The National Law School of India University (NLSIU) is India's premier institution for under-graduate and graduate legal education. Based in Nagarbhavi, a quiet suburb in the western extremities of the city of Bangalore, the NLSIU was established in 1987 after a statutewas enacted for the purpose by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Karnataka, and has officially been in existence since August 29, 1987.

Set up as a "pace-setter and a testing ground for bold experiments in legal education", the NLSIU admits 80 students for its immensely popular 5-year B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) programme every year. Students are chosen on the basis of an immensely competitive all-India entrance exam, held in the month of May. Foreign nationals are encouraged, with five seats being reserved for foreign nationals (preferably from SAARC countries).

The NLSIU started its journey in 1987 under the stewardship of its Founder-Director, Dr. N.R. Madhava Menon and has since had three other directors, including the present director, Dr. A. Jayagovind. The first batch of students joined on July 1, 1988 in the integrated five year B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) course. The first courses commenced even before the college buildings had been built, and thus the NLSIU started functioning off the premises of the Central College, Bangalore University and remained there until 1992, when it eventually moved to its present premises in Nagarbhavi.

In addition to the under-graduate course, it also offers graduate courses in Business Laws and Human Rights, along with Distance Learning programs. Plans are underway to increase the number of courses on offer.

Students from the National Law School have managed to secure a Rhodes Scholarship (two scholarships in the years 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2004) for study in Oxford every single year since 1996, out of the six scholarships allotted annually to India, which is a feat unmatched by any other college in India.

Graduates from the National Law School are readily absorbed by inter alia law firms, companies, non-governmental organisations etc.

It has been rated the number one law college in India by India Today from 1998, when the magazine started publishing its annual list, through the year 2004, and seems likely to retain the position for many years to come.

External links:

• Official site