He has not questioned that. Everyone is an alum. Including if you have done an online diploma. But in NLS context and in case of Harvard or Oxford they have their own alum chapters for different streams. So in this case if NLS grad alums are meeting they are not bound to invite NLS PG or NLS distance learning students. They are free to have their own alum get togethers. When Harvard JD alum meets they don't invite Medicine school or B school alums or for that matter LLMs. Secondly, the Indian LLM degree is not at par with an Ivy league LLM degree, where it is given its due recognition because it is almost an essential qualification for foreign lawyers as most state bars require a US degree. While in India LLM is not relevant for practicing.

As a Harvard LLM grad, I can assure you that while the JD and LLM students operate in different academic circles (inherently built into the system), there is no absurd class system, and all alum treat each other with respect and brotherhood. In fact, JD - LLM interactions are quite helpful for networking and expanding your horizons in an academic setting.

Actually you could not be more wrong. For almost all international Universities, including the likes of Harvard, Oxbridge, etc. if you are doing a one year program as opposed to the longer duration programs, when it comes to being invited and being considered alumni there is no difference. Even distance learning program students are considered alumni. NLS five year students, many of whom would have attended international Universities would be aware of this. It is only a classist mindset. IMO alumni events are for networking and bigger the network more beneficial for all its members. Everyone has something to contribute and gain. No one is asking you to be friends with people you don't relate to but alumni networking can be beneficial, for example, consider an LL.M. who is now a GC in a big corporate, will any big law Partner be opposed to be part of the same network?

To the LLM alums, read these lyrics and hope it helps!

Do you ever feel like a plastic bag
Drifting through the wind, wanting to start again?
Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin
Like a house of cards, one blow from cavin' in?
Do you ever feel already buried deep?
Six feet under screams, but no one seems to hear a thing
Do you know that there's still a chance for you?
'Cause there's a spark in you

You just gotta ignite the light
And let it shine
Just own the night
Like the Fourth of July

'Cause baby, you're a firework
Come on, show 'em what you're worth
Make 'em go, "Oh, oh, oh"
As you shoot across the sky
Baby, you're a firework
Come on, let your colors burst
Make 'em go, "Oh, oh, oh"
You're gonna leave 'em all in awe, awe, awe

You don't have to feel like a waste of space
You're original, cannot be replaced
If you only knew what the future holds
After a hurricane comes a rainbow
Maybe a reason why all the doors are closed
So you could open one that leads you to the perfect road
Like a lightning bolt, your heart will glow
And when it's time, you'll know

You just gotta ignite the light
And let it shine
Just own the night
Like the Fourth of July

'Cause baby, you're a firework
Come on, show 'em what you're worth
Make 'em go, "Oh, oh, oh"
As you shoot across the sky
Baby, you're a firework
Come on, let your colors burst
Make 'em go, "Oh, oh, oh"
You're gonna leave 'em all in awe, awe, awe

Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
It's always been inside of you, you, you
And now it's time to let it through

'Cause baby, you're a firework
Come on, show 'em what you're worth
Make 'em go, "Oh, oh, oh"
As you shoot across the sky
Baby, you're a firework
Come on, let your colors burst
Make 'em go, "Oh, oh, oh"
You're gonna leave 'em all in awe, awe, awe

Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon

Did this happen for real or it's just a bunch of entitled 1st year BA LLB students trying to create unnecessary drama by portraying that there is a conflict between LLM and BA LLB alums when the reality is neither of the folks from either of the cohorts would bother about nonsensical brotherhoods or cliques. I swear some of my peers from the 5 year program are quite insufferable. Tbh, in the real world no one would care about such things and mostly people would interact respectfully with each other regardless of whichever cohort they belonged to.

Regardless of what you feel, they are still alum. The university runs on their money just as it does on yours. And ivy league colleges do include LLM alum in the alum programmes. I know that from personal experience. This entire comment thread is just an illustration of how many LLB alumni of NLSIU are boorish idiots who aren't worthy of the alum tag. Hard work of alum association? What hard work?

Correct. Go to any Ivy league alum groups or get togethers. And they are fiercely competitive. It is like a family or a brotherhood. You just do not become part of the brotherhood by doing a one year course or a distance learning online course. It is unfair on those people who slogged their asses off to reach Ivy colleges. Same for NLS.

It is clearl Lallum folks should attend the alumni meet of law schools where they graduated from. That way even a MBL from NLS is an alumni. What's the point of having a brotherhood alumni if anyone can do a one year course or distance learning course and starts to claim himself an NLS alum? So this person can that way reap benefits of three different alumni associations? One of his own grad law school, one of from where he did PG from and one of where he did his distance learning for? If they want than PG students or any one year course student can create their own alumni group. No one is stopping them. I just do not get this idea of why they have to leach on the strengths of the 5 year LLB group or join a network which they were originally not a part of. They just want to reap the benefits of two alumni groups/networks one of their own grad school and one of NLS, and it is unfair.

Why can't you? Are you forcing them to share a room together at night? Is every programme that they attend full of NLSIU BA LLB alumni only? This is just a rather sorry display of insecurity and entitlement. The university isn't anyone's property, everyone who has paid money and obtained a degree are entitled to similar treatment officially. You don't want to talk to those people, don't. It's when people start getting notions of being extra special that such problems emerge.

LLM students at NLUs are mocked and disrespected even by first years. This even includes LLM students with BALLB degrees from NLUs. Event they are not immune from mockery. But IMO it's actually a class issue, because many LLM students are those who lack the finances or proficiency in English to pursue an LLM abroad.

That's an exception. You can't call BALLB folks with someone who had completed an online degree from the law school. The level of connection will just not be the same! The BALLB batches have a different kind of connect where we personally know alums who have passed out of law school even before we had entered. Can't say the same for other courses.

I know many NLSIU BA LLB grads who have not reached anywhere near the level of success of their top BA LLB grads. So are you saying that they should be mocked too, or not granted the respect that alum deserve? Because only fools cannot understand that mocking the students in general of a programme run by a university amounts to mocking the programme and by extension, the university itself.

Rumour has it there's been a major showdown between the regular alumni and the lallum alumni at the general body meeting of the NLS Alumni Association. The entire alumni weekend and gala dinner organised in Nagarbhavi this weekend seems to be overshadowed by this circus. Unfortunate, considering the remarkable steps being taken by the VC, the alumni relations office, and the rest of the NLS admin.