NLU Students Await Consortium’s Response on CLAT Fee Reduction Representations

Student representatives from various National Law Universities (NLUs) across India have expressed disappointment over the Consortium of National Law Universities’ silence on their repeated requests to reduce the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) application and counselling fees.

Over the past year, NLU students have submitted three detailed representations to the Consortium.

• The first, sent in November 2024, highlighted the financial burden and procedural challenges faced by applicants.
• The second, sent in July 2025, was addressed not only to the Consortium but also to the University Grants Commission (UGC), the Bar Council of India (BCI) and the Union Ministry of Law and Justice. It urged for need-based fee waivers and a more equitable counselling system.
• The third, in September 2025, formally requested a virtual meeting between NLU student representatives and the Consortium’s Executive Body.

Despite these repeated communications, students claim that no acknowledgment or reply has been received so far. In their latest appeal, they urged the Consortium to initiate a consultative process for reviewing and reforming the existing fee structure.

The students emphasised that the high cost of applying for and securing admission through CLAT often acts as a barrier for economically weaker aspirants, contradicting the test’s aim of promoting access to premier legal education.

Interestingly, earlier this month, the Consortium had invited public suggestions to bring reforms for CLAT 2027, yet the students’ long-standing representations remain unaddressed.