Maharashtra National Law University, Nagpur (MNLU) (also known as National Law University, Nagpur or NLU Nagpur) is a
National Law University and a
publiclaw school established by the government through the Maharashtra National Law University Act (Maharashtra Act No. VI of 2014).[6] The university is the 19th
National Law University established in India and is located in the Orange City of
Nagpur, Maharashtra.[7] Hon'ble Supreme Court Justice
Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai serves as the chancellor of the institution.[8]
History
The demand for the establishment of a National Law University was the oldest among all national level institutions like IIM, IIIT, AIIMS, and NIPER in Vidarbha which is considered as a backward region of Maharashtra.[9] Nagpur was the first to be tipped to get the State's First National Law University when its demand was endorsed by dignitaries which included Then-President
Pratibha Patil, Chief Justice
Mohit Shah and then Chief Minister
Prithviraj Chavan during High Court Bar Association's (HCBA) Platinum Jubilee celebrations in February 2011.[10] But due to some unidentified reasons, the proposal failed to move further. Ex-High Court Bar Association President Mr. Anil Mardikar first raised the demand on February 6, 2011 for an NLU in Nagpur.[11] But The Maharashtra Government shifted The Institute to Mumbai as revealed by then Minister Of State
DP Sawant.[12] The High Court Bar Association of Nagpur and District Bar Association of Nagpur staged protests and even filed a PIL in
Nagpur High Court against this move.[13] The Government was forced to allow the establishment of an NLU in Nagpur.[14] The Bill to govern NLUs was tabled in the Nagpur session of the assembly in 2013 for the first time.[15] The State Assembly passed the Maharashtra National Law University Act (Maharashtra Act No. VI of 2014) paving way for the establishment of The Institution.[16] The
Chief Justice of India appointed
Justice Sharad Bobde as the first Chancellor for MNLU Nagpur and District judge Dr. N.M Sakharkar was appointed as the Officer On Special Duty (OSD) and the Registrar of the university.[17]
Academics and research
The university has twenty-eight centres for advanced legal studies and research to address the socio-legal issues and challenges and to conduct research on thriving issues of law, social science and humanities. These centres offer courses, conduct seminars, conferences, and training programs for the identified target groups.[18]
The university has inked Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with prominent law universities of the country for the purpose of academic collaboration that will encompass exchange of students and members of faculty between the two universities, etc. The university has inked MoUs and collaborations with the following institutions[20]
The university's library has physical copies of over 35,000 legal titles. It has received various donations prominently from Bombay High Court Library (Nagpur Bench) for its development. The university also has access to various physical and virtual legal databases.[22]
Activities
The university offers
B.A.LL.B. (Hons.) Five-Year Integrated Degree Programme [120 seats],
B.A.LL.B. (Hons.) in Adjudication and Justicing Five-Year Integrated Degree Programme [60 seats],
B.B.A.L.L.B (Hons.) Five-Year Integrated Degree Programme [60 seats], One-Year
LL.M. Postgraduate Degree Programme,
Doctor of law (Ph.D.) Programme, Short-term diplomas and certificate courses in law[23] The university also hosts cultural fest sanskrotsav and annual Intra sport event sportacus.
Publications
MNLU Contemporary Law Review (CLR)
MNLU Student Law Review
MNLU Journal of Social Sciences
MNLU Journal on International Law
MNLU Journal on Taxation Laws
MNLU Journal on Arbitration
MNLU Journal of law and economics
Admissions
The admissions to the university are done on merit ranking based on the
Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) of India which is a centralized test for admission to 24
National Law Universities in India. The eligibility is as per the CLAT Notification.[24] The acceptance rate is less than five percent with sixty thousand applicants applying for 180 seats [120 seats for B.A. LL.B.(Hons.) and 60 seats for B.B.A. LL.B.(Hons.)].[25]
A separate admission process including group discussion and personal interview is carried out for selecting students for The B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) in Adjudication and Justicing Programme which is a Five-Year Integrated Degree Course.
Shri Manan Kumar Mishra, Sr. Advocate and chairman, Bar Council of India, New Delhi
Dr Himanshu Pandey, associate professor of law, Head Centre for Corporate Law and Governance, MNLU, Nagpur
Registrar, ex-officio Secretary
Student Life
Lawkriti
Lawkriti is the cultural fest of the university, the fest stretches for a week where various fun and enthusiastic student activities takes place like quiz, debate, music, dance, poetry, drama takes place on each day with a different theme.
The new building would be a completely green one with state-of-art facilities for students and staff with
GRIHA Certification.[36] It would have a ‘Museum Of Law’ along with a health and wellness centre to help nearby villagers.[37] The campus will follow Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) norms. It will have solar panels to produce energy, and food would be cooked on it.[38] All classrooms will be embedded with information and communication technology.[39] The first phase of the construction has been done. Construction of the second and third phase of the campus is expected to complete to soon.[40] MNLU Nagpur is envisioned to have the most beautiful campus in the country.[41] MNLU Nagpur is expected to have the best in class infrastructure along with various amenities and facilities which include the country's first museum of law and a Hostel for the LGBT community.[42][43][44]