CLAT counselling is the post-exam process for registration, preferences and seat allotment. The CLAT 2027 FAQ places it in December 2026 or January 2027, but this broad range is not a deadline for any individual round. Wait for the official notice that gives registration, payment and preference dates. The Consortium says allotments and offers are provisional and do not create an automatic right of admission. CLAT 2027 FAQ · CLAT 2027 UG instructions
Prepare your preferences
Keep your login, result details, qualifying-exam documents and category certificates ready. Read current NLU brochures for programme eligibility, seat matrix, reservation or domicile rules, fees and reporting requirements. The Consortium directs applicants to university websites for fuller course and fee information.
List programmes you would genuinely accept, then order them by your priorities. Do not base choices only on generic rankings or old closing-rank tables. Check that each programme fits your qualification and category, and note whether the university has a separate step beyond the central process.
Follow the notice for each round
When the counselling notice appears, confirm your eligibility or invitation and follow its portal, payment, preference and deadline instructions. Save the submitted choices and payment acknowledgement. If the notice describes acceptance, exit or continued consideration, use the definitions in that cycle’s rules; do not import terminology from another counselling system.
Several provisional allotment lists may follow. Read each list’s instructions for acceptance, payment, certificates and reporting. An allotment does not remove the NLU’s eligibility checks. A candidate’s next step depends on the offer and the applicable round rules, so use the exact current notice.
Understand seat allocation
Allotment depends on programme, institution, category, preferences and available seats. A rank that results in an offer for one course or category is not a cutoff for another. If no offer appears in an early list, watch later lists and any vacancy notice for which you qualify.
The CLAT 2026 vacancy page says only notices submitted by NLUs are displayed and directs candidates to contact an institution if its notice is absent. That is historical context; for 2027, follow the current Consortium and NLU instructions. A vacancy notice is not itself a seat offer.
Complete university admission
Check that application details match original documents. The Consortium says reservation certificates must meet applicable government and university requirements. Follow the allotted NLU’s directions for originals, fees, reporting and enrolment. Save the allotment result and proof of each action. The exact academic-session start date is confirmed by each institution.