CLAT Counselling 2025 (Updated) – Important dates, steps, process

Now that the CLAT exam is over, we come to the second part of the CLAT admission process: CLAT counselling. If you ask our IMS mentors, they’ll unequivocally agree that the CLAT counselling process is as important, if not more, as the CLAT exam itself. This is where you finally reap the rewards of the months of hard work you put in and choose the right NLU for yourself. In this blog, we’ll cover the entire CLAT counselling process along with the steps, instructions, and the most important dates to track.

The CLAT exam was held on 1st December 2024, and the result was announced a week later, on 7th December 2024. While the initial CLAT counselling registration dates were from 11th December 2024 to 20th December 2024, they have now been changed. The latest circular from the Consortium of NLUs states that students can start registering for CLAT counselling from 9th December itself. Fortunately, the entire counselling and allotment process will be held online, making it more accessible for students across the country.

First, let’s take a look at the most important CLAT counselling dates and then move on to the process.

CLAT counselling 2025 – Important dates

Registration for the CLAT counselling process officially began on 9 December and will continue until 20 January, after which students won’t be allowed to change their details. Also, remember that not everyone is allowed to sit for the counselling process. Eligible candidates will be invited to register for the process via text message and email. Your dashboard on the CLAT portal will also be updated to reflect your invitation for the CLAT counselling process.

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CLAT counselling 2025 – Registration process

Here is how to complete the CLAT counselling registration process. Just keep in mind that the last date to register for the counselling round is 10 PM on 20th December 2024. You can also read more about the CLAT counselling process here – CLAT Counselling Instructions

1. Visit the official website – consortiumofnlus.ac.in and use your log in credentials to log onto the portal.
2. If you’ve been invited to the CLAT counselling process, you’ll see a tab that says ‘ Update NLU Preferences’.
3. Click on it and update your college preferences.
4. Remember, you need to add a minimum of 15 preferences. Also, you’ll only be considered for NLUs that you add to your preferences. Simply put, if you only add 15 NLUs as your preferences, then you’ll only be considered for admission to those 15 NLUs, even if you remain eligible for any other NLU.
5. You can change your preferences until the last date of CLAT counselling registration, after which the list will be locked. 
6. Another thing to keep in mind is that you can only move up in your preference list and not down. Fill in your preferences accordingly.

Once you’ve set your preferences, you’ll need to complete the registration payment.

1. The ‘Make Payment’ button will be visible on your dashboard when you log into the CLAT portal.
2. Click on it and complete the payment well in time to avoid any last-minute glitches.
3. The fee for General category students is ₹30,000, and for reserved candidates, it is ₹20,000.
4. After you complete the payment, you’ll be redirected to a ‘Payment Successful ’ page. Only then should you leave the website.
5. The payment window will close on 20th December at 10 PM.
6. The CLAT counselling registration payment is refundable per the stipulated guidelines.

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CLAT counselling 2025 – Post-registration process

Once the first CLAT seat allotment list is released by 26 December 2024, the candidate will be presented with three options: Freeze, float, or exit. Each option has grave consequences for the candidate and must be clearly understood.

Freeze

1. If the candidate is satisfied with the seat they have been allotted in any of the CLAT counselling rounds, then they must exercise the freeze option.
2. Once the freeze option is chosen, the candidate will not be considered for further counselling rounds.
3. Upon freezing, the candidate must pay the confirmation fee before the stipulated date, as mentioned in the table above. 
4. Candidates who choose to freeze their allotment in the first, second, and third CLAT counselling rounds must pay the university fee by 14 May 2025.
5. Candidates who choose to freeze their allotment in the fourth and fifth rounds must pay the university fee by 10 June 2025.
6. Failure to pay the confirmation fee or the university fee on time will result in the cancellation of the candidature.

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Float

1. The float option allows students to hold on to their currently allotted NLU while waiting for a more preferred NLU seat in subsequent rounds.
2. Candidates who wish to sit for further counselling rounds to get a seat in a higher preferred NLU must choose this option.
3. The float option will not be available to students who have already been allotted their highest preferred NLU.
4. Candidates can only move upwards according to their NLU preference list. Once a higher NLU is allotted, the candidate cannot move down to a lower preferred NLU.
5. Candidates who wish to use the float option must pay the confirmation fee within the stipulated time.
6. There will be no float option in the last round of counselling, and the seat allotted will be considered final.

Exit

1. The exit option is for students who wish to exit the CLAT counselling rounds for any reason.
2. If the candidate has exercised the freeze or float option before exiting the CLAT 2025 counselling process, their seat will be reallocated to someone else and their name removed from subsequent rounds. Their confirmation fee will also be forfeited.

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CLAT counselling 2025 – Required documents

Keep these documents handy for the CLAT counselling process:

1. Grade 10 statement of marks 
2. CLAT 2025 Admit Card 
3. Grade 12 Statement of Marks 
4. Character Certificate/Conduct Certificate from the Educational Institution last attended 
5. Transfer/Migration Certificate from the Educational Institution last attended 
6. Caste Certificate (SC, ST, OBC, etc.) if applied and allotted under the Reserved category of seats
7. PwD/SAP Certificate, if applied and allotted under the PwD category
8. Domicile/Residence Certificate, if applied and allotted under the domicile/resident category seat 
9. Any other supporting documents to claim your seat for the category you have applied (E.g., Wards of Serving/Retired Defence Personnel, EWS certificate, Sons/daughters of Ex-servicemen/Defence service personnel, etc.)

CLAT counselling 2025 – Conclusion

CLAT counselling 2025 will be a critical component of the entire NLU admission process. Keep track of all the important dates and read through the instructions carefully—especially the part about the Freeze, Float, and Exit options.