Hello everyone, I have to fill the NLU preference for the registration of the Clat exam. I have done my deep & thorough research on the web(Youtube,Google,Quora,Reddit) regarding the same.I am thinking of putting NALSAR Hyderabad over NLSIU Bangalore as my 1st preference for the following reasons:

1.CURRICULUM (My biggest Concern, I want to have a balanced life of academics and college life): It's less hectic, more student friendly and approachable(students can choose design their own course by choosing their own subjects) than NLSIU Bangalore bcs it doesn't have the trimester system(I have heard it gets a lot hectic, exhaustive and mundane over time) which NLSIU Bangalore has.

2.PLACEMENT (Major concern): I know both these colleges have good corporate placements when compared domestically but when I calculated the last 7 year Avg package of the both thru NIRF Report NALSAR has an Avg 15.35 lakh and NLSIU has 14.6 lakh , also NALSAR has an higher placement and students going for higher studies ratio compared to NLSIU (Calculated via NIRF Reports) and even internationally NALSAR Hyderabad has 6-7 foreign placements per batch where as NLSIU Bangalore has 3-4.

3.CAMPUS SIZE :55 acre vs 23 acre.I have no problem regarding the fact that NALSAR Hyderabad is 50km from the main city.

LATEST 5 YEAR FEES: 12 lakh vs 16 Lakh. Money isn't a big concern here but it is better to save some and put it somewhere else.

From what I have heard about NLSIU Bangalore is that there is too much academic pressure due to which social life gets hampered a lot, increased batch size has diluted the level of professors as well as they have not yet built hostels(in construction)for the increased batch size for the people coming thru NLSAT as well as the latest 2020 VC crisis where they had protested and made the VC Resign.

Despite all of this NLSIU Bangalore is still on 1st position in college rankings and my teachers in coaching are advising to put NLSIu Bangalore at 1st and NALSAR at 2nd. This is the main reason why I am hesitant in putting NALSAR Hyderabad over NLSIU Bangalore.

I also want to add one thing since I am Obc.I have more chances of getting into NALSAR Hyderabad than NLSIU Bangalore based on the ranks required for NLSIU(171-923, 1&2nd merit 2023) & NALSAR(923-1116, 1st merit list 2023)

So, my fellow seniors studying in these colleges please guide me as to what my decision should be based on the info I provided above.

Tldr: Putting NALSAR at 1st preference for CLAT due to less hectic curriculum, bigger campus size, less fees and better domestic and international placements but everyone (teachers of coaching, mentors on YT) is saying that say NLSIU is older and on the 1st position so put it on the 1st preference. Totaly confused, pls help.

Hi, I'm a current student of NLSIU from the BALLB course so my answers may have some bias but here's my take on this:

1) Yes, academics is a lot more hectic than NALSAR but the competition within the batch is equally strong. So, it's easier to pass in Nalsar than in NLS but it's equally tough to be a topper or an average kid in either of the places.

I didn't quite get the point on "Students can design and choose their own courses" can you explain a bit?

2) NIRF data is the last thing which u should rely upon before deciding a college. Being a student of NLS and having friends in places like Nalsar and NUJS, I know for a fact that the placement scenario is almost the same. The highest and average package remains thr same while there would be a few people who struggle to get a job. If you are looking at placements, then there won't be much of a difference. On the point of foreign placements, the toppers in NLS usually prefer foreign LLMs and not placements which is one of the reasons why you may find more TCs at Nalsar. Another reason is that NLS has a smaller batch size compared to nalsar.

3) This is of course a personal choice but I'll say living in the city has its own perks. You will have to get a cab to reach your nearest medical shop at Nalsar whereas NLS is very much in the city especially after the metro has started. There are externship opportunities at places like CAM and AZB that NLS provides which Nalsar cannot.

Fees is something which definitely goes against NLS so I'll leave it upto you.

Some of the advantages which NLS has over Nalsar are a better brand value in the market as well as in foreign markets etc. The infrastructure is improving at a very fast-pace and at the moment, everyone who wanted a hostel has got a hostel. They are building more so that shouldn't be an issue.

The quality of professors hasn't really decreased. I have been taught by the new hires and most of them are good at what they do. Yes, a few of then are absolute shit.

The bottom line is that there is not much to choose between the two. If you think that you would be able to have a very good social life at Nalsar because academics are less rigorous then that's not true because there will be people who would work really hard and competition will make sure that you start working as hard as people in NLS does!

Thanks for your kind reply.

I have a few more questions.

My only point at this time frame of choosing NALSAR over NLSIU is that I am very very afraid of the trimester system ( I am decent in studies but not 100% academically focused even if I want to and doesn't have that rigour). I have heard that NLS blocks the student GPA after 3rd year. Also, I get the feeling that I might fail a year NLSIU.

I was talking about CBCS( choice based credit system) when I said students can choose their own course in NALSAR.

Pls elaborate a little bit more on the academics part.

If you are scared of failing then yes, choose NALSAR. About 1/3rd of the batch sits for the repeat exams and a good number of them actually lose a year.

On the point of grade freeze, it's actually an advantage, in 4th and 5th year you just have to pass and not worry about a lower GPA unless you end up failing! work hard for 3 years and make a good GPA and use the 4th year for internships/publications etc and chill in the 5th year.

Freezing of the GPA is something which is done by the student body and not the university so if you wanna go for MBA/LLM, the CGPA until the 5th year will matter

I can't thank you enough for giving me such detail description about the academic aspect of NLS which was the most important for me. I have a doubt that the whether Law Firms look at the freezed gpa of 3rd year or they look at the gpa till the 5th year and also wanted to ask that is it in the hands of a student to freeze their own gpa or if they tell the student body that they will pursue LLM/MBA then the student body doesn't freeze the gpa till 3rd year and if they want to take placements then their gpa be freezed.

The decision to freeze your GPA is taken collectively by your Batch. Unfortunately, if you are looking for placements/internships through the RCC, u will have to abide by whatever decision your batch takes (freeze/ not freeze).

In short, if you are looking for placements/internships, law firms will look at your grades till the 3rd year while if you want to pursue higher education etc then your grades till the 5th year will matter.

It’s a choice. And no you will have certain subjects till 5th year which you have to pass. They will be credits you choose to give exam upon. So don’t worry about it. After 3rd year your personal grades will matter more. The grade freezing option is tremdously helpful for droppers (before clat) and people who want to pursue other fields to have a good amount of time for internships. The system is designed that way. After all your 3 year grades will be counted but the 5th grades won’t hurt as well.

NLSIU = Without mercy. This trend has been intensified since Sudhir took over. This may suit some, may not suit others. Both the types would have valid arguments in their favour. Some would say that it helps increase quality through rigour. Others would say that can be done with empathy and focusing on real problems.

Look grade freezing is always better for anything. That’s why NLS remains ahead of any other nlus because in 4th and 5th year we get Dyam good placement offers , PPOs and amazing internship opportunities. You can say you almost graduated after 3rd year xD. Because in 4th and 5 mtg year you just have to study reasonably hard and you can chill. But till 3rd year it’s grinding.

Let me destroy you logically. NALSAR or any other Nlu for that matter have a semester system. In which, you have 2 months of holiday after every semester. Hence, 4 months of holiday in 1 year. That is 20 months of holiday in 5 years. Compared to 15 months of holiday in 5 years in NLSIU. Let's say an internship is around 1 months each bcs NLS only gives 1 month holidays. According to that NALSAR will give 20 max internship and NLSIU will give 15. The grade freezing has no relevance in it you still will have to study, get attandance and pass the remaining 2 yrs.

This is not destroying logically , but instead making more invalid points. The semester count doesn’t matter anymore because nls has trimester anyway. And those are basic credit courses yo be passed. You will almost be a graduate after 3 years. This is not the logic I expected from nalsarites

So are you literally counting holidays under the garb of defeating the whole logic of trimester? Kinda sus bro. Let’s admit they have it better. And also how you know the exact amount of internships a person is getting at two colleges. I have seen a nls grad getting a Uk law firm PPO(not magic circle) in early 4th year and he easily went there because the grades froze already and he just needed to pass in the 4th/5th year. The same applies for foreign moots. Not a good logic. You brought more illogical attention now

Bruh, there were 2-3 people who did this in my time as well in the mid-2010s, and 1-2 who did this for NLUD/NUJS. Their reasons were all location-related, since they were from Hyderabad/Delhi/Calcutta. I know for a fact that almost all of them (save for 1-2), openly admitted that they regretted the choice. Take from that what you will. In any case, you seem to have made up your mind with convenient data interpretation. If you're look for validation here, doubt you'd find it.

So you spoke to all the kids who did this and all of them felt bad for ditching NLS? Lmao, that's simply not true and no, I know people who dropped NLS for NLUD even though they were not from Delhi. Point being, NLS is still attractive to young ignorant kids because of its historical brand rather than actual substance in the present-day. And with such a massive batch size and domicile quota, OP would be better off at NALSAR, although I think his academic exposure at NALSAR will be much worse due to their faculty crisis.

Trollish comment, but I'll engage. I think the NLS v. NALSAR debate was dead and buried since the mid-2010s once NALSAR increased its batch size and instituted a domicile quota. At that time, NLS was undoubtedly superior due to its small but high quality batches selected on only merit. But now with NLS doing the same thing on a much larger scale too, the debate once again attains relevance.

As far as my two cents go, I think NLS is a better option because of its superior faculty and historical brand. Look at it this way, NLS is the only NLU that could do something like this crazy expansion plan and still manage to stay on top (albeit with a lot of downsides to the huge batch size). NALSAR is already behind NLUD and if NALSAR or NLUD or NUJS did the same expansion idea, that would be like institutional suicide.

Nah, I’ve read multiple comments of this sort. But they’re all pretty misinformed or simply hark back to the past. NALSAR has been underperforming for a long time now. Whether it’s co-curriculars, faculty or research. Especially over the last decade, NLUD has overtaken it. You can be in denial if that helps you sleep at night. Forget the NIRF, that’s not what I’m basing it on. Look at their annual reports for the past decade, and other information available on sites this this. And I’ve interacted with folks from both the places, there’s hardly a difference in quality.

The reason people like you will keep shouting that NALSAR is better is merely the same perception idea that makes some say that NLS is much better than NALSAR. They’re an older brand that are historically established. Not a better one anymore. And as far as NUJS goes, I think they’re also better than NALSAR in student achievements in recent years. But the admin and politics undoes most of the good work. And no, NLUD is better than NUJS too. It caught up a long time ago, not my fault if you’re unaware/want to remain in denial.

There is no metrics to measure curriculum and faculty. Some faculty exits are always there and the quality increases-decreases with time. What makes NALSAR, NALSAR is its students and career outcomes. Moots is again not linked with Jobs as such. But even when it comes to Moots it is not like Nalsar is behind anyone. This point is childish. It is like saying I have a better debating team then your school ergo my school is better. Anyways point being NALSAR has maintained top student intake, high law firm-in house placements (SINGLE BIGGEST FACTOR), great industry perception, scholarships, foreign LLMs. great alum network and what not and in all this cumulatively it is higher ranked than NLUD. Coming to bit non relevant factors, it probably has the most scenic campus of all law schools.

Did you really say that there are no metrics to measure faculty or curriculum? That's crude and laughable. But look, I agree that NALSAR is one of the very top NLUs, no doubt, and my intention wasn't to put it down but you look at the recent history since NLUD was established and I think NLUD is doing better on many fronts. I would have no qualms in saying NALSAR is superior if they indeed were, but having followed achievements of the top NLUs pretty closely, I feel that NALSAR is considered better mostly because of its historical brand in the law firm industry and to a degree, in academic circles. Nothing a newer college like NLUD can do about that since that's based on time, but wherever it is possible to compete and outperform (like moots, LLM scholarships, graduate exams etc.), I don't think NALSAR is in any way ahead of NLUD.

And if you want to talk of top student intake, I know many people at NALSAR who didn't crack NLUD and vice-versa at NLUD. And NALSAR does also have a domicile quota reservation where people with much lower ranks enter. Not saying that they lack merit or are any worse based on a single exam, but I don't see think the quality at NALSAR being that much superior. Maybe with NLS, there's an argument to be made there. And while NALSAR might have a scenic campus, I think the actual location of it has proven a hindrance in attracting great faculty and engaging in research, etc.

Yes I said that. How can you say someone's curriculum that too a law school like Nalsar's is worse than the other? It has all the curriculum one requires to learn law and get placed. This is purely subjective. On Faculty also people think only someone like say a Siddharth Chauhan will qualify as a stellar faculty, but I have seen traditional teacher like say Dr Sourabh Bharti from Nalsar top fucking notch.

Sorry, I didn’t bring it in. It’s some other trolls who are claiming that there’s some big idea of NLS/NALSAR being better than the rest debate even though the OP has an issue about CLAT preferences where NLUD isn’t even a part. But I just don’t think NALSAR is much better than NLUD. “Industry perception” is a vague term that’s thrown around by the older NLU folks, not something I buy into. Perception depends on age/history and will change over time.

You want to argue, then put proper facts on the table to justify a claim of overwhelming superiority.

What better facts then Perception and Placement. Perception is as vague as NIRF ranking in totality. Still almost all rankings include perception as a metric. Industry perception would go one step closer as it talks about outlook in the legal fraternity. As far as legal fraternity is concerned, you can see just by browsing through legally india that no one cares about NIRF and everyone (except NLU D trolls like yourself) consider NLS and NALSAR at par (but in that order) and then others follow. NIIT Bombay has a better perception. So every year people fill it out in preference to IIT Madras. Even though IIT Madras is better ranked (for the last three years). Also since you want to argue on facts then just one is enough, "Placements".

First, NALSAR isn’t an IIT Bombay equivalent, so don’t flatter yourself. It doesn’t have such a massive reputation unless you count LI trolls. Maybe you fail to read and comprehend properly like your friends who got embarrassed by Sadhguru, but let’s be clear, Nalsar today is not better. Merely citing placements is pointless because the percentage of folks with tier-1 firm jobs at NALSAR and NLUD is more or less the same given the variance in batch size. It’s just that NALSAR brings in more tier-2 firms and a few in-houses to increase numbers. And while you claim that no one cares about NIRF, everyone keeps citing it, including NALSAR admin themselves. So be a little humble and accept your limitations.

Ahem, excuse yourself, lol. No, I'm not concerned with NIRF, although it could press the point home without all the data calculation discrepancies. Just compare the achievements of NLUD v NALSAR across the last 10 years in moots/debates/ADR, research growth, faculty recruitment, scholarships etc. NLUD is on par if not ahead. Only area where NALSAR is certifiably ahead is number of Indian law firm jobs, that too because of how old it is and its industry perception, which takes time to build.

And UPSC is as irrelevant to judge a law school as it is to rank AIIMS basis its upsc performance. UPSC is just a last resort of indian middle class aspirations owing to an unchanged feudal mindset which has been shamelessly allowed to grow even after independence that " sarkari babus" are My Lords. Its a great traversity that white sahab was replaced by brown sahab..when in fact the whole civil services should have been dismantled and everything made ground level up. Like you do not become SP directly. Everyone starts as SI. In US you can start with Patrol duty and become chief of Police. Even in Army you start with lieutenant and basis your ability you can become a General. All VIP culture related to civil service should have been obliterated completely.

Another troll shouting NIRF when the argument wasn't even regarding that, and drawing some ridiculous analogy between SLS and NLUD. Where exactly did SLS-P fudge data for NIRF, can you point it out from their submissions? And you're from NLUJ, a college that closer in age to NALSAR/NUJS than NLUD, but yet NLUD is considered hands down better. Stop being so salty.

Don't kid yourself. This debate is as as irrelevant as LI is now. NLUD is the only NLU that doesn't have a local domicile quota and is actually national in character being located in the capital. These two are just older. By that reason alone, OP should prefer NLUD over the rest, if he gets in there.

Hi I am a NALSAR grad, who choose NALSAR over NLS some years back. I would say career out come wise it has made NO DIFFERENCE to me. Rank wise I will say NLS purely by perception (and not because of career outcomes) is considered above NALSAR. As I did lot of research while joining, generally speaking I have found the two institutes head and shoulders with each other. They are like Oxford and Cambridge of Indian law schools.

So see your defining reasons. Mine was that my dad was posted in Hyderabad and my then girlfriend (and now wife) was also in Hyderabad. It made no sense for me to join NLS or that I would gain anything extra by going there. So hoping you can find YOUR reason.

Yeah, I have made my choice. I am choosing NALSAR over NLSIU simply for the fact that I will have a much better study life balance at NALSAR with the same academic/placements outcome(more scope for getting placed at Foreign Law firms in NALSAR) . Second, the campus is so gorgeous and spacious of NALSAR that I instantly fell in love with it when I saw it for the 1st time and the fact that it is away from the main city will only add up to better environment, less pollution and more peace. Third, I will be saving 4 lakhs minimum in 5 yrs if I go to NALSAR and even more. It is actually becomes an overall best deal for me. Thanks for your reply. It really gave me a different perspective to look at my issue.

I am a recent Nalsar grad. We had close to 6 or 7 foreign law firm offers. OP don't go by NLU D trolls. Who have gone way beyond their manadate in a debate which is over NLS v Nalsar. Like even at places where we are talking about Nalsar specifically (without any mention of NLU D, they are coming to troll). So if foreign law firms and domestic placements are your concerns no better law school in India than Nalsar.

I am honestly stunned the kind of expectations people have these days. I will be gentle as possible but OP first strike any one of them. Tbh getting into these two nlus is getting difficult and your college preferences should be the least of your concern rn. Maybe you end up getting Nujs- what then? Aspirants nowadays think that filling up the forms can get them to the doors of these colleges. Ultimately even not a single tier-1 pans out. Dreams are infectious. And in a very bad manner. First try to get into any one of these colleges and then ask us. You will get a good one week time in early December when your results will be out. For now engaging people in LI and sparking a debate is not going to help you secure the cut-off for nlsiu and nalsar Hyderabad.

Please read my whole post properly. We now have to fill the NLU Preference list alongside the registration form of CLAT 2024. The preference list now needs to be filled before sitting in the CLAT 2024 examination and secondly the 1st NLU you put in the preference list will be your top most priority and if you are allotted that NLU you can't downgrade, you can only upgrade. So, it becomes very important that regardless what rank I get in CLAT 2024. Filling the preference with utmost research becomes very important because if I get a rank matching the Top 2 collage requirements then I won't have the option to choose between the 2 because I also have obc.

Yeah I have the confidence that I will get into one of the two not only bcs I have obc but also for the fact that I work smart. Otherwise I would have filled NLS above NALSAR if I wasn't smart but since I am so here you are commenting on my post and feeling insecure for yourself.

Since you have OBC reservation, my advice is to look at things long term and focus on cracking one of the UPSC services, which is really the best job in the country. You will stand at a huge advantage because of the OBC quota. However, attending a top NLU will be taxing and limit your prep time. So you could consider either an NLU where the academic atmosphere is less rigorous or a TLC where you can bunk class and do UPSC prep for 5 years sitting at home. In fact, places like BHU, AMU and Jamia have good strike rates at the UPSC. My friend attended one of these TLC colleges and never went to class. He used the time for UPSC prep and cracked the exam.

I am sorry but LI is going to straightway hell. I am honestly stunned with how wrong advice is being meted out to someone (who weirdly enough is already inclined towards nalsar) and is only persuaded to fill Nalsar as the first preference m - just because it has no trimester??? And who said the packages are the same? They both have not released reports for the past 1 year. But the perception of NLS remains rock solid - however nalsar is not that embellished.

Also to Op - the grade freezing system is incredibly fantastic. You will almost feel like a graduate and don’t have to grind for 5 years.

Again, I thought you just said you are only butting in where NLU D is concerned. Just read this comment, you are clearly concerned about NLS and Nalsar debate also. Somehow it seems you are annoyed how come op is choosing Nalsar over NLS. Solely because it defeats your entire propaganda of NLU D being better than everyone else. Go home boy.

Although it has been established Nirf doesn't matter, long back. NLU D trolls need to understand that even as per Nirf they just got 0.15 points more than Nalsar and that too after fudging the most importantly metrics for any student, i.e. salary. They posted a median salary of 18lakhs per annum which is simply bullshit. People have already questioned how they arrived at this "median". Even NLS doesn't submit fake numbers here. Just imagine the point difference if NLS and NALSAR had submitted 18 lakhs or why stop there fake it to 19 lakhs.

There are 2 important things to mention:

1. The batch size is going to be 240(NLSIU) vs 120(NALSAR) for the 2024 batch. That means there will be cut-throat competition at NLSIU to even get chance for moot courts, adr , debate teams other co-curricular activities etc.

2. Placements are going to be nightmare at NLSIU for the single fact that no law firm majorly hires from any law school as well as only 60-70 people(like in other tier-1 law schools despite the batch size) who will get decent jobs. Not to mention there will be a small number of people eligible for placements because the college will have to maintain the placement percentage criteria as well as a decent median package.

So, anyone who is filling the preference list for CLAT 2024 please be careful as to what you are choosing as your 1st preference because you have to spend 5 years at the law school you put at the 1st position given if you get a required rank.