NLSIU to admit 25% students through Karnataka domicile reservation as part of Inclusion and Expansion Plan 2021-25 [Read Policy]

As part of its 'Inclusion and Expansion Plan 2021-25,' National Law School of India University (NLSIU) Bangalore has horizontally reserved 25% of its seats for students domiciled in Karnataka..The governing bodies of the University approved the plan in April/May this year, even as litigation pertaining to the domicile reservation move remains pending before the Supreme Court..The Plan was put in place with a view to increasing diversity at NLSIU by admitting students from various marginalized and disadvantaged sections of Indian society. Also envisioned is an increase in the annual intake of students..For the upcoming 2021-22 academic year, the intake has been increased to 120 students for the five-year BA LL.B programme, with the following breakup:.“Karnataka Students” have been defined as candidates who have studied for not less than 10 years in a recognized educational institution in Karnataka..5% of the seats (6 seats) will be reserved horizontally for persons with disabilities, not to mention a number of seats for the Non-Resident Indian (NRI) and Foreign National categories..As per the Plan, the University aims to expand its intake to 2,200 students across all programmes, by 2028-29. The following will be the breakup in the future:5-year BA LLB. – 1500 studentsLL.M. – 120 studentsMPP – 240 students.Another initiative is to "reinvent the 3 year LLB programme using NLSIU’s unique curricular and pedagogical approach to legal education." Under this programme, 360 students will be admitted by academic year 2025-26..NLSIU is also looking to expand its reservation for various categories over the next four academic years. In addition to existing reservation for Scheduled Caste (15%), Scheduled Tribe (7.5%), Persons with Disabilities (5%) and Karnataka domicile (25% horizontal), the University plans to introduce reservation for Other Backward Classes (27%), Economically Weaker Sections (10%), and Women (30%).Stronger scholarship policies and academic support programmes are also envisioned under the Plan..The University has also stated that it is developing online and hybrid educational content in order to introduce several courses for pre-law, law students and professionals..Apart from these changes, NLSIU is looking to boost faculty and research by maintaining a teacher-student ratio of 1:15 and by recruiting researchers to support and build on faculty research. The five "research clusters" that are being developed are Law, Technology and Society, Labour and Work, State Capacity and Reform, Justice and Legal System Reform and Climate Justice..In view of its plans to increase intake, the University is aiming to expand its infrastructural facilities. In order to obtain funding for the same,"The Plan will utilize fee revenues from on-campus and off-campus academic programmes and research grants to provide for annual revenue expenditure. Further, the University will need to raise capital grants from the government, philanthropists, alumni and businesses to successfully implement this Plan.".In September last year, the Karnataka High Court had quashed the 25% domicile reservation introduced by the University. This verdict has been challenged before the Supreme Court, claiming that the High Court erred in observing that NLSIU is not a State institution and that it is not within the control of the State..Two judges - Justices UU Lalit and Abdul Nazeer have recused from hearing the case, which was last listed before Justices L Nageswara Rao and Vineet Saran in April. The matter is likely to come up for hearing on July 2..[Read the NLSIU Inclusion and Expansion Plan 2021-25]