CLAT LLM Counselling 2025 Seat Allotment: Check Dates, Fees & Procedure

CLAT 2025 Counselling Process is currently underway. CLAT 2025 Counselling Registration dates were May 17, 2025 to May 21, 2025. The CLAT First Merit List 2025 was published on May 26, 2025. The CLAT 2025 counselling schedule was delayed due to challenges to the CLAT results in the Delhi High Court, leading to changes in the CLAT answer key. As a result, the first CLAT 2025 merit list, which was originally set to be published on December 26, 2024, was postponed.

Yes, the CLAT 2025 counselling process is currently underway. The first CLAT 2025 merit list was released on May 26, 2025. The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) has announced that the counselling process this year will end with three-rounds.Until last year, the CLAT Counselling was completed with five rounds. Candidates are advised to regularly check the official CLAT website for updates on the counselling process.

The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) will conduct CLAT 2025 counselling in online mode. The whole counselling process for CLAT is conducted in online mode. Candidates have to register online to participate in the counselling. Eligible candidates who qualify the exam can register on the official website for the counselling. After that, they have to pay fee to complete the registration process. After registration, candidates have to declare choices for college and course seeking admission into. 

In the CLAT counselling process, seat allotment is done based on the candidate's rank in the merit list and their preference of National Law Universities (NLUs). Here's how the seat allotment process typically works:

Merit List: Candidates are ranked based on their performance in the CLAT exam. The higher the rank, the better the chances of getting into their preferred NLU.

Preference Filling: During registration for the counselling, candidates are required to fill in their preferences for the participating NLUs.

Seat Allotment: Based on the rank and the preferences filled, the Consortium of NLUs allocates seats in various NLUs. The allotment is done in multiple rounds, with candidates being offered seats in their preferred NLU as per availability.

Fee Payment: After the seat is allotted, candidates must pay the required admission fee to confirm their seat.

Waitlist: If candidates are not allotted a seat in the first round, they are placed on a waitlist and can be considered for allotment in subsequent rounds.

It's important for candidates to keep checking the official website for updates regarding seat allotment and counselling rounds.

Candidates can check the NLU-wise CLAT merit list by following the below steps:

Step 1: Visit CLAT official website

Step 2: Navigate to ‘Notifications’ section

Step 3: Click on ‘CLAT 2025 Allotment List’ link

Step 4: View and download the CLAT allotment list 2025

Candidates must note that they can appear for CLAT Counselling 2025 only if there name is there in the merit list. CLAT counselling will be conducted in online mode. Candidates must appear for the counselling to get admission to one of the NLUs in the country.

During CLAT counselling, candidates will be provided the option to choose from three options; i.e. freeze, float and exit. Candidates can understand all options below:

Freeze Option: In case a candidate is happy with the seat alloted to him/her then they can freeze it. With this they won't be allowed to appear in the further rounds of counselling. If a candidate freezes the seat, it means that the candidate is confirming their seat at the allotted National Law University (NLU).

Float Option: If a candidate is not happy with the seat allotted to them and wants to pariticpate in further rounds of counselling they can select the float option. This option mean that candidate is accepting the seat allotted to them but is willing to pariticpate in further rouns of counselling for a better college. Candidate must note that in case they choose the float option and is allotted a seat in the next round then the seat allotted in the previous round will be forfeited.

Exit Option: During the counselling process, if a candidate feels that they don't want to pariticipate further, then they may choose an option to exit. If they choose this option, it means that they are withdrawing from the counselling process and they will not be considered for further round of counselling. 

Candidates must keep the copy of CLAT Admit Card safely until the whole CLAT admission process is over. The admit card is a mandatory document that one must not forget to carry to the exam center on the day of exam. Candidates who fail to carry their admit card were not allowed to appear for the exam.  Candidates should keep their admit card even after the exam is over. The admit card will be required for the counselling process as part of important documents. Therefore, candidates must keep the original copy of admit card that they carried with them on the day of examination. They should not tamper it or write anything on it as it will be verified during the counselling process. 

The CLAT counselling process is conducted online. After the declaration of the merit list, candidates can register for the counselling through the official CLAT portal. During the online counselling process, candidates must:

Register: Fill out the online registration form with personal and academic details.
Preference Filling: Candidates are required to provide a list of National Law Universities (NLUs) in order of preference.
Seat Allotment: Based on the candidate's merit rank and preferences, the seat allotment is done in multiple rounds.
Fee Payment: Candidates must pay the required admission fees to confirm their seat.
All of this is done through the official online portal managed by the Consortium of NLUs.

No, the CLAT counselling fee cannot be paid offline. The payment for the CLAT counselling fee must be done online through the official CLAT portal. Candidates are required to pay the fee using online payment methods such as credit/debit cards, net banking, or other digital payment modes available on the portal. It is important to complete the online payment process within the specified timeline to confirm participation in the counselling and secure a seat at the preferred National Law University (NLU). Make sure to keep the payment receipt for future reference.

To be eligible to appear in the CLAT counselling, candidates must meet the following criteria:

• CLAT Exam Qualification: Candidates must have appeared for the CLAT 2025 exam and secured a valid rank in the merit list.
• Minimum Marks:

For UG programs: Candidates should have completed or be appearing for their 10+2 exam with at least 45% marks (40% for SC/ST candidates).
For PG programs: Candidates must have completed their LLB or equivalent degree with at least 50% marks (45% for SC/ST candidates).

• Qualified Rank: Candidates must have a rank within the cutoff for the National Law University (NLU) of their choice.
• Counselling Registration: Candidates must complete the online registration for counselling, providing preferences for NLUs and paying the counselling fee.

Only those meeting these conditions can participate in the CLAT counselling process.

A good rank in the CLAT exam depends on the candidate's target National Law University (NLU). Generally, a rank within the top 100 is considered excellent for securing admission into prestigious NLUs such as National Law School of India University (NLSIU) Bangalore, National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR) Hyderabad. A rank between 100 and 500 is good for most other top NLUs. However, ranks beyond 1,000 may still allow admission to lower-ranked NLUs or specific programs. Candidates should aim for the highest rank possible to increase their chances at preferred universities.

 

 

No, candidates are not required to apply separately for each National Law University (NLU) during the CLAT counselling process.

During the online counselling registration, candidates only need to fill in a single application on the official CLAT portal. As part of the process, candidates are asked to provide a list of NLUs in order of their preference. Based on this preference and their rank in the merit list, they will be considered for seat allotment at the respective NLUs.

Therefore, there's no need for separate applications to each NLU; the counselling process is centralized through the CLAT portal.

The counselling process of CLAT 2025 is a centralized seat allotment process for all the participating National Law Universities (NLUs). Therefore, the counselling is a standardized process as under: Step 1: Candidates who appeared for CLAT 2025 and secured above minimum cutoff marks, will be required to register for the centralized counselling process once the CLAT Consortium opens the window. Step 2: For registration, candidates will be required to login into their account, and fill their preferences and upload their documents and get it verified. Step 3: The counselling authority publishes a merit list for each round with the seat allotment results, and candidates who are listed can reserve/ secure their seat by completing admission formalities such as 'Freeze' and pay the admission fee as per their category. Step 4: Candidates who do like their seat allotment can apply for upgrade by selecting float option. And those who wish to exit the counselling process, can do so by selecting exit option. Step 5: Candidates who successfully secure the seat will be issued provisional admission letter and schedule for joining the college.

The Common Law Admission Test CLAT is an important entrance exam for law aspirants in India. CLAT is the gateway to several prestigious law universities and institutes across the country. Here are some ways in which CLAT can help you pursue law as a career: Access to top law schools: CLAT provides access to several top law schools and universities in India. These law schools offer high-quality education, excellent faculty, and exposure to a diverse range of legal fields. Getting into a top law school through CLAT can boost your chances of a successful law career. Specialisation options: CLAT offers specialisation options in various areas of law such as corporate law, intellectual property law, international law, and criminal law. You can choose a specialisation that aligns with your interests and career goals. Networking opportunities: CLAT offers networking opportunities with other law aspirants and legal professionals. It provides a platform to interact with people from the legal field, participate in legal competitions and conferences, and build a network that can be beneficial in your law career. Internship opportunities: CLAT helps you get access to internship opportunities with reputed law firms, corporate legal departments, and government organizations. These internships provide practical experience, exposure to different areas of law, and help you build a network of contacts. Career opportunities: CLAT opens up several career opportunities in the legal field. You can work as a lawyer, legal advisory, legal analyst, legal consultant, or legal researcher. You can also choose to work in areas such as corporate law, litigation, human rights, intellectual property law, and criminal law. CLAT is an important entrance exam for law aspirants in India. It offers access to top law schools, specialisation options, networking opportunities, internship opportunities, and career opportunities. Preparing for and clearing CLAT can help you pursue law as a career and achieve success in the legal field.

You will be informed if you have been shortlisted for the CLAT counselling through the release of the CLAT 2025 merit list. After the CLAT exam results are announced, the Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) will publish the merit list on the official CLAT website. If your name appears on the merit list, you will be eligible to participate in the counselling process.

Additionally, you will receive an email or SMS notification from the Consortium regarding the commencement of the counselling process, including important dates, registration details, and further instructions. Make sure to regularly check your email and the official website for updates.

 

 

The counselling fee for CLAT 2025 is INR 30,000 for general/OBC category, and INR 20,000, for SC/ST/OBC/BC/EWS/PWD categories. The CLAT counselling fee can only be paid in online mode on the official website of the law entrance exam. The counselling fee candidate need to pay as a token amount against their allotted seat to secure it. After this, candidates will be required to pay the remaining fee against their course, which is the tuition fee+ non-refundable charges+ refundable charges and more. In case, candidates choose to withdraw / exit from their allotted after they freeze/ float, and have paid the counselling fee, then they will get a refund of their amount after deduction of INR 5,000 from it. However, full amount will be refunded only in case when the candidate did not freeze/ float their allotted seat.

The CLAT 2025 Seat Intake has not been changed, however, CLAT 2025 reservation criteria has been revised for Gandhinagar National Law University (GNLU), Silvassa. CLAT has 2522 seats for undergraduate courses. These seats have been divided as per the candidate's category.

As per the revised GNLU reservation criteria, the Domicile Reservation Category has been included for candidates residing in the Dadar and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu Union territories. All those candidates who are looking forward to appearing for UG and PG courses must go to official website of CLAT 2025 portal and update the reservation category accordingly.

The documents listed by the CLAT Consortium for the candidates when taking part in CLAT counselling process are as mentioned below: CLAT 2025 Admit Card CLAT 2025 Scorecard CLAT 2025 Application Form Other documents mandatory for UG courses: Class 10 Marksheet Class 12 Marksheet Character Certificate/Conduct Certificate from the Educational Institution last attended Caste Certificate (SC, ST, OBC, etc. ). If applied and allotted under the Reserved category of seats PwD/SAP Certificate if applied and allotted under the PwD category/ Specially-Able Certificate (If applicable) Any other supporting documents to claim a seat for the category they have applied for example - Wards of Serving/Retired Defense Personnel, EWS Certificate Sons/daughters of Ex-servicemen/Defense service personnel etc. ) NRI Certificate (If applicable) Sponsored NRI Certificate (If applicable) Domicile Certificate (If applicable) Other documents mandatory for PG courses: LL.B. /B. L. /Equivalent Degree Statement of Marks Transfer/Migration Certificate from the Educational Institution last attended Caste Certificate (If applicable) Specially-Able Certificate (If applicable) NRI Certificate (If applicable) Sponsored NRI Certificate (If applicable) Domicile Certificate (If applicable) Any other supporting documents to claim a seat for the category under which they have applied (Ex: Wards of Serving/Retired Defense Personnel, EWS Certificate Sons/daughters of Ex-servicemen/Defense service personnel etc.

Yes, there is a counselling fee for the CLAT counselling process. Candidates who wish to participate in the CLAT 2025 counselling are required to pay a non-refundable counselling registration fee. This fee is typically paid online through the official CLAT portal during the registration process.

The exact amount of the counselling fee is announced by the Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) along with the counselling schedule. It's important to ensure that the payment is made before the deadline to confirm your participation in the counselling and secure your place in the seat allotment process.

 

 

The CLAT Consortium will conduct only three rounds of seat allotment for CLAT 2025. Before each round, the consortium will share the seat allotment list for the remaining seats. In case there are still seats vacant after the third round, the counselling mop-up round will be held at institute level. In CLAT 2024, there were total of five CLAT seat allotment rounds until all seats at the participating NLUs were secured by candidates.

If you go through the pattern of CLAT exam, you will see that it is mostly general and does not involve any difficult subject. If you have basic understanding of English and have some interest in reading news and Current Affairs you are ready for two sections. The most challenging part, for most students, is Mathematics. However, it is of elementary standard and does not require special knowledge. If you did well in Math in class X, you have an edge. Only section that needs special preparation is legal aptitude. Most class XII students do not have idea about law. If you start in time and join coaching classes for help, you can get a hold of the basics in no time. 
So, we can say that CLAT is easy if you have basic knowledge of topics involved and you are prepared for some hard work to hone your skills further.

Yes, candidates can withdraw their admission from the allotted seat at any NLU at any stage of counselling process. However, if they choose to withdraw from their allotted seat, they need to do it in the next round of counselling or as per the given schedule, INR 5,000 will be deducted from the counselling fee for blocking the seat and putting the awaiting candidates at disadvantage.

No, the CLAT counselling fee is non-refundable. Once paid, it cannot be refunded, regardless of whether you are allotted a seat or decide to withdraw from the counselling process. This is a standard procedure followed by the Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs).

Therefore, it's essential to carefully consider your decision to register for counselling and pay the fee, as no refunds will be provided under any circumstances. Always check the official CLAT website for detailed terms and conditions before making any payments.

The NLU fees vary as per the course and college chosen by the candidate. However, the average fee of NLUs for UG courses ranges from INR 1.8-2.8 Lacs and for PG programme ranges from INR 80,000 to 2.18 Lacs. The fee structure for the first year at NLUs comprises of: Tuition fee Admission fee Infrastructure and development fee Library, ID card, examination fee, basic amenities fees Sports, gym, medical, internet, electricity, moot court charges Hostel facilities, mess deposit Know the NLU-wise fee structure through CLAT 2025 here - https://www.shiksha.com/law/articles/nlu-fees-structure-blogId-31829.

Aspirants who are preparing for the CLAT Exam should have a clear idea about a good CLAT score. CLAT is a very competitive exam and candidates need to score high to clear the cutoff. All those candidates who are appearing for the CLAT are advised to check out the previous year's CLAT cutoff scores and get a fair idea of the trends that are being followed by the NLUs in the country.  A score above 100 is definitely considered as a good score for CLAT Exam. Candidates must note that the expected CLAT cutoff score for NLUSIU Bangalore is 100 plus, whereas, for NLU Kolkata, NLU Jodhpur and NLU Bhopal, the expected score is between 94 to 98. Candidates who wish to take admission into NALSAR Hyderabad they need to score between 98 to 100. 

CLAT is one of the highly competitive law exams and is considered to be one of the toughest exams to clear. However, aspirants should not worry, as with the right preparation and attitude you can definitely ace in the CLAT exam. The toppers of CLAT have suggested that aspirants should trust NCERT books and a habit to read newspaper daily to crack the exam. The difficulty level of CLAT paper is usually moderate. For complete insights on CLAT paper difficulty level, check analysis for current and previous years above. 

Listed below are the documents that were required to verify the eligibility of candidates for final admission:

UG candidates:

1. Class 10 Marksheet (as a Date of Birth proof document)

2. Class 12 Marksheet (qualifying examination proof)

3. CLAT Admit Card
4. Character Certificate/Conduct Certificate
5. Transfer/Migration Certificate
6. Caste Certificate (If applicable)
7. Specially-Abled Certificate (If applicable)
8. Domicile Certificate (If applicable)
9. Any other supporting document to claim your seat if applied under a category such as Wards of Serving/Retired Defence Personnel, EWS, Sons/daughters of Ex-servicemen/Defence service personnel etc.

Candidates can apply for CLAT 2025 counselling by registering themselves on the official website through link provided in their application dashboard. Moreover, they need to follow the instructions for counselling as under: Step 1 : Login to apply for counselling process, fill the preferences, and upload the documents for verification Step 2: Check the seat allotment list when released, and login to freeze/ float/ exit the counselling process Step 3: By paying the counselling fee of INR 20,000, and INR 30,000, as per the category, candidates can secure their seat.

If your name is not currently on the allotment list, it's recommended that you wait for the subsequent lists to come out before making a decision to exit the counseling process. The counseling process for law admissions often involves multiple rounds of seat allocation, and it's possible that your name might appear in the subsequent lists if you're eligible for admission. You should also check the admission schedule and counseling process guidelines provided by the concerned authority to SEE if there are any deadlines or procedures to be followed in case you want to exit from the counseling process. If you're unsure about any aspect of the counseling process or your eligibility for admission, you should contact the concerned authority or admission committee for guidance and clarification. It's important to note that exiting from the counseling process prematurely might limit your chances of securing admission to a law college or university of your choice. Therefore, you should carefully consider all available options and information before making a decision.

No, you cannot appear for the CLAT counselling if you have not registered for it. Registration for the CLAT counselling is a mandatory step to participate in the seat allotment process. During the registration, candidates are required to fill in their preferences for National Law Universities (NLUs) and pay the required counselling fee.

Only candidates who complete the registration process and are listed in the CLAT merit list are eligible to participate in the counselling rounds. Therefore, it is important to ensure you register on time to secure your chance for admission.

If you are a dropper, you know that it is not just the knowledge that is tested in the CLAT exam; it tests your intellect. If you are a dropper, you have plenty of time to practice mock tests because your basics are clear. So try to attempt one mock test daily and slowly increase it to two mock tests. After taking the test it is important to analyze your test and evaluate your performance regularly. While practising, you can also explore your choices. Try attempting different sections first, and know your strong area to start in the exam. After practising a lot of tests, you will have an idea about which section to attempt first and how much time to allot to each section. Once you build this master plan before the exam, nobody can stop you from cracking it. A dropper can devote more time to CLAT preparation as compared to the school students. This can be your plus point and a motivation factor to crack the exam this year. If you get frustrated thinking about your year dropped, just think, You Can And You Will. If this method does not work, talk to your mentors and your friends, and keep yourself motivated. Make your own strategy and work on it rather than seeing other students. Always make sure to satisfy yourself with the preparation you do. Some tips for the droppers- You may sometimes feel that your class fellows are joining the best colleges and having all the fun. But joining a college of your choice is better to keep away from future regrets. Never think that you are wasting your time. Take it as an opportunity to crack your dream law school. Don't self doubt. Mock test marks are not your original CLAT score. They are just the parameters to guide you in your journey. Scores will keep changing if you put more efforts in improving your weaknesses. Let failure not bother you. Fearing results will lead to stress and stop you from giving your best. Understand that your hard work needs a little bit of intelligence to produce good results. All the Best. Good luck.

At the moment, there are a total of 24 NLUs that are participating institutes of CLAT 2025 counselling. The seat intake for all the courses offered at NLUs has been revised as under: For the five-year LL.B. - The integrated law programme is offered by all the 24 NLUs, with the seat intake standing at 3,213 seats. For the one-year LL. M. - The programme is offered by 21 NLUs, which have a combined intake of 1,217 seats. In 2024, total 4,009 seats were available, out of which 3,012 seats are available for UG courses and 997 seats are available for PG course admissions. Know in detail about NLU-wise Courses and Seat Intake here - https://www.shiksha.com/law/articles/nlus-in-india-blogId-23517.

The CLAT counselling process consists of three rounds. These rounds include the initial seat allotment and subsequent counselling rounds where candidates can be allotted seats in their preferred National Law Universities (NLUs) based on their CLAT rank, preferences, and the availability of seats.

Each round allows candidates to confirm or modify their choices and accept or reject the seat allotted to them. If a candidate does not receive a seat in the earlier rounds, they may have a chance in later rounds. It is important for candidates to regularly check the official CLAT portal for updates on each round.

Pass / fail concept is not applicable in CLAT because if you do not secure a rank to qualify for the 2600+ seats, you simply do not make it to an NLU. For most students being successful in CLAT means securing a seat in the top five National Law Schools in India, which has a total of less than five hundred seats. When you prepare for CLAT understand why you want to pursue it. Once you are sure of your goal, use all the help you can get (study materials, mocks, books, old question papers) and then put in hard work to get into the top 5 NLUs. Most of the colleges or universities that offer courses in law have their own entrance examinations. One of the most recognised examinations is CLAT which stands for the Common Law Entrance Test. The test score of CLAT is accepted by major universities as well as law colleges in India. There are multiple universities from where you can do 5-year LL.B. 

All those candidates who will be mentioning their cast during the application form submission must note that they will require to submit the common reservation or category certificates required during CLAT counseling include: 1. Caste Certificate: - Candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), or Other Backward Classes (OBC) need to provide a valid caste certificate.