About NLSIU
An Institution of Excellence in Legal Education and Research
The National Law School of India University, Bengaluru (“NLSIU”), is the first national law university established in India. NLSIU has consistently been ranked No. 1 by the National Institutional Ranking Framework for the past six years.
The Karnataka Government established NLSIU on August 29, 1987 through a Gazette Notification, under the National Law School of India Act (Karnataka Act 22 of 1986). The Act is a unique legislation, incorporating complete administrative and academic autonomy with flexibility for innovation and experimentation in the pursuit of excellence by the University. NLSIU has also been granted “deemed university” status from the University Grants Commission.
The Chief Justice of India is the Chancellor of NLSIU, and provides a stature and prestige which has few equals in the history of legal education in the country. A large number of retired judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts as well as senior advocates have also assisted NLSIU in its teaching and research programmes making education at NLSIU a rare and exciting experience for those seeking legal education.
Curriculum for all NLSIU programmes, whether residential/ in-person or in the hybrid online format, is based on a rich heritage of legal thought and tradition, and provides a wide spectrum of instruction incomparable elsewhere. While law is studied as a professional discipline with emphasis on analytical and reasoning abilities as well as on practical skills, NLSIU is also aware of its duty towards the propagation of reasoned legal thinking as a socio-cultural phenomenon.
NLSIU’s faculty and student body are drawn from all over India and abroad purely on merit. However, it does reserve seats in its residential courses according to constitutional prescriptions.
At the undergraduate level, NLSIU offers a five-year integrated B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) programme for students who have graduated successfully from the Higher Secondary School / Pre University or equivalent examinations. At the post-graduate level, it offers LL.M., M.Phil. and LL.D. programmes in law and Ph.D. programmes in social science subjects. Additionally, the University in collaboration with the Bar Council of India and other organisations conducts workshops, conferences, and training programmes for practicing advocates and other professionals. NLSIU’s path-breaking hybrid online programmes have also made a mark for themselves, and details of these programmes are available here.