CLAT INFORMATION BROCHURE

FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 2025-26

NATIONAL LAW SCHOOL OF INDIA UNIVERSITY (NLSIU), BENGALURU

About the University

The National Law School of India University was established in 1986 to pioneer legal
education reform and anchor the transformation of the Indian legal system through
research and policy interventions. NLSIU is dedicated to the creation of conditions
necessary for the realisation of core constitutional values committed to freedom,
equality and social justice.

The University rests on a unique collaboration between legal academics, the Bar, the
Bench and the State Government of Karnataka. This strong coalition has helped the
University remain the undoubted leader in the field of legal education in India for the
last three decades.

NLSIU has secured a No. 1 ranking on every significant ranking study published. This
includes the NIRF rankings of the Education Ministry which has ranked NLSIU as the
top law school in the country for seven consecutive years now. These rankings also
reflect the University’s overall push for excellence across several parameters which
cover varied aspects of its functioning.

Read more about our recent 2024 rankings here.

NLSIU Campus

NLSIU began modestly at the Central College Campus of Bangalore University and in
1991, shifted to Nagarbhavi. The sprawling 23-acre campus comprises academic
blocks with upgraded classrooms, a state-of-the-art library, a health centre,
canteens, clean & well maintained residence halls for men and women, and
faculty/staff quarters. Sports facilities include a well-equipped gymnasium, and

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facilities for football, basketball, and tennis, among other spaces for academic and
community-based activities.

Campus Infrastructure - In 2022, the University began implementing a

comprehensive Revised Master Plan - a bold yet responsible plan for the future
development of the NLSIU campus. As part of this plan, the University has been
redeveloping common and public spaces on campus to ensure all students have
access to safe communal spaces that enhance well-being. Several infrastructural
upgrades have been made over the past year as part of the first phase of the campus
redevelopment - the library precinct which includes a renovated state-of-the-art
library and an amphitheatre, residence halls, and the New Academic Block.

The Library Precinct - Since 2005, the Shri Narayan Rao Melgiri Memorial National
Law Library has been a central node of the NLS campus. Spread over a 30,000 sq.ft.
built-up area, the library houses a collection of over 70,000 books and journals.

In AY 2022-23, we completely redeveloped the library to respond to our community’s

needs for a space that could be used for teaching and self-study, as well as larger
academic engagements. The library, which previously had a seating capacity of 250,
can now seat 600 persons across its three floors and the terrace.

Our new library is reimagined to be the hub of intellectual life on campus, with
emphasis on collaboration and collective learning. It accommodates the growing
student, research and faculty community and is organised into zones adapted to
various uses. Modernisation of the library has resulted in improved accessibility,
increased use of technology/devices, and revamped display and storage facilities.
This massive project was possible because of the support of the Infosys Foundation
and the Government of Karnataka.

The library precinct was further redeveloped with an open-air amphitheatre,

courtyards, an entry garden, connecting pathways, and a new cafeteria. The
amphitheatre sits to the right side of the library and is a multipurpose event space
that can accommodate nearly 500 people.

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Academic and Campus Life:

Restructuring of Academic Programmes

● BA LLB (Hons) Programme - In Academic Year 2025-26, the student intake

for the BA LLB (Hons) programme will be 310 seats. The programme includes
an advanced legal writing programme with a dissertation component, offered
as an elective option, for final year BA LLB (Hons) students. The University is
restructuring the curriculum of the programme to further strengthen
interdisciplinarity with a choice of Major and Minor concentrations.

● LLM Programme - In Academic Year 2025-26, the student intake for the LLM
Programme will be 120 seats. This programme has been restructured to
strengthen legal writing and research methodology, and immerse students in
the foundations of legal theory. The University has recently restructured the
LLM curriculum to provide students with the choice of pursuing
concentrations in select domains of the law.

● Elective Courses - NLSIU offers Elective Courses which allow students to

undergo an immersive deep dive into their chosen subject. These courses
involve 40 hours of teaching in each trimester and are taught by senior law
practitioners, advocates, judges, and prominent members of academia.

The University offers more than 100 elective courses every year. More than
50% of these elective courses are taught by external/ visiting faculty, that
include several eminent professionals and academics from within and outside
India. Our elective courses cover the widest range of enquiry in law, public
policy and the social sciences - we offer one of the highest number of elective
course options of any Indian law university.

● Clinical and Experiential Learning - Clinical electives play a significant role in

exposing students to the practice of law and policy. These courses are
traditionally taught by practitioners who lend real life experience inside and
outside the classroom, including exposure to live cases or clients, thereby
bridging the gap between academics and practice.

The University has reinvented its experiential learning curriculum to include

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 several new Clinical Courses (e.g. Defending Capital Punishment Cases,
Criminal Procedure - Investigations, Data and Criminal Justice). All senior
students are expected to take up at least one clinical course during the
programme, and we aim to increase the intensity of Clinical Education in the
years ahead. Additionally, the University offers Externships in collaboration
with leading professional organisations including India’s top law firms,
advocates, and the non-profit sector. Students have the option of signing up
for externships in lieu of elective courses.

Expert Faculty Pool

The University has a team of highly experienced faculty members which include
Rhodes, Commonwealth, and Chevening scholars. Many of our faculty are from
some of the best schools including Oxford University, Stanford University,
University of Cambridge, Harvard Law School, Columbia University, Yale Law
School, New York University, SOAS, University of South Carolina, Jawaharlal Nehru
University, NALSAR Hyderabad, NLU Delhi, XLRI Jamshedpur, NUS, University of
Pennsylvania, Max Planck Institutes, among others.

To accommodate our expanded student intake, and further strengthen our teaching
and research initiatives in law, public policy, and the social sciences, the University
recruited 11 faculty members in 2022, 22 faculty members in 2023, and 24 faculty
members in 2024. We also have had more than 100 external faculty and
practitioners delivering elective courses over the last two Academic Years. This has
not only strengthened our exceptionally talented faculty pool, but has also resulted
in providing an unparalleled learning environment for legal education in the
country.

To know more about the NLS faculty, visit our People Directory on the NLS website.

Digital Infrastructure Upgrades

The University is undergoing a thorough digital transformation which permeates

several aspects of its functioning. The University offers high quality wireless
connectivity throughout the campus which has been upgraded recently. The
University has also introduced an ERP system, digitisation and automation of
academic and hostel administration, and a learning platform to improve accessibility
and pedagogy across the University.

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Digitization of books - The digitization of library books has also been underway
since the last few years, and students with disabilities will have access to digitised
copies of the library’s collection. We have upgraded the library platform, and have
intensified the digitisation of books with over 30,000 books digitised so far.

Learning Management System - The University has built and deployed an online
learning management system that ensures a structured syllabi for every course and
the easy availability of reading materials. This learning platform is integrated with
video conferencing and the administrative platform to make online learning a
seamless experience.

Research

NLSIU has actively developed and organised its research infrastructure to

consolidate and augment research output in terms of publications, projects, and
contribution to policy frameworks. The University has identified five focus areas for
its research and policy development initiatives: Labour and Work; Climate Justice;
State Capacity and Reform; Access to Justice & Legal System Reform; and Law,
Technology and Society.

Continuing our research efforts, NLSIU has entered into a number of collaborations
both at the local and international level to produce innovative and relevant
outcomes through research. Research activities during AY 2023-24 expanded with
at least 20 active projects across law and social sciences. Our newer partnerships
include those with:

● IIT-Bombay and Dept. of Consumer Affairs in developing tools for grievance

redressal in relation to consumer cases;
● The JSW Group which will support a new research centre on campus to anchor
academic and policy research and curricular interventions that explore the
effects of new technologies on the future of the legal system, the legal
profession and legal education.
● The Government of Karnataka in delivering social justice and gender training;
● The Government of India in delivering legal awareness programmes.
● Universities across the world on strengthening rights protection and
constitutional transformation; among others.

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These projects exemplify our commitment to deepening research on systems reform
and good governance and our emphasis on interdisciplinary research that enrich
both academic learning and policy engagements. The University has also revived and
refreshed leadership and staffing for Research Centres and Research Chairs, and has
recruited a dedicated team of researchers including Academic Fellows who will
further intensify and expand our research productivity.

Journals: NLSIU publishes several academic journals that contribute to a wide range
of legal and interdisciplinary scholarship. These journals carry articles by leading
scholars and practitioners, and have been cited by the Supreme Court on several
occasions.

For more details of research initiatives at NLSIU, please visit the Research page on
the NLS website.

Extra-curricular Activities

Apart from the rigorous academic programmes, the University offers an

environment that encourages students to organise and engage in several
co-curricular and extra-curricular activities on campus.

Mooting remains a core activity at NLS. In 1999, the University became the first
Indian team to win the prestigious Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court
Competition and has gone on to secure more such wins. Teams from NLSIU have
won several moot court competitions at the national and international level
including the Manfred Lachs Space Law International Moot and the Oxford Price
Moot.

University Colleges

With the aim to revitalise the NLS student experience and University life, the
University has recently established four Colleges: Andromeda, Aquila, Orion and
Phoenix. The four colleges at NLSIU are permanent, cross-sectional societies that
provide the cohesiveness and camaraderie of a small college in a larger university
environment. Residential as well as non-residential students will be allotted to a
College on a random basis aligned to the principle of diversity. The College shall form
the stable social unit at the University for events, dinners and other activities that
bring together students from various programmes and batches to foster the spirit of

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belonging.

For more student-related information and activities, visit our Students page on the
NLS website.

Student Welfare

The University has worked with the Student Bar Association (SBA) to carefully review
the mental health and emotional well-being needs of the student community. We
care about every member of our University community and seek to support holistic
development of our students during their time at NLSIU. The following services are
available to the student community:

1. Counselling Services
2. Clinical Therapy and App-based Services
3. Psychiatric Referrals
4. Consultation Hours with the Student Welfare Officers

For more information, visit our Mental Health page on the NLS website.

ACADEMIC PROGRAMMES:

I. FIVE-YEAR INTEGRATED B.A., LL.B. (HONS.) PROGRAMME:

The five-year integrated Undergraduate B.A., LL.B (Hons) degree programme at

NLSIU offers students training in a range of legal and non-legal subjects. The
University pioneered this five-year programme in India with an intention to provide
a strong foundation upon which students could choose to pursue professional
options or further academic opportunities.

Programme Structure

The programme is taught across three trimesters each academic year. In each
trimester, a student completes at least 4 courses and over 5 years, completes an
intense programme of at least 60 courses before they graduate. Once students
complete their foundation courses of the programme, they are permitted to choose
from a range of taught, research based, and clinical elective courses from the fourth
year onwards.

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The programme is highly inter-disciplinary where students are equipped to develop
an understanding of law along with knowledge of humanities and social sciences.
From the Academic Year 2025-26 onwards, students will receive a set of
foundational courses in various social science disciplines, and will then choose a
major in one discipline amongst economics, history, political science, or sociology.
The pedagogy is Socratic where students engage actively in debates along with
learning materials in the classroom.

All students write a mandatory paper in almost every course in the programme and
present these materials to ensure that they develop research, writing and oral
presentation skills. Students also have to complete mandatory internships during the
programme.

Eligibility

1. A Pass in 10+2 or an equivalent examination with a minimum of:

(i) Forty five per cent (45%) of marks or its equivalent grade in case of
candidates belonging to General/OBC/PWD/ EWS categories; and
(ii) Forty per cent (40%) of marks or equivalent in case of candidates
belonging to SC/ST categories.

2. Candidates who may be appearing for their qualifying examination in March/

April 2025 are also eligible to appear for the CLAT 2025 examination. Their
admission shall remain provisional until the submission of the certificate and
the marksheet, indicating that the candidate has met the stipulated eligibility
criteria, on or before September 30, 2025.

3. There is no upper age limit for the UG Programme.

4. NLSIU reintroduced Admissions for International Students from the Academic

Year 2024-25 by way of supernumerary seats in the UG Programme. Foreign
Nationals who have completed at least 10 years of education outside India shall
be eligible for such supernumerary seats. A separate examination called the
‘NLSAT-International’ is conducted for these supernumerary seats. The
NLSAT-International is conducted for all on-campus degree programmes at
NLSIU.

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 The University reserves the right to cancel the admission of any candidate for
the breach of these Rules.

For more details, visit the BA LLB (Hons) programme page on the NLS website.

Intake and Reservation

The total intake capacity shall be 310 (Three Hundred and Ten) seats for AY
2025-26 with the following breakup:

Percentage Number of seats

Category of seats

Scheduled Caste 15.0% 45

Scheduled Tribe 7.5% 23

Other Backward Classes NCL 27% 81

Economically Weaker Section 10% 30

General N/A 121

Total 300

Seats for Karnataka Students in N/A 10

addition to Clause (c) below

Revised Total 310

a) Fifteen (15) seats comprising 5% of the total intake shall be reserved horizontally
for Persons with Disabilities (PWD).
b) Ninety (90) seats comprising 30% of the total intake shall be reserved
horizontally for Women.
c) Seventy-five (75) seats comprising 25% of the total intake shall be reserved
horizontally (compartmentalised) for Karnataka Students*.
d) The ten (10) seats for Karnataka Students shall be allotted as per the entrance
examination merit list.
e) All required certificates and supporting documents shall have to be submitted to
the University at the time of counselling.

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* Karnataka Students Category:

(i) Candidates who have studied for not less than 10 years in a recognized
educational institution in Karnataka shall be eligible to be considered as
‘Karnataka Students.’ Study certificates issued by duly recognised and affiliated
educational institutions, which attest that the candidate has completed at least 10
years of schooling in Karnataka, shall have to be produced at the time of
counselling.

(ii) Candidates who have not completed ten years of study in Karnataka shall be
eligible to apply under the Karnataka Students category if they fall under any of the
below categories:

1. Children of defence personnel/ ex-servicemen, who at the time of joining

service, have declared their hometown to be in the State of Karnataka, and
who have served or are serving outside Karnataka, corresponding to the
candidate’s years of study outside Karnataka.
2. Children of employees of the Karnataka State Government who have served or
are serving outside Karnataka corresponding to the candidate’s years of study
outside Karnataka.
3. Children of serving or retired employees belonging to the Karnataka cadre of
the All India Services (IAS/IFS/IPS), who have served or are serving outside
Karnataka corresponding to the candidate’s years of study outside Karnataka.
4. Children of working or retired employees in the Central Armed Police Force
service, who upon joining service declared their hometown to be in the State
of Karnataka, and who have served or are serving outside Karnataka,
corresponding to the candidate’s years of study outside Karnataka.

Illustration: If the candidate has studied in Karnataka for three (3) years, they
must prove that their parent/s were serving outside Karnataka for at least
seven (7) years corresponding to their own period of study outside Karnataka.

If the candidate has not studied in Karnataka continuously for at least one (1)
year, they must prove that their parent/s were serving outside Karnataka for
at least ten (10) years corresponding to their own period of study outside
Karnataka.

(iii) Eligible candidates must keep their Study Certificates issued by their

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 School/s and other relevant documents ready to be submitted at the time of
counselling.

Fee Structure - B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) Programme | AY 2025-26

Total fee (including refundable deposits):

a) General Category: Rs. 4,55,000

b) SC/ST Category: Rs. 4,50,000

(Fees are subject to necessary approvals and further revision)

NOTE:
(i) Please note the fees/ charges applicable to both B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) and LL.M.
Programmes may be revised by the University, and duly notified.
(ii) The University may not be able to provide accommodation to all admitted
candidates. Further information about available facilities will be provided to
selected candidates during the admission process.

Financial Assistance

The University follows the principle that no student once admitted should have to
discontinue his/her studies on grounds of financial hardship. NLSIU aims to address
financial concerns of students by way of a comprehensive scholarship programme as
well as the easy availability of long-term and short-term loans for financial
assistance.

Scholarships: Every year, scholarships are given to the students out of the
endowments and from University General funds. The University also supports
students in availing a number of external scholarship options. These include private
scholarships as well as those offered under the National Scholarship Portal and the
State Government Scholarship Portal. The NLSIU alumni community has also
extended support to both bursaries and endowments with generous contributions
from different batches.

For more details, visit the University’s Financial Aid page on the NLS website.

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II. ONE-YEAR LL.M. (MASTER OF LAWS) PROGRAMME

NLSIU offers a one-year LL.M. degree programme. Similar to the B.A., LL.B. (Hons)
programme, the LL.M. programme is organised around three trimesters every
academic year.

Programme Structure

The University has recently re-designed the structure of the LL.M. programme to
provide students greater flexibility in choosing courses. With the help of a
cutting-edge curriculum and innovative pedagogical approaches, the programme is
meticulously designed to equip students with skills and knowledge needed to
navigate the intricate landscape of law.

The LL.M. programme provides a unique blend of core and elective courses, allowing
students to deepen their expertise in their preferred areas of interest and thrive in
diverse fields such as academia, research, legal practice, policy making and judicial
services. Besides the core courses, students are required to choose from a wide array
of electives offered at the University. Students will also have to write a mandatory
dissertation in the third trimester.

In Academic Year 2024-25, NLSIU introduced four concentrations, in addition to the

general stream. This distinctive concentration model enables LL.M. students to delve
deeper into specific domains of law, enhancing their knowledge and expertise in
those specific domains. The four concentrations that were offered for AY 2024-25
are:

● Public Law
● Criminal Law
● Commercial Laws
● Law and Technology

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The maximum intake in a concentration shall be 30 and the minimum number of
students required for offering any concentration shall be 15 students.

To fulfil the requirements of a concentration, students must complete: 3 LL.M. Core

Compulsory courses; 1 Concentration Core course; 3 Concentration Electives; 4
General Electives; and Dissertation (in the area of Concentration).

Eligibility

1. An LL.B. Degree or an equivalent examination with a minimum of:

(i) fifty per cent (50%) of marks or its equivalent grade in case of candidates
belonging to General/OBC/PWD/ EWS categories;
(ii) forty five per cent (45%) of marks or its equivalent grade in case of
candidates belonging to SC/ST categories.

2. Candidates who may be appearing for their qualifying examination in March/

April 2025 are also eligible to appear for the CLAT 2025 examination. Their
admission shall remain provisional until the submission of the certificate and
the marksheet, indicating that the candidate has met the stipulated eligibility
criteria, on or before September 30, 2025.

3. There is no upper age limit for the PG programme in CLAT.

4. NLSIU reintroduced Admissions for International Students from the Academic

Year 2024-25 by way of supernumerary seats in the PG Programme. Foreign
Nationals who have completed at least 10 years of education outside India shall
be eligible for such supernumerary seats. A separate examination called the
NLSAT-International is conducted for these supernumerary seats. The
NLSAT-International is conducted for all on-campus degree programmes at
NLSIU.

The University reserves the right to cancel the admission of any candidate for the
breach of these Rules.

For more information, visit the LLM programme page on the NLS website.

Intake and Reservation

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 The total intake capacity shall be 120 (One Hundred and Twenty) seats for AY
2025-26 with the following breakup:

Percentage of Number of
Category seats seats

Scheduled Caste 15 % 18

Scheduled Tribe 7.5% 9

Other Backward 27% 33

Classes NCL

Economically Weaker 10% 12

Section

General Category N/A 48

TOTAL 120

a) Six (6) Seats comprising 5% of the total intake shall be reserved horizontally
for Persons with Disabilities (PWD).
b) Thirty-Six (36) Seats comprising 30% of the total intake shall be reserved
horizontally for Women.
c) Thirty (30) Seats comprising 25% of the total intake shall be reserved
horizontally (compartmentalised) for Karnataka Students.

Fee Structure - LL.M. Programme | AY 2025-26

Total fee (including refundable deposits):

a) General Category: Rs. 4,55,000

b) SC/ST Category: Rs. 4,50,000

(Fees are subject to necessary approvals and further revision)

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NOTE:
(i) Details pertaining to the definition of the ‘Karnataka Students Category’
mentioned under the BA LLB (Hons) programme is applicable to the LLM
programme as well.
(ii) Details pertaining to the Financial Assistance mentioned under the BA LLB
(Hons) programme is applicable to LLM students as well.
(iii) Please note the fees/ charges applicable to both B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) and LL.M.
Programmes may be revised by the University, and duly notified.
(iv) The University may not be able to provide accommodation to all admitted
candidates. Further information about available facilities will be provided to
selected candidates during the admission process.

Contact Us:

For further details, please visit our website www.nls.ac.in or contact:

The Registrar,
National Law School of India University,
Nagarbhavi Bangalore – 560 072
Karnataka, India

Tel: 91-80-23010000/ 23213160

Email: registrar@nls.ac.in

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