On February 20, 2026, a Division Bench of the Allahabad High Court put a stay on a previous order that had asked for a complete revision of the CLAT UG 2026 merit list. A single judge had instructed the Consortium of National Law Universities to make changes to the CLAT 2026 merit list after the case was filed against them. The consortium challenged this order, claiming that revising the CLAT 2026 merit list would disrupt the ongoing CLAT 2026 counselling process. With the stay now in effect, the consortium will release the CLAT merit list 2026 soon on its official website. The next hearing at Allahabad HC is set for March 9, 2026, when the court is expected to revisit the issue, potentially leading to a final decision.
Particulars | Details |
Case Title | CLAT 2026 Merit List Revision |
Petitioner | Avneesh Gupta (CLAT 2026 candidate) |
Respondent | Consortium of National Law Universities |
Court | Allahabad High Court |
Issue Raised | Alleged errors in the CLAT 2026 final answer key and merit list |
Basis of Petition | Three objections raised by the petitioner were accepted by the expert committee but not reflected in the final answer key |
Single Judge Order | Directed the Consortium to revise the CLAT 2026 merit list |
Consortium’s Argument | Merit list revision would disrupt the ongoing CLAT 2026 counselling process |
Division Bench Order | Stay granted on the single judge’s order directing merit list revision |
Date of Stay Order | February 20, 2026 |
Judges on Division Bench | Justice Saumitra Dayal Singh and Justice Vivek Saran |
Current Status | Stay on CLAT 2026 merit list revision remains in effect |
Next Hearing Date | March 9, 2026 |
Impact on Counselling | CLAT 2026 counselling to continue as per the existing merit list |
Impact on Students | No immediate change in ranks or seat allotment until further court order |
Upcoming Update | Consortium expected to release the CLAT 2026 third merit list based on the existing merit list |
A CLAT 2026 candidate, Avneesh Gupta, filed a petition at the Allahabad High Court, challenging the CLAT 2026 final answer key. He raised concerns based on the three objections he had submitted that were missing from the final answer key. According to his petition, even though the expert committee from the consortium had agreed with his objections, those corrections were not specified in the answer key. In response, the HC instructed the consortium to acknowledge those objections and update the CLAT 2026 results accordingly. Hence, the consortium postponed the release of the CLAT 2026 third merit list. They submitted a petition to the Allahabad HC against the CLAT 2026 merit list revision. The special appeal was heard on February 20, 2026, by a Division Bench that included Justice Saumitra Dayal Singh and Justice Vivek Saran, who reviewed the consortium’s request to pause the revision process.
The Allahabad High Court has set the next hearing date for the CLAT 2026 merit list issue on March 9, 2026. The Division Bench will listen to detailed arguments from both the petitioner and the consortium. It is expected that there will be a final decision announced. Till then, the stay granted by the Division Bench will remain in effect. This means that there will be no changes to the CLAT 2026 merit list.
Since the stay is in place, the CLAT 2026 counselling process is expected to continue based on the existing merit list. Students waiting for seat allotment in the upcoming counselling rounds can expect the process to proceed in the usual format. If the decision stays on March 9, 2026, candidates will not be impacted by the CLAT 2026 merit list revision. The consortium will release official updates, including the third merit list, on its website.
On Question asked by student community
Since you have not specified your category, I will answer for all categories. A CLAT rank of 38169 (typically 40-45 marks) makes admission to top NLUs difficult. For General candidates, chances are nil. Even for OBC, SC, and ST categories, admission is primarily possible only through state domicile quotas or
After the CLAT results are declared, candidates participate in a centralised online counselling process managed by the Consortium of NLUs. Eligible candidates register on the official portal, submit their NLU preference list , and pay a counselling fee. Seat allotment happens across multiple rounds based on rank, category, and preferences,
Hi, you can apply for admissions in Nirma University, NFSU Ahemdabad, Alliance, IPU University and affiliated instiutes (in case you are reserved category candidates), UPES Dehradun, BITS Law School etc.
Start preparing for CLAT by first understanding the exam pattern and syllabus, which includes English, Current Affairs, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Techniques. Make a simple daily routine and begin with basics read newspapers regularly for current affairs, practice comprehension passages for English and legal sections, and solve basic
Hello,
With a CLAT AIR of 33599 and SC category rank of 2103, and being a Delhi domicile, your chances at IP University (GGSIPU) are moderate to good, especially in later counselling rounds.
Based on previous year trends, some IPU-affiliated law colleges have closed at higher SC category ranks, so
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