Seat Allotment Process in CLAT Exam

Introduction
The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) is a national-level entrance exam conducted for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate law programs offered by various National Law Universities (NLUs) in India. The seat allotment process in CLAT follows a specific order and priority to ensure a fair and transparent allocation of seats to the qualified candidates.

Order and Priority in Seat Allotment
The seat allotment process in CLAT is carried out in the following order and priority:

1. Merit-cum-Preference
- The first priority is given to merit-cum-preference. Candidates are allotted seats based on their All India Rank (AIR) and the choices/preferences they have filled during the counseling process.
- The higher the rank, the better chances of getting the preferred choice of NLU and course.
- It is important for candidates to carefully fill their choices/preferences as per their priority to increase their chances of getting their desired seat.

2. Category Reservation
- After the merit-cum-preference, the second priority is given to category reservation. NLUs have a specific number of seats reserved for different categories, such as Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).
- Candidates belonging to these reserved categories are given preference for the seats reserved for them.

3. Horizontal Reservation
- Once the category reservation is considered, the third priority is given to horizontal reservation. This includes reservation for Persons with Disabilities (PWD) and NRI/NRI-sponsored candidates.
- A specific number of seats are reserved for PWD candidates, and they are allotted seats accordingly based on their merit and preferences.
- NRI/NRI-sponsored candidates also have a separate quota, and they are allotted seats based on their merit and preferences within that quota.

4. State Domicile Reservation
- Some NLUs provide reservation of seats for candidates belonging to the state in which the NLU is located.
- This state domicile reservation is given priority after the merit-cum-preference, category reservation, and horizontal reservation.
- Candidates who fulfill the eligibility criteria for state domicile reservation are allotted seats accordingly.

Conclusion
The seat allotment process in the CLAT exam follows a specific order and priority. Merit-cum-preference is given the highest priority, followed by category reservation, horizontal reservation, and state domicile reservation. Candidates must carefully fill their choices/preferences during counseling to increase their chances of getting their desired seat. The process ensures a fair and transparent allocation of seats to qualified candidates based on their merit and various reservation criteria.