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I have graduated from University more than half a decade back so I would advise taking my opinion with a more than a pinch of salt, as I can’t be specific as you’d like me to be.
In all honesty, placements should not be an issue in either of the Universities - unless you absolutely squander your days, failing subjects and not meeting attendance requirements or have just horrible bad luck. The former is in your control, the latter is not, but neither affect choosing between the two universities. Also, my pointers below are not in isolation, they are compared to other NLUs.
My experience comes from friends across law school, some work on University policies and suggestions which required me and some college mates to look at what was happening at other Unis, circa 2018-2019.
NALSAR is less of a pressure cooker compared to NLS due to the semester / trimester system (at least when I was at Uni). Admin is very good compared to other Universities but do not expect “world class” and generally, reasonable with students. The academic structure used to be exceptionally good, I’ve had some time at other “Global” and foreign universities, but the setup was very clear and student-friendly. It was significantly better during the Faizan-Dhanda time, but I’ve heard standards have taken a drop but a lot of the older staff are still there, and they are not rude with students unless you push their buttons. Faculty was good, but could be better - but compared to other NLUs, it is much better. Only perhaps NLUD and Jindal are better than NALSAR, which was also there during my time.
But what NLS really has going for it - and I always felt that was the case is that the alumni is simply uncatchable in terms of quality. NALSAR has some truly exceptional alumni, people who I look up to on a daily basis but compared to NLS, other Universities pale in comparison. But this only marginally more useful significantly deeper into your career, not at the start perhaps.
You should be happy in both Unis, and no need to be obsessed with placements. It’s not in your hands as much as you think. You can be rank 1 but the market might be horrible and you might have interned in the wrong places (unbeknownst to you). Nor you, nor I, nor the various managing partners of law firms can comment on what the market will be like 5 years down the line but both Universities will put you in a good starting position.
Make friends, go out, find a lover, learn some stuff in class and also on your own time, enjoy yourself, watch TV shows, read books, invest in your fitness, do some fun extra curricular activities without thinking what effect it will have in your CV. College is a great time and don’t waste it thinking about jobs before you even start! All the best for your future!
However, the you’d consider this - and I’ve been taught by Chauhan, Dhanda, Chauhan. Pranav was in Uni while I was in college but that doesn’t mean that other faculty members cannot rise to the challenge. During my time at Uni, a lot of good professors moved, new blood came in and did a decent job. Sudhanshu himself became much better semester-on-semester, he was fairly inexperienced when he started with Company law in third year for me when I was at Uni but my final semesters, I used to love attending his classes.
I cannot comment on academic culture, I don’t know what that means. NALSAR was just a great place to be - in that, I liked not having to worry so much about my academics on a daily basis but had to study when I needed to. I was free to do what I want on most days. Instructions were very clear about the academic system.
But I will say - making a blanket statement like there is no reputation is a bit of a stretch. Even in my work life, a lot of doors and connections open by saying that I am a NALSAR alumni. You can’t wash away these institutional things in a period of a few years.
You are right - perhaps if I was in OP’s shoes - I’d naturally gravitate towards NLS. But I didn’t get into NLS - I have a lot of friends from NLS so I’d hear both good and bad things. However, that doesn’t suddenly make NALSAR a bad place to go to, nor does it drop NALSAR out of the consideration of NLS v NALSAR. There were quite a few people in my batch who made the decision to come to NALSAR over NLS.
My maturity is only selective and I’m trying to work on it, many of my peers would say what they say about Marcus Rashford, “He’s 28 but sometimes still behaves like an 18 year old”. I love Marcus Rashford.