-off around rank 130–150 General.
• NLU Jodhpur, GNLU Gandhinagar, NLIU Bhopal, NUALS Kochi — General LLM ranks closing between 200 and 400.
• RMLNLU Lucknow, HNLU Raipur, CNLU Patna, NUSRL Ranchi, MNLU Mumbai/Aurangabad/Nagpur — General LLM closing between 400 and 800.
• NLU Tripura and NLU Meghalaya — Will enter the seat pool only from CLAT 2027 onwards.

Note: These are observed ranges from publicly available merit-list extracts and Consortium notifications; exact NLU-wise category cut-offs should be verified on each NLU’s brochure on the Consortium website at consortiumofnlus.ac.in.

If You Are Allotted in Round 5: 5-Day Action Checklist

1. Confirmation fee: Pay the Consortium confirmation fee within the prescribed window listed on your Round 5 allotment letter.
2. University fee: Pay the allotted NLU’s tuition/programme fee by May 30, 2026, 1:00 PM. Late payment forfeits the seat.
3. Document upload: Submit scanned LLB degree/provisional, marksheets (all years), CLAT PG scorecard, photo ID, category certificate (if applicable), and migration certificate.
4. Physical reporting: Most NLUs require physical reporting between June 15 and July 5, 2026, depending on academic calendar. Check the specific NLU brochure.
5. Hostel/accommodation: Apply within the same week — many NLUs allot LLM hostel seats on first-come-first-served basis after CLAT PG admission closes.

If You Missed the Cut-Off: Three Realistic Options

Option 1 — Wait for NLU spot lists. If your CLAT PG 2026 rank is between, say, 800–1500 General, watching the official websites of NLU Jodhpur, NUSRL Ranchi, RMLNLU Lucknow, HNLU Raipur, MNLU Aurangabad/Nagpur, NLU Assam, NLU Tripura (existing intake), and NLU Odisha through June 2026 can still land you an LLM seat. Set up email/RSS alerts on each NLU site.

Option 2 — Apply to non-CLAT-PG entry routes. NLU Delhi LLM (via AILET PG), TISS Mumbai LLM, NUEPA, IIT Kharagpur RGSOIPL, and certain state university LLMs accept applications independently. Some require their own entrance; others use academic record.

Option 3 — Repeat CLAT PG 2027. If your goal is specifically NLSIU/NALSAR/NUJS LLM, the realistic play is a focused 30-week CLAT PG 2027 plan. We have already laid out the exact week-by-week build in our CLAT PG 2027 30-week strategy guide.

What Makes 2026 Different: The Allahabad HC Effect

The Allahabad High Court’s February 2026 intervention — first directing a merit-list revision, then reversed in appeal on February 20, 2026 — pushed both CLAT UG and PG counselling rounds 3, 4 and 5 from March into May. The compressed schedule means many candidates who had locked secondary backup options (state LLM programmes, MBA pivots, articleship) now have to decide quickly whether to take a Round 5 LLM allotment or stay with their backup. (More background on the court timeline is documented by LiveLaw and Bar & Bench.)

If you are caught in this situation, the simplest rule is: accept the Round 5 NLU seat if it is in your top 5 preferences; decline and wait for spot lists only if the allotment is significantly below your aspiration NLU AND your CLAT PG rank suggests a realistic spot list at a better NLU.

Practice Quiz: CLAT PG 2026 Counselling Knowledge Check

Test your understanding of the Round 5 process and what comes next.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Can I still get an LLM seat at an NLU after May 30, 2026?

Yes, but only through individual NLU residual/spot lists. Watch the websites of NLU Jodhpur, NUSRL Ranchi, RMLNLU Lucknow, HNLU Raipur, and similar NLUs from June onwards. A valid CLAT PG 2026 scorecard is mandatory in almost all cases.

Q2. Will the Consortium run a central CLAT PG spot round?

No. The Consortium has historically not conducted a central PG spot round. After Round 5, residual admissions are entirely at the NLU level.

Q3. Is there any path to NLSIU LLM after May 30, 2026?

For 2026–27, effectively no. NLSIU’s LLM intake closes with Round 1–2 cut-offs. Your realistic NLSIU LLM target is now CLAT PG 2027.

Q4. What if I am allotted but cannot pay the university fee by May 30?

The Consortium’s stated rule is that missing the May 30, 2026 (1:00 PM) deadline forfeits the seat, which is then offered to a wait-listed candidate. Plan the transfer at least 48 hours in advance to handle banking delays.

Bottom Line

If you have a Round 5 allotment, pay the fee by May 30, 2026, 1:00 PM and start the joining process. If you are still seat-less, switch your attention to NLU-level spot lists in June and parallel non-CLAT LLM routes. Either way, decide before May 30 — drift after that costs you the entire year.

Talk to a CLAT Gurukul mentor for a one-on-one rank-and-NLU mapping. Call 7033005444 or visit the CLAT Gurukul homepage to start.