The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) is released its latest welcome, much-awaited (but also controversial) National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) today.

Update 19:06: The top 4 are unchanged vis-a-vis last year, with IIT Kharagpur coming fourth.

However, NUJS Kolkata has replaced NLU Jodhpur in fifth place, climbing two ranks this year.

Symbiosis Law School Pune too has climbed, from ninth position last year to 7th this year. Jamia Milia Islamia bagged the 8th position, down from 6th.

But a new arrival is GNLU Gandhinagar, in 9th, which has taken RGNUL Patiala’s spot, which came in 10th.

NLIU Bhopal is in 11, followed by Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, and Indian Law Institute.

The NLU RMLNLU brings up the rear in the top 15, in 14th place, followed by Dr BR Ambedkar College of Law.

Highlights in the metrics

We have dug out the individual scores in four key metrics in the table below, which place NLU Delhi at the top for “teaching and learning resources”.

NLU Delhi has also topped in research & professional practice (besides IIT Kharagpur, which came in way out on top in research, with a score of 73).

Nalsar performed best in “graduation outcomes”, with a score of 83, closely followed not by an NLU, but by SLS Pune.

In terms of “outreach and inclusivity”, vague as that sounds, most law schools were between around 65 and 76 (with NLSIU and SLS performing best here).

However, NLSIU Bangalore clearly took it home with its perception score, which was still unrivalled and a perfect 100 out of 100.

20:41: FYI, none of the PDF links with more detailed reports, data and submissions on the official website seem to be working yet. Yet again, go NIC!

Full table with main 4 metrics

Live blog below

We’re following the release of this fourth edition (but only really the second that will have a decent oversight of legal education) at the government’s livestream portal (thanks to a reader for pointing it out to us in the comments).

Since everyone is very excited, we’ll be updating this story live as the law school rankings are announced (though it could be a little while until all the other categories are done: law will be one of the last ones, we expect).

Last year, NLSIU Bangalore had come out top amongst 71 law schools, followed by NLU Delhi, Nalsar Hyderabad, IIT Kharagpur, NLU Jodhpur, Jamia Milia Islamia, NUJS Kolkata, RGNUL Patiala, Symbiosis Law School and Dr BR Ambedkar College of Law.

Our analysis last year showed that some law schools certainly massaged their figures a little bit.

So, let’s see what today’s will look like.

16:51: Unsurprisingly, no pureplay law schools in the top 10 overall rankings.

16:54: That was fast. Law is out but we’re only getting the top 3: same same as last year. The full ranking website has not been updated yet.

16:58: NLS rep (that’s not VC Venkata Rao, is it?) receives its gong for being best at NIRF. [UPDATE: Yes it is, apparently - we will blame the low-resolution video feed.]

17:05: No real surprises in the NIRF top 3 then. To be honest, it’s unlikely NUJS could have worried last year’s top 3. In fact, in light of the administrative turmoil it’s been in, it’ll be a pleasant if NUJS even managed to prepare its submissions properly and in time.

The top 3, however, clearly have a pretty slick administrative machinery doing its submissions every year, which is half the battle won in most such rankings.

19:06 The full law rankings are now live on the NIRF website. Fuller analysis up top in this story.