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Which is the Oldest National Law University in India?

Pratyasha Chaturvedi
Dec 1, 2025, 16:06 IST

 The article will discuss the oldest National Law University (NLU) of India, and how it transformed the country’s legal education system.

Which is the Oldest National Law University in India?
Which is the Oldest National Law University in India?

Oldest National Law University in India:- If you aspire to become a lawyer, you have most likely heard in various discussions with your acquaintances about the NLUs (National Law University), with administration, enthusiasm and aspiration.

National Law Universities, or NLUs, are frequently referred to as the legal education equivalent of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institute of Management (IIMs). The NLUs are the institutions that have produced business legal consultants, top litigators, government servants, policy experts, Supreme Court lawyers and renowned academicians. However, every good legacy has a beginning. 

In the field of legal education in India, the earliest and the oldest National Law University laid the groundwork for the future of thousands of outstanding legal minds.

So, which is the oldest National Law University in India?

In 1986, the first-ever National Law University to be established was the National Law School of India University, NLSIU, Bengaluru. It took over ten years for the second National Law University to be established, the NALSAR (National Academy of Legal Studies and Research), Hyderabad, in 1998.

National Law School of India University (NLSIU) not only established a new institution, but also a five-year integrated law program that combined legal studies with social sciences, clinical learning, internships, moot courts and real-world experiences.

The Oldest NLU; NLSIU Bengaluru

The National Law School of India University (NLSIU) was founded to guide legal education reforms and to support the growth of the Indian Legal system through research and policy initiatives. As a result, the NLSIU, Bengaluru, was one of the first institutions in the country to provide a five-year integrated legal degree at the undergraduate level, and started the first batch in 1988.

And, for more than 35 years, the National Law School of India University has unquestionably been a national leader in the field of legal education. Given below is the overview of the National Law School of Indian University (NLSIU), Bengaluru:-

Features

Details

Full Name

National Law School of India University

Year of Establishment

1986

Location

Bengaluru

Commencement of First Batch

1988

Founder

Professor Madhava Menon

Model Introduced

First five-year integrated law degree at the undergraduate level

Given below is the list of the National Law Universities which were established following the establishment of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru:-

National Law University

Establishment Year

NALSAR

1998

WBNUJS

1999

NLU Jodhpur

1999

HNLU

2003

GNLU

2003

RMLNLU

2005

RGNUL

2006

CNLU

2006

NUALS

2005

NLUO

2009

What was the vision behind establishing NLSIU?

To completely understand why the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) is the oldest and most powerful National Law University (NLU), one must first examine the idea and the vision that led to its establishment. NLSIU has consistently worked to promote an innovative change in the field of legal education.  To attain this, the National Law School of India University has placed strong emphasis on the following principles:-

What are the Courses Offered by NLSIU Bengaluru?

When the National Law School of India University first started, it had a unique approach to teaching legal education. Students learned about real-world law through practical training, internships, moot courts, public policy discussions, and many initiatives. This multi-layered method transformed the way law was taught and learned. The National Law School of India (NLSIU) Bengaluru offers a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, which are as follows:-

Undergraduate Degree

Postgraduate Degree

Five-year B.A.LLB (Honours)

Three years LLB (Honours)

B.A (Honours)

LL.M

Master’s Program in Public Policy

National Law Universities have transformed the landscape of legal education in India. In fact, India is the only country in the world with universities solely dedicated to legal disciplines. We at present have 23 National Law Universities, 22 of which admit students using the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT), while the National Law University (NLU) Delhi conducts its own test (AILET). 

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