National in name, provincial in structure: Why India’s NLUs must become INIs

The nearly four-decade history of the National Law Universities (NLUs) in India is often framed as a revolution in legal pedagogy. Established to reform and modernize legal education, these institutions have indeed set high academic standards and produced some of the country's top legal minds. However, despite their national designation, NLUs largely operate with a provincial mindset, each governed by state laws and primarily catering to regional aspirations rather than a unified national vision. This provincial structure has resulted in disparities in resources, faculty quality, and curriculum across different NLUs, creating an uneven educational landscape. Critics argue that this model limits collaboration, standardization, and the overall development of the legal education sector in India. The need for a more cohesive framework is evident, one that aligns with national interests and promotes uniform excellence across all institutions. Transforming NLUs into Institutions of National Importance (INIs) could be a pivotal step forward. Such a transition would facilitate centralized funding, standardized curricula, and enhanced research opportunities, fostering a more integrated approach to legal education. By adopting an INI status, NLUs could better reflect their national mandate, contributing more effectively to India's legal landscape and ensuring that students from all regions have equal access to quality legal education.

— Authored by Next24 Live