The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) has postponed the CLAT 2026 third merit list for undergraduate counselling after a directive from the Allahabad High Court. The decision comes amid an answer key dispute that requires adjustment before the merit list can be finalised and republished on the official website consortiumofnlus.ac.in.
Allahabad High Court Order Impacts CLAT UG Merit List
The Allahabad High Court, in a judgment dated 3 February 2026, directed the Consortium to revise the CLAT UG 2026 merit list following an answer key dispute linked to a specific question where both options were deemed correct by the court. The order requires that the CLAT scores and subsequent rank list reflect this revision before further rounds of counselling proceed. The court clarified that candidates who have already completed admissions in earlier counselling rounds would not be disturbed, but subsequent allotments depend on the updated merit list.
Impact on CLAT 2026 Counselling and Allotment
The third merit list, originally scheduled for release on 5 February 2026, will now be published only after the revision of results as per the court’s directive. Candidates who were expecting to check their allotment status must wait for the updated list on the official portal. Once the revised merit list is issued, students will be able to:
- Check seat allotment status across participating NLUs
- Choose among freeze, float or exit options for allotted seats
- Complete admission formalities within the timeline set in the revised schedule
How to Check the Revised Merit List After Publication?
When the updated list becomes available, candidates should follow these steps to view their allotment:
- Visit consortiumofnlus.ac.in
- Navigate to the CLAT 2026 counselling section
- Click on the relevant Third Allotment List link
- Download or save the PDF for future reference
Next Steps and Revised Schedule
The Consortium of NLUs is expected to issue a fresh timeline for the release of the revised merit list and associated counselling deadlines soon. Students are advised to regularly check the official website for notifications. Meanwhile, postgraduate CLAT 2026 candidates have seen the third merit list released independently, and counsellors are advising all aspirants to complete “freeze, float or exit” options by 12 February 2026 once the revised list is out.