NEET PG 2026 Answer Key

Which Law Universities Were Established Before 2010?

Siddhi Sharma
Jan 19, 2026, 12:57 IST

Law Universities: Specialized National Law Universities (NLUs), beginning with NLSIU Bangalore in 1986, replaced colonial-era faculties like GLC Mumbai in India's legal education system. By offering five-year integrated programs and corporate-centric curricula, these pre-2010 institutions including trailblazers like NALSAR and NLU Delhi revolutionized the field.

Law Universities
Law Universities

Law Universities: The intriguing transition from colonial-era "Grand Old Institutions" to the contemporary, specialized National Law Universities (NLUs) that arose in the late 1980s defines legal education in India. Together with a few trailblazing private universities, these two pillars dominated the field prior to the 2010 cutoff.

Under the direction of Professor N.R. Madhava Menon, the first significant change took place in 1986 with the founding of NLSIU Bangalore, which implemented the five-year integrated LL.B. model. NALSAR Hyderabad (1998), NLIU Bhopal (1997), WBNUJS Kolkata (1999), and NLU Jodhpur (1999) were among the "first-generation" NLUs that emerged after this.

These universities abandoned the conventional three-year degree program in favor of an interdisciplinary approach that combined law and social sciences. NLU Delhi was founded in the nation's capital in 2008 and is still unusual in that it administers its own entrance exam (AILET) instead of taking part in CLAT.

Additionally, established institutions such as the University of Delhi's Faculty of Law (1924) and Mumbai's Government Law College (1855) remained the cornerstone of litigation-focused education, producing numerous Chief Justices of India. During this time, private legal education also developed, with Jindal Global Law School (2009) and Symbiosis Law School, Pune (1977) establishing high standards for corporate law placements and foreign research.

List Of Top Law Universities That Were Established Before 2010

Between 1987 and 2010, India's legal education system changed from traditional academic departments to specialized, independent National Law Universities (NLUs). Selecting a school founded prior to 2010 frequently guarantees a more sophisticated academic program and a larger alumni network. The most prominent law schools and universities established prior to the 2010 cutoff are included in the table below, arranged according to the type of institution.

University / College

Category

Estd. Year

Location

Government Law College (GLC)

State/Historic

1855

Mumbai, MH

Faculty of Law, AMU

Central/Historic

1891

Aligarh, UP

Faculty of Law, University of Delhi

Central/Historic

1924

New Delhi

ILS Law College

Private-Aided

1924

Pune, MH

Symbiosis Law School (SLS)

Private

1977

Pune, MH

NLSIU Bangalore

National Law University

1986

Bengaluru, KA

NLIU Bhopal

National Law University

1997

Bhopal, MP

NALSAR University of Law

National Law University

1998

Hyderabad, TS

WBNUJS Kolkata

National Law University

1999

Kolkata, WB

NLU Jodhpur

National Law University

1999

Jodhpur, RJ

GNLU Gandhinagar

National Law University

2003

Gandhinagar, GJ

HNLU Raipur

National Law University

2003

Raipur, CT

RGNUL Patiala

National Law University

2006

Patiala, PB

Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya NLU

National Law University

2005

Lucknow, UP

NLU Delhi

National Law University

2008

New Delhi

Jindal Global Law School (JGLS)

Private

2009

Sonipat, HR

Strategic Evolution of Law Universities

Three different periods of Indian legal education are represented by the timeline of these establishments:

  • The Colonial and Post-Independence Era (before to the 1980s) was represented by GLC Mumbai and Delhi University, which concentrated on a three-year LL.B. program with the primary goal of creating judges and litigators for the Indian legal system.

  • The NLU Revolution (1987–2000s): The five-year Integrated LL.B. (B.A. LL.B.) was first offered at NLSIU Bangalore. A "corporate-ready" legal personnel was intended to be provided by these establishments.

  • Modern Global Private Era (Late 2000s): To prepare students for international legal markets, organizations like Jindal Global Law School (2009) started incorporating faculty and foreign partnerships.

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