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Human Rights

Akanksha Sharma

The Queer Archive for Memory, Reflection and Activism is a multimedia archival project with historic collections from individuals and organizations whose work has made a demonstrable impact on Indian society and law. We are a unique, physical archive which works closely with queer communities, students, researchers, artists and interested persons towards long-term preservation.QAMRA seeks to raise Rs. 35 Lakhs towards its costs this year.Visit our website to learn more about us: https://qamra.in 
 Contributions will go towards:Archival work: This includes the labour intensive efforts of acquisition, sorting, cataloguing, digitizing, redacting sensitive information and arranging material.Archival infrastructure: In the interest of long-term preservation, we require acid-free storage and durable hardware for digital material.Research and Advocacy: QAMRA actively engages with diverse groups to reflect on the dynamic and changing field of gender and sexuality. 
 Your contribution will support long-term, high quality preservation of queer memories and lives in India. QAMRA is a living archive, and we rely on your support to continue engaged programming on contemporary concerns.

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Support the QAMRA Archival Project at NLSIU, Bengaluru

Class of 2011 collectively contributing towards student financial aid 
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BA LLB Class of 2011 contribution (2022)

Giving Month is NLSIU’s annual initiative to invite alumni support in jointly achieving the University’s development goals. Read more about Giving Month <a href="https://www.nls.ac.in/news-events/launching-alumni-giving-month-2022/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.Sustainability &amp; Student WelfareNLSIU’s growing student body is becoming increasingly diverse. Along with ensuring that students from diverse social, linguistic and economic backgrounds benefit from the University’s transformative education, there is a keen focus on accessibility for students with different physical and learning needs. The University has introduced the Endeavour program to assist students who need academic and personal support to aid their academic progress. The program, anchored by the Office of Student Affairs, supports students individually to enhance their core academic skills and provides curricular and extra-curricular support where needed. The goal of the program is to ensure that all students at the University can participate in all aspects of an NLSIU education.As part of the master plan redevelopment on campus, the University will enhance accessibility resources, including developing a tactile pathway around the campus and the addition of resources such as screen readers and speech to text support in the library. NLSIU is committed to expanding its range of resources and support to all groups of users of the University and its facilities.The University has progressed on its journey towards becoming a ‘net zero’ campus on energy, water and waste. The University now has waterless urinals, hybrid solar heat pumps, a rainwater harvesting system, a recycling and waste segregation system and organic produce for the hostel mess, among other initiatives. Enhancements to the rainwater harvesting system and building a sewage treatment plant will radically change water usage at NLSIU. The University seeks the support of the alumni community towards both these initiatives with a contribution of Rs 10 lakhs during Giving Month.Please click on the “Updates” tab for more information on NLSIU’s sustainability and student welfare updates and plans, or visit the University website. This page will remain live for donations beyond Sustainability and Student Welfare Week.Donations receive 80G (India), 501(c) (3) (US) and Gift Aid (UK) exemptions. We are happy to discuss batch gifts, project-specific contributions or larger contributions (greater than Rs 15 lakhs) with appropriate donor acknowledgements. Please contact <a href="mailto:nandita.ramanathan@nls.ac.in" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">nandita.ramanathan@nls.ac.in</a> or <a href="mailto:alumnioffice@nls.ac.in" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">alumnioffice@nls.ac.in</a> to discuss this further. 
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NLSIU Giving Month - Focus Track: Sustainability & Student Welfare

The Class of 2014's collective contribution towards student financial aid. This donation page is set up for US and UK-based donors. 
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Class of 2014 scholarship contribution (2022-2028)

Giving Month is NLSIU’s annual initiative to invite alumni support in jointly achieving the University’s development goals. Read more about Giving Month <a href="https://www.nls.ac.in/news-events/launching-alumni-giving-month-2022/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.Focus Track: Infrastructure DevelopmentIn the next 3-4 years, the NLSIU student body will grow 3x its present size and its faculty numbers will double. To accommodate this expanded population, NLSIU will need to construct 3-4 new hostel buildings, 20 new classrooms, a student centre including additional dining facilities of 12,000 square feet, a sports centre, and refurbish its existing buildings. A new masterplan for the University campus will effectively zone spaces for learning, collaborating, living and playing while ensuring sustainability and green living remain at the heart of the initiative. The University is also in conversation with the Government of Karnataka to be granted additional land.With a commitment to preserving key elements of the existing campus, the University will refurbish the Academic Block, redeveloping classroom and moot court interiors, revitalizing common areas including the quadrangle and canteen and refurbishing research spaces.The University seeks the support of the alumni to refurbish the Academic Block. While the refurbishment is expected to cost Rs 3 cr, the University is looking to raise Rs 10 lakhs from the alumni community during Giving Month.Please click on the “Updates” tab for more information on NLSIU’s infrastructure updates and plans, or visit the University website. This page will remain live for donations beyond Infrastructure Week.Donations receive 80G (India), 501(c) (3) (US) and Gift Aid (UK) exemptions. We are happy to discuss batch gifts, project-specific contributions or larger contributions (greater than Rs 15 lakhs) with appropriate donor acknowledgements. Please contact <a href="mailto:nandita.ramanathan@nls.ac.in" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">nandita.ramanathan@nls.ac.in</a> or <a href="mailto:alumnioffice@nls.ac.in" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">alumnioffice@nls.ac.in</a> to discuss this further. 
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NLSIU Giving Month - Focus Track: Infrastructure Development

The Class of 2001 collectively contributing to NLSIU 
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Class of 2001 contribution (2022)

Giving Month is NLSIU’s annual initiative to invite alumni support in jointly achieving the University’s development goals. Read more about Giving Month on NLSIU’s website (nls.ac.in). Research and Teaching WeekNLSIU today places a renewed focus on developing its research and teaching capacity. Research and teaching are core to a University’s function and contributions to society, and play a critical role in fostering curiosity and critical thinking in students.The University has identified research priorities critical to solving key challenges for the 21st century in areas such as climate change; law, technology and society; and legal system reform. NLSIU is in the process of recruiting Academic Fellows, early career graduates (law and non-law) to assist faculty and researchers across research projects.Organising the University’s existing research output is as critical as producing new work. The University is building a Digital Commons to support and manage NLSIU’s research and publication repository, revitalising its journals and streamlining editorial and review processes. NLSIU is committed to achieving and sustaining internationally peer-recognised scholarly output.Faculty development is core to expansion plans for any university. In Academic Year 2020-21, the University recruited 20 new faculty and will hire 20 more in the next year. By 2024, the University will have 110+ faculty. NLSIU is committed to maintaining a 15:1 student-teacher ratio to ensure high quality of teaching for all programmes.Finally, two new funded PhD programs - the <a href="https://www.nls.ac.in/news-events/nlsiu-announces-menon-scholars-for-2020-23/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Dr Menon PhD Scholarship</a> and the <a href="https://www.nls.ac.in/news-events/nlsiu-announces-the-thakur-foundation-phd-scholarships-in-public-health-the-law/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Thakur Foundation PhD Scholarship</a> - have been set up to nurture and promote legal research talent within the country. The Dr Menon PhD Scholarship, established in memory of Dr Menon, NLSIU’s founder and keen advocate of quality legal research, is the University’s flagship funded research program, in line with global standards for supporting PhD scholars. Funding costs Rs 22 lakhs per scholar over a three year period. The University is looking to raise Rs 10 lakhs from the alumni community towards the Dr Menon PhD Scholarship for AY 2022-23 during Giving Month.Please click on the “Updates” tab for more information on NLSIU’s faculty and research updates and plans, or visit the University website. This page will remain live for donations beyond Research and Teaching Week.Donations receive 80G (India), 501(c) (3) (US) and Gift Aid (UK) exemptions. While Giving Month is focused on retail contributions, we are of course happy to discuss batch gifts, project-specific contributions or larger contributions. Larger individual or batch contributions may also be acknowledged with naming rights. Please contact <a href="mailto:nandita.ramanathan@nls.ac.in" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">nandita.ramanathan@nls.ac.in</a> or <a href="mailto:alumnioffice@nls.ac.in" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">alumnioffice@nls.ac.in</a> to discuss this further. 
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Giving Month - Research and Teaching Week

Giving Month is NLSIU’s annual initiative to invite alumni support in jointly achieving the University’s development goals. Read more about Giving Month <a href="https://www.nls.ac.in/news-events/launching-alumni-giving-month-2022/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.Student Financial AidIn Academic Year 2021-22, NLSIU made the largest financial aid disbursal in the University’s history of approximately Rs 60 lakhs to 45 students. Financial aid contributions are drawn from the University Managed Funds, Alumni Contributions, CSR and Government support. These disbursals will steadily grow over the next 5 years as NLSIU admits a larger, more diverse student body as part of the University’s Inclusion and Expansion Plan. In AY 2022-23, the University estimates disbursing Rs 75 lakhs in student financial aid.While this is no small challenge, it is critical to the University’s goal to deliver a transformative educational experience irrespective of a student’s financial background. NLSIU is keen to build a culture of paying it forward, and sincerely hopes that its alumni come back to support the University and its students. This is a hallmark of great institutions around the world, and a culture of philanthropy that is long overdue in India.For Academic Year 2022-23, NLSIU is looking to raise funds to support deserving students across all the full time programs offered on campus (BA LLB, MPP, LLM and 3 year LLB). The University seeks the support of the alumni community to contribute Rs 15 lakhs towards student scholarships during Giving Month. NLSIU aims to raise Rs 3 lakhs each towards the LLM and MPP programs and Rs 9 lakhs towards the LLB programs.Please click on the “Updates” tab for more information on NLSIU’s student financial aid updates and plans, or visit the University website. This page will remain live for donations beyond Student Financial Aid Week.Donations receive 80G (India), 501(c) (3) (US) and Gift Aid (UK) exemptions. We are happy to discuss batch gifts, project-specific contributions or larger contributions (greater than Rs 15 lakhs) with appropriate donor acknowledgements. Please contact <a href="mailto:nandita.ramanathan@nls.ac.in" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">nandita.ramanathan@nls.ac.in</a> or <a href="mailto:alumnioffice@nls.ac.in" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">alumnioffice@nls.ac.in</a> to discuss this further. 
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NLSIU Giving Month - Focus Track: Student Financial Aid

Giving Month is NLSIU's annual outreach initiative to provide its alumni updates and invite their support in jointly achieving the University's development goals.NLSIU was the first National Law University established in India in 1986. The premier law school was set up with a mission to pioneer legal education reforms, and to anchor the transformation of the Indian legal system through research and policy interventions. Consequently, the NLSIU was one of the first institutions in the country to introduce the five-year integrated law degree at the undergraduate level with the commencement of the first batch in 1988. And for over 30 years now, the University has irrefutably remained a leader in the field of legal education in the country. This long-standing record has been possible due to the strong collaborations between legal academics, the Bar, the Bench and the State Government of Karnataka.

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Kalpana Srinivas

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National Law School of India University

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Nandita Ramanathan

The University’s request last year for support for student financial aid received significant interest from alumni across the globe, whether as batch groups or individual contributors, who want to connect and give back to the student community at NLSIU. ​​In 2021, alumni instituted a number of named scholarships for NLSIU students, including the Ajoy Halder THB Scholarship, Col. Prakash Manik Bhat Memorial Scholarship and the Class of 1995 Scholarship for Menon Scholars, with commitments totaling Rs 67 lakhs. The University’s first systematic alumni fundraising campaign, which aimed at raising a conservative Rs 15 lakh in three weeks, saw participation from over 50 alumni across the globe. Their cumulative contribution for student financial aid came up to Rs 15.7 lakhs. The B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) Class of 1994 set up a scholarship endowment in 2019 to commemorate 25 years of their graduation. Initially set up with a mission to help students who do not come from a privileged background over a long term horizon, the interest accruing on this endowment is applied to fund annual scholarship disbursal. The generous top-up in 2021 has taken the Class of 1994’s endowment fund to Rs 50 lakhs, the largest such endowment in the University’s history. “In the last year, the University has sent us well-captured notes and reports about the beneficiaries. The process, including formalities like getting receipts for tax certificates etc., has been seamless. These things have made it easier for alumni to connect back with the University, and participate in giving back. We believe that the spirit of coming together as a class and giving back to our alma mater makes a difference.” said Bharath Jairaj from the Class of 1994.  In 2021, the B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) Class of 1995, contributed to support one Dr N R Madhava Menon Doctoral Scholraship for PhD Students. An alumnus on behalf of the batch explained their decision, “Legal scholarship plays an immensely valuable role in shaping the rule of law. We are glad that NLSIU is making an effort to revitalise the doctoral programme by making it more inclusive and consequently more meritocratic. We feel privileged to be able to contribute towards the Dr Menon Scholarship and wish the candidates the very best.” Alumni contributions also play a role in shaping the academic rigour and output at the University, by encouraging students to remain committed towards their academic performance, without being hindered by financial constraints. Institutional support in this manner along with mentorship bolsters the students’ confidence and aligns their focus, so they are able to perform at their best and make full use of various opportunities during their programme of study. Students who are the beneficiaries of scholarships develop a strong sense of connection with the University – a connection they carry with them after graduating and which manifests in paying it forward. The Giving Month initiative showcases opportunities for alumni to connect with the various initiatives at the University and play an active role in fostering a sense of belonging in the current and forthcoming batches. Insofar as financial gifting goes, the University works with individual donors and batch groups to align University needs with donors’ giving preferences. It also offers donors flexibility on the donation amount, and timing and structuring of the contribution, with donor acknowledgement where appropriate.

Giving Back – A Bridge that connects Alumni with NLSIU

NLSIU pioneered the B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) programme to provide a strong foundation for students to commence an education in law directly after school, and for the graduates to then pursue professional pathways before courts or in private practice, research or academia. The flagship programme has delivered transformative education to 29 cohorts of students since its commencement in 1988, and the 30th batch of this flagship programme will graduate in 2022. NLSIU alumni have gone on to make a difference through their work from the Bench; as Senior Advocates and professors at universities; at law firms and as in-house counsel at companies and investment funds, by setting up their own entrepreneurial ventures, and working with non-governmental organisations in India and overseas, whether in the capacity of legal professionals or otherwise. With a view to making this transformational education accessible, the University is expanding all its full-time academic programmes in a phased manner. The B.A., LL.B (Hons.) intake will grow by 35% over the next two years in tandem with increase in faculty appointments and expansion of infrastructure, and is expected to be capped at 300 students by 2024. In AY 2022-23, NLSIU will also welcome the first batch of its 3-Year LL.B (Hons.), a post-graduate programme for graduates from all disciplines seeking a grounding in the law. In keeping with NLSIU’s unique curricular and pedagogical approach, the programme is structured around interdisciplinary study of the law combined with experiential learning to deliver a rigorous legal education. With an initial cohort of 60, the programme will scale up to 120 students and be capped there. The University has adopted an inclusion policy that ensures that students from diverse social, linguistic and economic backgrounds from across India benefit from a rigorous and transformative education. The admission process does not take into account the financial background of the applicant. It is therefore critical for us to have a robust financial aid programme to support this expanded and more diverse student body. Alumni contributions play a significant role in fortifying NLSIU’s financial aid offering. In this context, Siddharth Raja (NLS BA LLB 97), who instituted the Swaminath and Nirmala Raja scholarship in 2020, said, “The scholarship we’ve instituted complements our ‘giving back’ to our dear alma mater — indeed, it signifies the ‘squaring’ of the circle, in my view, of all my teaching contributions to NLSIU over the years.” He has set up the scholarship programme along with his wife, Priya Rao, who is also an NLS alumna from the B.A., LL.B (Hons.) batch of 2000. The Swaminath and Nirmala Raja scholarship for AY 2021-22 is awarded to Devansh Shukla, currently in the second year of his undergraduate studies. With the pandemic affecting the family’s income, Devansh required financial support to continue his studies. “I used to be a science nerd, always in search of the ‘correct’ answer. My time at NLS has taught me that in the real world, more often than not, there are no correct answers. There is a good solution and then there is always a better solution. I have finally begun to appreciate that perfection is not a destination but a journey. The scholarship has truly motivated me. I draw inspiration from Mr Siddharth Raja. I aspire to accomplish something beyond just academics and a professional life. Giving back to the community is always on my mind,” Devansh shared. During Giving Month, NLSIU seeks to raise Rs 9 lakhs in LLB scholarships from alumni.

Financial Aid for LLB programmes at NLSIU

NLSIU offers two advanced post-graduate programmes, the Master of Law (LLM) and Master of Public Policy (MPP). By attracting talented individuals, who want to participate in making a difference in the law and policy landscape in the country, these programmes are vital to the University’s contribution to Indian legal profession and policy making, as well as nurturing the interdisciplinary pedagogy at the University. We are committed to strengthening the corpus for need-based financial aid for these programmes to ensure that no student has to compromise on their opportunity to study at the University. Pursuing Postgraduate Studies in LawThe LLM at NLSIU was first offered in 1991 and the 30th cohort from the programme will graduate in 2023. In 2013, the two-year LL.M programme was changed to a one-year programme that allowed mid/ early career professionals to complete the degree and return to practice or commence teaching within a shorter time frame. The programme receives tremendous interest from young LLB graduates and lawyers with experience in the profession from across the country. This academic year, the University has revised the structure of the LL.M programmme to offer students greater flexibility in choosing courses from a wide array of electives, which are offered in classes held jointly with the B.A., LL.B (Hons,) students. Two additional core courses ‘Foundations of Private Law’ and ‘Interface between law and society’ have been introduced for all LL.M students.“Scholarships play a significant role in improving the overall output of the University. By taking away the financial burden, it encourages students, who may not otherwise have had the opportunity to benefit from NLSIU’s academic rigour. With students coming from diverse backgrounds and perspectives, the value of peer-to-peer interaction in the LLM programme is also elevated,” explained Prof. Someshekar, Chairperson, Post Graduate and Doctoral Council. As expected from an advanced degree programme, alumni from our LL.M programme teach at all leading Indian law universities and faculties, and hold senior posts within a growing number of these universities. Alumni are judges and judicial officers in various courts across the country, and practice before the Supreme Court of India and High Courts in all Indian states, with chambers undertaking civil, criminal and specialist work. Apart from setting up their own firms, LLM alumni are also partners at India’s leading law firms, hold leadership positions with in-house legal teams in India and abroad, and senior positions with national regulators such as the CCI. Read our full interview with Sriraj Venkatasamy (LLM 2009), who is currently serving as the Joint Director (Law) and in-charge of the Regional Office (South), CCI. Students Speak | LLM Alumnus on his NLSIU experience Kiran Gopi (LLM 2021)Litigator, High Court of KeralaKiran Gopi is the first in his family to pursue law and works as a litigator before the High Court of Kerala. After graduating from the Government Law College Trivandrum, Kerala, he was keen on pursuing his Master’s at a National Law University. His aspirations landed him at the gates of NLSIU, where, upon admission, he received the ‘Top Class Education Scholarship,’ offered by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to 1500 students every year across the country’s leading educational institutions. “The exposure that NLSIU gave me is what I value the most, and I advise many of my juniors to pursue their legal studies at an NLU, as it helps raise their overall standards as a professional. Yes, I had financial constraints, and was apprehensive about asking my parents for college fees, so the scholarship made all the difference in my life. While the application process was a bit daunting, the University helped me through it and even followed it up to ensure that I didn’t miss the deadline,” he said. Studying Public Policy at NLSIUThe Master of Public Policy programme has grown from strength-to-strength from its inception in 2014, and successive batches have seen applications from sciences, engineering, finance, accounting, law and management graduates and professionals. The two-year residential programme selects and trains a diverse group of young graduates in the tools and techniques of public policy making, imbued with Constitutional values of plurality, diversity and liberty. MPP graduates are capable of supporting inclusive and sustainable development focusing on the interface between policy and law. As a part of the programme, students participate in a Client-Led Project programme, where they spend three weeks in a community supported by grassroots organisations to facilitate core industry experiential learning and develop hands-on understanding of social and political factors that influence policy design and implementation. Director of the Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy (CSSEIP) at NLSIU and MPP Faculty, Dr. Sony Pellissery said, “The MPP programme shines a spotlight on the importance of interdisciplinarity at the University. We have seen that the students who come to study public policy are keen on creating an impact in society. There is a clear intention to work on a broader societal goal.” MPP alumni have gone on to contribute to the larger discourse of public good, by participating in policy design and implementation at various levels of public-private engagement as including with international organisations such as the The World Bank, consultants to state governments (including the governments of Telangana, Meghalaya, Karnataka and the union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change) and central regulators and industry bodies such as the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub and NASSCOM. MPP alumni have also joined the private sector, in leadership roles in policy teams of Indian corporates, government advisory roles in the big four audit firms and managerial roles. Others have opted to teach, pursue research degrees, undertake research at thinktanks and foundations, and a few graduates have also set up their own organisations. Financial aid for the MPP programme enables and encourages students who are on this journey. In the last academic year, NLSIU disbursed Rs 11 lakhs in MPP scholarships to eight students from seven states across the country. Students Speak | MPP Scholar shares her journeySuman Kasana Second Year, MPP Suman is actively involved in the Regulatory Governance Project as a Student Researcher and has been elected by her fellow students as the Chairperson of the MPP Student Council. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Shri Ram College of Commerce. Talking about how she got interested in the MPP programme, she said, “My story is well reflected in the story of my district, Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan. Once infamous for its low female literacy and high incidence of child marriage, the district has recently been hailed for making strides in improving the sex ratio and increasing access to education for the girl child, so much so that PM Modi started the second phase of ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ here. Having grown up in such a society naturally exposes you to the social evils and the role public policy can play in overcoming these socio-economic issues. This has been my inspiration! Just knowing that the University administration, especially the finance and financial aid teams are there to support us, is in itself a relief for students coming from marginalised backgrounds. This has not only helped me financially, but also ensured that I remained focused on my academics, with the knowledge that my learning is not compromised due to difficult financial circumstances.” During Giving Month, the University is looking to raise Rs 3 lakhs each towards scholarships for the LLM and MPP programmes.

Advanced Degrees at NLSIU

NLSIU ​​aims to ensure that students from diverse social, linguistic and economic backgrounds from across India benefit from its rigorous and transformative education. To that extent, the University, as a part of its inclusion policy, is dedicated to offering financial and academic support programmes to its students. NLSIU is committed to supporting every student admitted to its programmes in continuing their education irrespective of their financial background and constraints. The University has simplified the process for donors to identify opportunities to support and has enhanced transparency in the process. We have also streamlined donor engagement with clear and simple processes, including digitally signed contracts, digital platforms for fund transfers, and annual fund utilisation reports and updates from scholarship beneficiaries. These developments have also made batch scholarships easier to coordinate and execute. In 2021-22, NLSIU disbursed financial aid of approximately Rs 75 lakhs to 40 students across its B.A., LL.B (Hons.), LL.M, MPP and Ph.D programmes. This is, notably, the largest financial aid disbursal in the University’s history. Students received support through one or more of the following: tuition aid, residence aid, stipend and loan interest support. The annual fees for all our full-time residential programmes is approximately Rs. 3 lakhs per student (this covers tuition, residence and related student expenses). The average family income for financial aid recipients was below Rs 3 lakhs per annum, with over 50% of recipients receiving 100% tuition aid or more. <h2>Named Alumni Scholarships</h2>In 2021, a number of alumni instituted named scholarships, including:<ul><li>Col. Prakash Manik Bhat Memorial Scholarship instituted by Aditya Vikram Bhat, NLS ‘LLB 2003</li><li>Ajoy Halder THB Scholarship instituted by the class of 2004</li><li>Class of 1995 support to Dr Menon PhD Scholarship (2021-2024)</li></ul> In 2021 alone, by way of named scholarships, alumni made annual commitments of Rs 15 lakhs per annum to be disbursed over the next 3-5 years. Additionally, alumni contributed Rs 15.7 lakhs during the University’s financial aid drive in July-August 2021, which was the first time NLSIU ran a systematic fundraising campaign. “The NLS community thrives on its collective ability to turn adversity into opportunity and this annual financial aid drive is another opportunity for us to demonstrate the special character of this community,” Vice Chancellor Dr. Sudhir Krishnaswamy expressed. With a larger and more diverse student body coming in to commence their studies in AY 2022-23, NLSIU estimates disbursing Rs 90 lakhs in financial aid next year. Alumni are best placed to understand the significance of supporting deserving students to access quality education, since they have witnessed the long-term benefits of a transformative NLSIU education. Alumni who received financial support during their own education play a key role in paying it forward and supporting deserving students at NLSIU. During Giving Month, the University is looking to raise Rs 15 lakhs in student financial aid for AY 2022-23 – Rs 9 lakhs towards the LLB programmes and Rs 3 lakhs each towards the LLM and MPP programmes.

NLSIU’s Commitment to Student Financial Aid

One of the fundamental tenets of providing transformational education at NLSIU is ensuring inclusivity on campus. The University endeavours to provide every student with a safe space along with opportunities to thrive. As a starting point, the process of admission into the University can offer access to our classrooms to a wider set of students. As part of the NLSIU Inclusion and Expansion Plan 2021-25, the University will admit students from various marginalized and disadvantaged sections while expanding the overall University student intake in a phased manner. Over the next three academic years, the University will implement its new inclusion policy that provides for reservations. On a vertical basis, 15% seats will be reserved for students from Scheduled Caste families, 7.5% for students from Scheduled Tribe families, 27% for Other Backward Classes and 10% seats for students from Economically Weaker Sections. On a horizontal basis across all seats, 5% of all intake will be reserved for Persons with Disability 25% for students with Karnataka domicile and 30% for women students. Once the vertical categories are filled, the horizontal categories will be applied for the final selection. NLSIU’s efforts at inclusivity for diversity take various forms including active academic and wellbeing measures, facilitated both through faculty and peer support. Registrar Dr. Nigam Nuggehalli explained, “At NLSIU, we are conscious about the fact that students come from diverse academic and cultural backgrounds, into a fairly competitive environment. It is natural that some students will need reassurance and support. We want to ensure that students who enter the law college ecosystem are able to thrive. We view diversity as an opportunity to do things differently, because every student has something unique to offer.” As we are set to welcome a larger student body in the coming years, their learning environment has to be made vibrant and supportive both within and outside the classroom. A few initiatives which have been rolled out on this front already are: Financial AidNLSIU is committed to ensuring that no student admitted to any of our programmes should have to discontinue their education because of financial constraints. Over the last two years, the University has strengthened financial aid for deserving students through the institution of several privately-funded and alumni-funded scholarships. In 2021, NLSIU made the largest financial aid disbursal in the University’s history. The disbursal amounted to approximately Rs 60 lakhs that benefitted 45 students in the B.A., LL.B., (Hons.), LL.M and MPP programmes. Office of Student AffairsThe University set up the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) in early 2020. Student Welfare Officer Apoorva Gupta, supervises the activities of the OSA, which was instrumental in the University’s support for students during the pandemic. On the objectives of setting up this Office, Dr. Nigam said, “Understanding and responding to student needs, be it academic, cultural or extra-curricular, requires institutional support. The OSA acts as a bridge between students and faculty; and among students. Over the last year, it has rolled out a wide range of counselling services for students, both remotely and in-person. Giving voice to student concerns that may not have found the right platform earlier, the OSA has made NLSIU a vibrant and inclusive space, where students feel comfortable to discuss concerns as well as promote and encourage common interests.” Endeavour ProgrammeLast year, the University launched an educational support programme to assist students who need academic and personal support to aid their academic progress. The programme engages students individually to enhance core academic skills and provide curricular and extra-curricular support where needed, and to ensure that all students can benefit from the transformative potential of an NLSIU education. The 10-month programme aligns with the academic year and follows a systematic approach where students have regular meetings with the Student Welfare Officer to develop an individualised programme, with the Vice-Chancellor to share their progress, with a faculty member who is the Academic Counsellor, and the SBA Mentor (designated students) to enable peer-to-peer support and guidance. This is augmented by a 9-month long writing programme, mental health support and extra-curricular research projects. Equal Opportunity CellNLSIU has a zero-tolerance policy towards discrimination. The Equal Opportunity Cell (EOC) has been set up to monitor our adherence to these standards, particularly relating to marginalisation and exclusion of minority groups, including those based on caste, religion, ethnicity, sexuality and gender. The EOC also proactively works on discrimination policies, grievance redressal procedures, and sensitisation programmes for the NLSIU community. The committee constitutes faculty members Prof. Babu Mathew as Convener, Dr. Nagarathna A and Ms. Sharadha Shinde. Student Initiatives for Peer SupportNLSIU boasts of a host of student-led initiatives and clubs that have been formed on campus, many of which are aligned with contemporary issues, concerns and interests. Activities organised by these clubs allow students to discover community on campus, and membership can be a formative experience in collective advocacy. Among the student committees are the Academic Support Programme (ASP), NLS Queer Alliance (NLSQA) and the Savitri Phule Ambedkar Caravan (SPAC).Other student committees too have been actively looking to encourage broad-based participation. Discussing how the Moot Court Society (MCS) has taken measures to facilitate widening of their pool of students, faculty advisor for MCS, Raag Yadava (BA LLB 2013) said, “Mooting has always had this reputation of being an elitist activity. We are working to make it more accessible for students from varied backgrounds. This academic year, for the first time at NLSIU, we introduced a structured mentorship programme to help students prepare and improve their skills for moots.” Digital Scholarship ProgrammeIn an accessibility measure that goes beyond the campus, this year, the Library will launch its Digital Scholarship Programme which will offer need-based scholarships to 100 deserving candidates across the country to access digital resources on an annual basis.

Inclusivity and Diversity at NLSIU

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