NLIU Bhopal has invited nominations to appoint its new director less than two months after its former director Prof SS Singh went on leave following student protests.

According a 12 February notification signed off by NLIU’s new registrar Girbala Singh, a search committee has already been constituted under the NLIU Act 1997 to select a director for the law school from among nominations filed until 5pm on 5 March 2018.

"Interested persons of repute or institutions in the field of law or legal profession may nominate the name of outstanding scholars in law” as recommendations for consideration of the search committee, the notification states.

The law school has acted in a more efficient manner since it was last in need of an administrative head. In 2013, when Singh's term as director had first expired the appointment of his replacement was in limbo for several months after which the Madhya Pradesh high court renewed Singh's term.

With a backdrop of a full week of student protests against maladministration at NLIU, the high court has moved faster this time passing an order to expedite the search for a new director immediately after Singh applied for voluntary leave and also appointing Girbala Singh as the new registrar.

NLIU's case is also in contrast to NUSRL Ranchi where vice chancellor Prof BC Nirmal also went on leave following student protests against mismanagement of the law school, but instead of replacing Nirmal with a regular director or reinstating Nirmal after the expiry of his leave period the law school is continuing with an acting VC for more than eight months now.