The NATIONAL LAW SCHOOL OF INDIA UNIVERSITY came into existence through a Notification under the NATIONAL LAW SCHOOL OF INDIA UNIVERSITY Act (Karnataka Act 22 of 1986). It signified the culmination of efforts by the Judiciary, the Bar Council of India, the Karnataka Bar Council, the Bangalore University and the Government of Karnataka to reform legal education and to establish a centre of excellence for legal education and research in India. Located in Bangalore, the National Law School of India University (or the Law School, as it is generally known) was established by a statute passed by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Karnataka.

Admissions to NLSIU are extremely competitive. Initially, they were done on the basis of an entrance exam conducted by the University itself. After a Supreme Court of India ruling directing that multifarious law entrance examinations must be conducted together, the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) was introduced in 2008, which serves as the qualifying examination for the university. Recognising NLU’s value in the legal education landscape of India, the opportunity to conduct the first CLAT was given to NLSIU.

Situated about 10 Kms from Bangalore City railway station the National Law School now has a campus spread over 23 acres in idyllic setting. It is approachable easier from the Nagarbhavi end of the Bangalore University’s Jnana Bharathi campus. The Law School is a fully residential university with independent residential facilities for men and women students, the Faculty and non teaching staff. With all its 500 odd students from all over India, the Faculty and non teaching staff residing on the same campus it is like a miniature India. With such interaction comes the greater need to adjust and share opinions, an outlook necessary for budding lawyers. Residing on campus would thus enable the students to widen their horizon and acquire important inter-personal skills.