Hello LI Readers,
I'll delve right into my question that, 'How big of a gap there is between NLIU and HNLU?'
You might think that this is another contest of superiority by some NLIU peep but it's not. I'm an aspirant having CG domicile resulting in a much easier passage into one of the allegedly top NLU.
The reason I'm asking you this is, the closing rank of CG-General in HNLU is 2000++ whereas the closing rank in NLIU is just 500. So I want to know the incentive I'll be getting by working my ass off to make that 2000 something into 500?
PS: I just wish to receive honest insight from the fellow LI audience, please don't take anything from the thread if you can't give back to it ❤️

Honest feedback: Currently, the HNLU VC is better. He has been trying to attract good faculty, not sure to what extent he might have succeeded so far. Difficult to get good people to HNLU because of the location.
NLIU has got a much bigger alumni advantage. As in, many more of their alum are currently in the industry, with partner positions in firms etc. Because of them, the placement scene will be better, so will the internship options.
Infra-wise, I visited both campuses and there is not a lot of difference. They are also collaborating on several programmes and events these days.
Crowd-wise: There is not a lot of quality gap between CLAT 500 and 2000 TBH, mostly the former has had a good day during the exam. NLIU students in general are somewhat more deferential to authority from what I have seen, although that might be generalisation.
Finally, if you get into the habit of working hard from now and get the best possible CLAT rank, that will be a good start for you to keep working hard while in either of these law schools and eventually, that will bring you to success.

If i were to answer in short, the gap is still very wide.

Let's look at some parameters:
- Placements: NLIU wins easily very good placements.
- Infrastructure: Both are at the same level.
- Alumni Network: NLIU wins by a very long margin.
- Admin: People Hype VCV but he hasn't done much substantial at HNLU, NLIU admin is even worse, HNLU wins here.
- Perception in legal community: NLIU wins.

Honestly, NLIU is still above HNLU and it is definitely worth it to prepare and try to bridge that 2000 to 500 gap, even after the fake degree scam, a CBI investigation and the recent socio prof sexual harrasment fiasco, NLIU still sits at top in placements and overall faculty quality, what most people actually care about are placements and NLIU offers that so if your motive is to become a corporate lawyer, NLIU's name will make your life and placement opportunities a little more easier.

Study harder and get in GNLU and NLUJ instead. NLIU's PPO count this year was not so great and even their placements reports aren't that good like they used to. The gap between HNLU and NLIU is still humungous, NLIU still has a prestige associated with it and it is according to me the last ranked T1 NLU at the moment but the thing is the gap between colleges like GNLU, NLUJ and NLIU are widening and this is very much noticable with their recent moot records, PPO records and over all in all aspect they have shrunk quite a bit. So if I was you i would work my ass off to get atleast in NLUJ or GNLU and be in a stable space for the next 5 years. HNLU though is mid 2nd tier law school and still have huge gap to fill to be called asT1. Remember T1 NLU are those NLUs which places atleast 70% of the students who sit for placements and HNLU doesn't. Colleges like NLS, NALSAR, NUJS and NLUD place almost 100% and GNLU and NLUJ places 90% of their batch who sits for placements and then there is NLIU and everybody else. So keep this is mine and study accordingly. Also, you are preparing for an entrance you can't have this mindset of slacking, be more competitive or else law school will eat you whole and spit you out. Study as hard as possible and try to get in top 3 NLUs.

As far as industry perception and alumni networks go, NLIU wins. Even in terms of raw placement numbers, NLIU wins. So when comparing the institutions, NLIU is better and as everyone will advise you, that's what you should aim for. You have plenty of time and it's really not that hard.

But what I will say is that HNLU has improved significantly in the last few years. And it is at least now at a level where any deficiencies in the institution are surmountable with individual hard work. Sure, NLIU may have better raw placement figures, but for a consistent and diligent worker (just consistent, not extraordinarily brilliant or anything) the chances of getting a top job or a top LLM offer are just as good as at NLIU.

As someone who has been to both the universities (and stayed for a few days), NLIU is wayyy better than HNLU. What I have seen is that the HNLU lads often glorify their administration A LOT! I have been told by an insider that this is because HNLU lost a lot of goodwill during the initial years of protests and misunderstandings with admin, because of which the students lost a lot of opportunities. Hence now they are praising the admin and the college overall on all platforms. But TBH HNLU cannot EVER be compared to NLIU (even after taking into account the diminishing relevance of NLIU on all parameters). Remember, HNLU cannot be equated with GNLU, which is perceived to have overtaken NLIU in several parameters. HNLU can be compared with RGNLU, RML or NUALS, but NEVER NLIU. Bear that in mind. In my humble opinion, even RGNLU/RML is better than HNLU. Moreover, RGNLU under Bajpai might soon be perceived as better than HNLU.

OP here once again.
I had another concern that I've planned to sit in the next CLAT examination (Dec '22)
if I get HNLU and stay put if I get NLIU. Being a fresher, do I have the luxury to waste one year just for the sake of a better chance of getting placed?
PS: I'm aware that all I should be doing is working hard but it doesn't hurt to be well-versed with what I want to do, or does it?

A0 again. In the larger scheme of things, one year before you've even begun your career makes NO difference. But, like I said, sure, NLIU is better than HNLU, GNLU is better than both, but if you are self-motivated and strategic, you can achieve everything you can at these places from HNLU also. (if you're the kind of person who needs a stimulating environment and an external push, then you can maybe considering shifting to GNLU or NLU-J, because the culture at HNLU is very laid back, but don't drop a year and shift to NLIU).

But if in your second attempt you manage to get into NLU-Delhi, NLS, NALSAR, even NUJS (despite all its recent woes), definitely make the switch. These places afford unique opportunities that others don't. These names open doors that others don't. Again, I'm not trying to peddle the delusion that they're exceptionally brilliant folks that we can never compare with, that's a lie. A NALSAR grad and an Amity grad joining a T1 together have pretty much the same life and the Amity grad may very well be promoted before the one from NALSAR, it happens. But when Facebook wants to start a legal research initiative into AI, it approaches these top 4 unis. When Magic Circle firms want to organise orientations/corp law lectures, they approach these top 4 unis. T1 firms compete to recruit from these places, whereas HNLU/NLIU scramble to get as many T1s to come for campus placements as possible (remember, there is a difference between campus placements and PPOs, the latter being secured through an individuals own effort with no role played by the college). One interesting question for debate could be whether you should drop a year and go to the bedeviled NUJS if you're getting a seat under the NRI-sponsored quota. I would say you should if you can comfortably afford it, but if it is a strain, then don't worry.