Well, clat didn't work out and I ended up being in a tier 3 NLU. There's no backing out now since I am a second-year student now and have quit my teen years. How do I compete with students from better NLUs while being in this shit-hole place with zero alumni, hopes and dreams? I wish to practice in Delhi / get placed with a senior advocate who pays in 6 digits or close which seems like a distant dream and I am a first gen so forget about contacts. Luckily I was able to stay in the top 20 of my batch and make a good impression in my limited internships while enhancing my skills for whatever my first year was worth.

Am I cooked? Is there somebody else who survived from here?

You're not alone in feeling this way.

I go to a tier-2 NLU and initially believed it was on par with the likes of NUJS, NLS, etc. But reality set in—I realized the differences are real. The culture at tier-1 NLUs, where seniors offer tremendous help, the abundance of resources, the generally more rigorous academic environment, and the preferences of top firms like A&O and HSF, do set them apart. Being at a top NLU does make a significant difference.

However, I genuinely believe you can still excel from where you are. Focus on making your CV exceptional: excel in ADR or Moot Courts (I know it's challenging with less guidance and resources), publish outstanding work, and most importantly, aim to be in the top 5 of your batch. From what I know, firms do recruit from tier 2/3 NLUs as well, though they may take fewer candidates than from tier 1s. Being in the top 5 will ensure you get great internships, whether in litigation or corporate law. Network extensively and reach out to as many people as possible. Climb the ladder slowly but surely, and I’m confident you’ll do just fine.

Thank you so much for providing the roadmap. I'm quite close to top 5 in my batch and just a little more push can land me in top 5 this year. Luckily I was able to convince my professors to help me out with publications and under their guidance I've been able to write some good pieces that I might be looking forward to get published this year.

I believe at my current level QF of NLU moots and SF/Finals of normal uni moots are achievable and this year I'll go for 2-3 moots. ADR is something I've really excelled in my NLU so I'm also looking forward to it.

But there's only so much I could do it by myself. How do I cover this difference? Every time I get this feeling that someone sitting at NALSAR would be going for Jessup/vis while I'm thinking about Amity (nothing against Amity). I tried to think about publishing in the NUALS journal and someone from NLUD ended up writing an editorial in The Hindu. It's like this constant feeling of lagging behind which bugs me.

The only thing that's going well with me is my internship performance which makes me get paid callbacks from my previous workplaces but these are not the chambers where I wish to work at all. The

Honestly i can relate. I am dating someone who goes to a T1 nlu, and the stakes are JUST DIFFERENT. I guess we just have to stand strong, and give everything our best. Also, what's stopping you from doing vis or jessup? Form a team and at least attempt (despite lack of resources). the vis community is very accommodating, you can reach out to ANYONE nationally or internationally to coach you. Doing Vis is an excellent networking opportunity also, if you have the means for it, i think you should do it

Coming from someone who did vis some years back, if you see vis as a networking opportunity (I am not denying that), however, unless you break or honestly show something that makes you seem like a valuable long-term connection, nobody really cares, around 1-2k students are coming in, you honestly need to make a mark to utilize those networking opportunities and you will not find Indian Law firm partners or advocates, The best person you will probably meet is Ajar Rab, so think about it practically, it seems as a big networking opportunity, but most of the students end up finding other students who are looking for opportunities. A better option is to write papers/essays for competitions sponsored by Indian Law Firms which can give you an opportunity to network with people who can give you opportunities in the Future.

This is actually something I've been looking forward to. At the end of my second year, I'll try interning with a high court judge and by the end of the third year a supreme court judge. Probably the only good thing about my NLU is the relations they have with judges all over the country so getting those internships will be very easy from my Uni’s end. Thank you for your advice!

Some of my friends at tier 3 NLUs managed to get jobs. It was an NLU where there was no VC and no registrar for about an year. Internships, contacts and hardwork helped them. Try to get assessment internships and PPOs. If not, even a training internship of six months. Many times, the salary of tier 3 NLU grads in tier 1 firms is less than tier 1 NLU grads. But ultimately, in 2-3 years, they catch up.

Yeah, I've often heard that my seniors get less package compared to other NLU peers but then I shot that away by thinking that disputes and IPR teams are already underpaid.

I do hope this is not the case in senior advocates' chambers where I'm willing to get placed. (the good ones that pay you enough)