New Delhi: The 2026 CLAT-UG final answer key has been restored by the Allahabad High Court after it set aside an earlier single judge order that had directed the Consortium of NLUs to revise the merit list for future counselling rounds. The decision is important for thousands of CLAT aspirants waiting for admission updates and counselling clarity across National Law Universities (NLUs).
2026 CLAT-UG Final Answer Key: What Did the Allahabad High Court Decide?
A Division Bench of Justice Saumitra Dayal Singh and Justice Swarupama Chaturvedi allowed the appeal filed by the Consortium of National Law Universities and restored the final answer key issued on December 16, 2025.
The court ruled that:
- The final answer key was prepared after a detailed expert review process.
- Courts should not act as appellate authorities over academic experts.
- Judicial interference in answer keys should happen only when there is a “clear and demonstrable error.”
Background of the 2026 CLAT-UG Final Answer Key Case
The dispute started after a CLAT-UG 2026 candidate challenged answers for Questions 6, 9, and 13 of Set-C.
Earlier, on February 3, 2026, a single judge bench had partly allowed the petition and directed the Consortium to:
- Treat both options “B” and “D” as correct for Question No. 9.
- Publish a revised merit list for future counselling rounds.
The single judge had observed that the Subject Expert Committee accepted two possible answers, but the Oversight Committee later overruled that recommendation without giving proper reasons.
Why Did the Division Bench Reverse the Earlier Order?
The Division Bench said the final answer key was prepared through a “structured and layered scrutiny mechanism” involving:
- Subject experts
- Oversight Committee
- Multi-level review process
The court emphasized that expert academic decisions carry a strong presumption of correctness.
The judges also stated that:
Courts cannot replace expert opinion unless the answer is clearly wrong.
The bench found no “manifest error” in the final answer key prepared by the Consortium.
2026 CLAT-UG Final Answer Key: Important Observation on Question No. 9
Question No. 9 became the central issue in the case.
According to the Division Bench:
- Option “D” was consistent with established deductive reasoning principles.
- The Consortium’s final answer could not be considered arbitrary or unreasonable.
As a result, the court restored the original answer key and cancelled directions for revising the merit list.
Impact on CLAT 2026 Counselling
The ruling brings major relief to the Consortium and thousands of CLAT candidates because:
- Existing counselling processes remain valid.
- No revised merit list will be issued.
- Admissions based on the current final answer key will continue.
This decision also reinforces judicial restraint in academic evaluation matters.
Read also: Who Is ‘Hon’ble’ in India? Allahabad High Court Explains Who Qualifies and Why It Matters in Law
