Students from NLUs have launched an online petition against the high CLAT application and counselling fees. They said, “Fees are too high and go against the NEP’s goal of inclusivity,” demanding immediate reforms from the Consortium.
Students from top law universities in India have started an online petition asking the CLAT Consortium to change its fee structure. They say the current fees are too high and go against the NEP’s goal of inclusivity.
This petition has gathered support from various groups, including the Savitribai Intersectional Study Circle at NALSAR, Hyderabad; the NALSAR Student Bar Council; the NLS Savitri Phule Ambedkar Caravan (SPAC); the NLS Student Bar Association; the DNLU Jabalpur Student Council; the DSNLU Student Bar Association; and the NLIU Bhopal Savitri Phule Ambedkar Caravan (SPAC).
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The students are urging the Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) to reconsider the application fee of Rs.4,000 (Rs.3,500 for SC/ST applicants) and the counselling and confirmation fee of Rs.50,000 (Rs.40,000 for reserved categories).
They claim that this fee structure serves as a financial and structural barrier to students from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
With insufficient financial aid options to cover the upfront counselling fees, and the fact that banks typically release educational loans only after admissions, students who secure seats during the CLAT counselling rounds face challenges in maintaining their admissions.
As a solution, the petition requests a reduction in the counselling and confirmation fee, along with making it refundable for candidates who withdraw from the admission process.
Since 2023, the CLAT counselling fee structure has required a confirmation fee of Rs.20,000 in addition to a Rs.30,000 counselling fee. The petitioners have proposed that these fees be consolidated into a single payment to ease the burden.
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Moreover, three CLAT 2025 candidates have filed a petition challenging the fee structure in the Kerala High Court, with assistance from the Legal Collective for Students’ Rights (LCSR).
Another candidate has also petitioned the Delhi High Court regarding the same issue. Both cases are scheduled for further hearings, with the Kerala High Court set to address the matter on July 31 and the Delhi High Court listing its case for September 9.
: CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) is India’s most popular law entrance exam, with over 60,000 students appearing every year. Although there are more than 1,800 law colleges in the country, most aspirants dream of securing a seat in the top 26 National Law Universities (NLUs). These NLUs are regarded as the best institutes for legal education in India.