The average T1 NLU grad (from the early 2000s) is nowhere near the high flying lives people vicariously live through. The capable professionals are living lives similar to corporate executives (just like the average Indian T1 MBA). Which is nothing to scoff at, in a country like India - they own a 3/4 BHK home in NCR/BLR/BOM, their kids go to a high achieving private school, they do a nice holiday every year, own 2 cars, have a cook/cleaning staff.

They DO NOT own Rolexes/APs/Pateks, do not fly first class, do not own a >50L car, and shop at (nice, but not the highest end) malls. Their kids aspire to an Ivy League undergrad, and settle for Ashoka if they can't hack that. Nothing wrong with this life, in fact, the proliferation of CLAT coaching in T3 towns in India is aspiring to this, since engineering and medicine do not offer such a direct pathway to this life anymore (for the average graduate, obviously the highly capable in any discipline have different aspirations).

The true 1% of the legal profession (1cr/day senior counsel, rainmaker equity partners at T1 firms) are in a league unto themselves. There are T1 NLU graduates in that scene, but they are there largely owing to their own hustle or nepo connections. The T1 NLU tag is just window dressing after a point. Much like the HWS MBA in American high society.

New generations of students joining NLS should be advised to moderate their aspirations and not be taken for a ride by FOMO and social media induced perception.

Brutal and brilliant comment, which should hopefully bring people down to earth. Let me add some hard truths for the fanboy law students here:

- Unless you become a senior counsel, or become among the top 10% of equity law firm partners, you will simply not have the kind of life that people talk about in LI comments: flat in DLF Camellias, Lamborghini etc.

- Even a flat in a lesser gated community, or a less pricey car like a BMW, is not so easy.

- Further, many are financing such lifestyles through loans, because of peer pressure, FOMO etc.

- Many of the NLSIU alumni who are celebrated as star counsels are actually nepo kids. They would have succeeded even if they went to Amity. Every single inch of their success is because of their family influence. There are alumni whose parents had direct access to various CJIs, Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, P Chidambaram etc, which got them ahead.

- For those who are non-nepo kids and are successful, they had well-wishers in politics. One person who joined the BJP had Arun Jaitley’s blessings and is thriving today (to his credit, he genuinely believes in Hindutva and is not a turncoat opportunist). Another person was dating an influential lady politician, who pushed his career — all it takes are a few phone calls in Delhi.

If you are a non-political, non-nepo kid who is a regular law firm partner or in-house counsel, 99% of times your life will be like that of a software engineer or corporate executive at the sane level —very nice and comfortable, but not super-luxurious.

Honest answer: the success rates for alumni (even the older 1990s/2000s batches) is not perfect.

I have observed this at the alumni reunions. It's always just a handful of the same succesful alumni at the head of all initiatives (senior advocate/HC judge/equity partner etc). But when asks about batchmates one realises that many (not insignificant minority) have really stagnated - as middling managers at in house companies, some even left the law after 5-10y PQE and started small businesses.

They seem to just live for their kids hoping they get settled quickly, and don't seem excited at all for the last decade of their professional lives.

Other than those from privileged backgrounds and those who were strivers in college (moots, internships) who succeeded either at the bar or at T1s, the others all seem disappointed and embarassed to even come to alumni events. Many are making so with their nuclear families in 3BHK (upper or even middle) middle class apartment complexes.

Some are evidently in debt - from failed ventures or even those that took home loans and couldn't succeed at corporate careers after a point and thus a significant portion of their income goes into EMIs. Their kids go to upper middle class schools (which are not even easily affordable for this strata of alumni, not even getting started on kids' college fees).

I'm not saying all this to be cynical, but an honest reality about the ideas of success we all presume with the T1 NLUs.

I'm sure Nalsar/Nujs batches also have a similar ratio, if one looks closely and honestly.

The number of unsuccessful attempts to do a hitjob on NLSIU is too high. Some of these attempts (like this one) are mildly entertaining, some are pure poison (like the attacks on the current VC) but most are just dreadfully dull. LI, please allow this kind of systematic persecution against other unis, too, not just NLS!

The correct answer is that every single NLSIU graduates is very successful, even those who entered through reservation and may not have had social capital and contacts. That’s because NLSIU is an exclusive institution that selects a small number of people and gives them high-quality education. It may not be the Harvard of Asia, but it is certainly the Harvard of India.

Is there any chance that you'll get some sort of a life, grow up, and become mature, ever? Fyi, no rando lawyer, no matter the institute, whether an intern or a partner, will be able to afford anything close to Camelias, whether in 10 years or 100. A basic knowledge of economics, the price of these places, and the earning potential of lawyers will tell you that.

Like not earning in crores, not working in any prestigious organisation etc? Basically at the same level as a regular Meerut University or Patna University grad working in the trial courts, or in low-level government jobs? Or is every single NLSIU grad rocking it? Truly the Harvard of the East?

No names, please. More interested in the numbers. How many such cases are there — if any?

I think it’s a relevant question, because on LI we see a lot of hype given to very successful and glamorous NLSIU alumni, like Gopal Shankarnarayan, Akshay Jaitley, Menaka Guruswamy, partners in foreign law firms, professors in foreign law schools etc. If not everyone is successful, it will rectify the public impression. It will also reduce the pressure on students and parents, who may have unrealistic expectations — e.g. Sharmaji’s beta gets into NLSIU, so Sharmaji announce to the whole neighbourhood that beta will buy a BMW and a flat in DLF Camellias within 10 years, beta will get engaged to the richest and most beautiful girl in town etc. … Ok, I’m exaggerating a little, but such cringe parents do exist!! 😖