National University of Advanced Legal Studies

The National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS), formerly National Institute for Advanced Legal Studies, is a public law school and a National Law University located in Kochi, India for undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate legal education. It is one of the autonomous law schools in India. Admissions to the university are done on the basis of the Common Law Admission Test.

National University of Advanced Legal Studies
TypeNational Law University
Established2005
ChancellorChief Justice of High Court of Kerala
Vice-ChancellorProf.Dr.K.C.Sunny
Location
Kochi
,
Kerala
,
India
CampusUrban
Websitewww.nuals.ac.in

History

The National University of Advanced Legal Studies was established by the National University of Advanced Legal Studies Act, 2005 which merged the erstwhile National Institute for Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), earlier established and managed by the Bar Council of Kerala and Bar Council of Kerala Trust. Dr. K. G. Balakrishnan, then Chief Justice, Supreme Court of India and Visitor, NUALS, dedicated it to the nation on 7 January 2006.[1] Kochi was found to be the ideal location to set up the first national law school in Kerala since it is the seat of the High Court of Kerala and Lakshadweep.[2]

Initially the university functioned from Kaloor, Kochi. It now functions from its permanent campus in KINFRA Hi-Tech Park, at Kalamassery. The campus is on 10 acres (40,000 m2) of land taken on lease for 90 years from KINFRA and is nearer to Nedumbassery, where the Kochi International Airport is located.

Entrance to the campus

Academics

The Bar Council of India has recommended 38 subjects (including four training courses) for the five-year LLB course. With its Choice Based Credit System completely revamped, from Academic Year 2015-16 onward, students at NUALS will study 60 subjects for their B.A.LL.B. (Hons) Course. The students are required to conduct Legal Aid camps and Legal Aid clinics in selected villages in Kerala.

The syllabus of NUALS was drafted under the leadership of former director of NUALS (then NIALS), Prof Dr. K.N.Chandrasekharan Pillai, the former director of the Indian Law Institute, New Delhi. The syllabus introduces subjects relevant to the study of law but never incorporated hitherto in the syllabi of Indian law schools.

Admission to NUALS is extremely competitive. Students are granted admission on the basis of rank after writing the prestigious Common Law Admission Test. A total of more than 50000 write the test for admission to a mere 80 seats making the exam one of the toughest in India.

Rankings

NUALS was ranked 17 in India by The Week's "Top Law Colleges 2017".

NUALS campus at Kinfra Hi-Tech Park, Kalamassery
  • Extent of campus : 9.97 acres
  • Number of buildings : 7
  • Hostel for boys of 2,135 m2 with 35 rooms (each for up to three students)
  • Hostel for girls of 1,718 m2 with 35 rooms (each for up to three students)
  • School of Professional Education (SCOPE) of 4,718 m2 in five storeys.
  • Staff apartment block of 11,459 m2 (three three-bedroom apartments and six two-bedroom apartments)
  • Amenities Centre of 1,376 m2 (two-storeyed building with a plinth area of 1,376 m2 and an auditorium on the second floor)
  • Administrative Block (Conference Room, Convocation Hall)
  • Library Block (2 storied)

Centres

The University has thirteen centres for study and research. They are:

  • Centre for Law and Environment.
  • Centre for Law and Development.
  • Centre for Law and Agriculture.
  • Inter-Disciplinary Centre for Police Studies.
  • Centre for Parliamentary Studies and Law Reforms.
  • Centre for Continuing Legal Education and Extension.
  • Centre for Consumer Protection Law and Policy.
  • Inter-Disciplinary Centre for Social Justice.
  • Centre for Intellectual Property Rights
  • Centre for Human Rights
  • Centre for Law and Economics
  • Centre for Health and Law
  • Centre for Woman and Family Studies

Notable alumni

References
  1. "NUALS dedicated to nation". 8 January 2006 – via www.thehindu.com.
  2. "NUALS to have a new campus". 18 March 2010 – via www.thehindu.com.

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