South India has one the best colleges of law in the country. It is the School of Law, Christ University (SLCU), Bengaluru. This is part of Christ University, which was founded and is administered by Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI).
The university has a long history. Christ (a deemed university) was born out of the educational vision of St Kuriakose Elias Chavara, an educationalist and social reformer of the nineteenth century in South India. He founded the first Catholic indigenous congregation, Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI), in 1831 which administers Christ.
Christ was established as Christ College in 1969. It undertook path-breaking initiatives in Indian higher education with the introduction of innovative and modern curricula, insistence on academic discipline, imparting of holistic education and the adoption of global higher education practices.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) of India conferred autonomy to Christ College in 2004 and identified it as an Institution with Potential for Excellence in 2006. In 2008 under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, the Ministry of Human Resource Development of the Government of India, declared the institution a Deemed to be University.
Christ is one of the first institutions in India to be accredited in 1998 by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). Christ is currently accredited with an A+ Grade. The University is ranked among top 100 universities in India at 67 in the NIRF India Ranking 2023 of Ministry of Education, Government of India.
THE SCHOOL OF LAW
Within the massive superstructure of this university is its reputable school of law, which offers undergraduate, post-graduate and doctoral programmes as per the guidelines of the Bar Council of India and the University Grants Commission. This school has a flexible curriculum, offering several options in different areas of specialization.
The university itself is a multi-disciplinary institution which focuses on teaching, research and service. It offers Bachelor, Master and Doctoral programmes in humanities, social sciences, sciences, commerce, management, engineering, architecture, education, and law to about 30,000 students.
The University offers its programmes at four campus locations in Bangalore in Karnataka, at Lavasa in Pune in Maharashtra, and Ghaziabad in Delhi-NCR.
The campus is a living example of harmonious multiculturalism with students from all the states and union territories and around 60 different countries. Christ publishes six peer-reviewed research journals and has published more than 300 books in Kannada and English. A promoter of sports, music and literary activities, it is a nurturing ground for creative excellence.
LAW COURSE PROGRAMMES
The programmes offered at the School of Law incorporate a number of special opportunities such as internships, clinical programme, supervisory research and writing. In order to promote interaction between students and legal professionals, seminars, guest lectures and workshops are conducted on various subjects of law at regular intervals. In addition to the mandatory courses spanning across a ten-semester programme, the School of Law has also introduced numerous other value-added courses and programmes for the benefit of students.
Special Characteristics
- One of the most preferred law schools in India.
- Best faculty-student ratio in the country.
- One of the most resourceful law libraries in the country.
- Inter-disciplinary holistic and dynamic approach to learning.
- Continuous industry-academia institution interface.
- Innovative learning methods are adopted.
- Opportunity for students to attend summer internships in foreign universities.
- Opportunity to interact with faculties from foreign universities.
- Inculcating social responsibility in students through village visits and working with NGOs.
Dean’s Observations
Here are some critical observations from the Dean of the institution, Dr Jayadevan S. Nair:
“…its five-year law programme has carved a space for itself in the top league of premier law schools in India. The school moulds its students through a combination of exposure to the advanced syllabus, clinical legal education programmes, and faculty monitored participation in curricular and extra-curricular activities.
“The syllabus for the five-year programme goes far beyond the basic requirements of the Bar Council of India reflecting the current trends and demands of academia and the industry.
“The commitment to excel is evident in the challenging yet smooth transition to the online mode of education in the wake of the adversities thrown up by the pandemic.”
The Programmes
- Bachelor of Law (BA LLB) (Honours) (Bangalore Central Campus).
- Bachelor of Law (BA LLB) (Honours) (Delhi-NCR Off Campus).
- Bachelor of Law (BA LLB) (Honours) (Pune Lavasa Off Campus).
- Bachelor of Law (BBA LLB) (Honours) (Bangalore Central Campus).
- Bachelor of Law (BBA LLB) (Honours) (Delhi-NCR Off Campus).
- Bachelor of Law (BBA LLB) (Honours) (Pune Lavasa Off Campus).