The National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS) (earlier National Institute for Advanced Legal Studies) is a uni-disciplinary university in Kochi, India for undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate legal education.
NUALS was established to advance and disseminate learning and knowledge of law and legal processes, to develop scholarship and a sense of responsibility towards society and to promote legal and judicial reforms to strengthen the administration of justice in India. The Chief Justice of India is the Visitor, the Chief Justice of the High Court of Kerala is the Chancellor, and the
Minister for Education, Kerala state is the Pro-Chancellor of the University.
History
The National University of Advanced Legal Studies was established by the National University of Advanced Legal Studies Act, 2005 which merged the erstwhile National Institute for Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), earlier established and managed by the Bar Council of Kerala and Bar Council of Kerala Trust. Dr. K. G. Balakrishnan, then Chief Justice, Supreme Court of India and Visitor, NUALS, dedicated it to the nation on 7 January 2006.[1] Kochi was found to be the ideal location to set up the first national law school in Kerala since it is the seat of the High Court of Kerala and Lakshadweep.[2]
Initially the university functioned from Kaloor, Kochi. It now functions from its permanent campus in KINFRA Hi-Tech Park, at Kalamassery. The campus is on 10 acres (40,000 m2) of land taken on lease for 90 years from KINFRA and is nearer to Nedumbassery, where the Kochi International Airport is located.
New campus at Kinfra Hi-Tech Park, Kalamassery
Extent of campus : 9.97 acres
Number of buildings : 7
Hostel for boys of 2,135 m2 with 35 rooms (each for up to three students)
Hostel for girls of 1,718 m2 with 35 rooms (each for up to three students)
School of Professional Education (SCOPE) of 4,718 m2 in five storeys.
Staff apartment block of 11,459 m2 (three three-bedroom apartments and six two-bedroom apartments)
Amenities Centre of 1,376 m2 (two-storeyed building with a plinth area of 1,376 m2 and an auditorium on the second floor)
Moot Court Society, Legal Aid Clinic, Law and Economic Forum, Quiz Club, Debate and Seminar Forum, and the Law and Society Forum function under the guidance of teachers.
Centres
The University has thirteen centres for study and research. They are:
Centre for Law and Environment.
Centre for Law and Development.
Centre for Law and Agriculture.
Inter-Disciplinary Centre for Police Studies.
Centre for Parliamentary Studies and Law Reforms.
Centre for Continuing Legal Education and Extension.
Centre for Consumer Protection Law and Policy.
Inter-Disciplinary Centre for Social Justice.
Centre for Intellectual Property Rights
Centre for Human Rights
Centre for Law and Economics
Centre for Health and Law
Centre for Woman and Family Studies
Curriculum
The Bar Council of India has recommended 38 subjects (including four training courses) for the five-year LLB course. With its Choice Based Credit System completely revamped, from Academic Year 2015-16 onward, students at NUALS will study 60 subjects for their B.A.LL.B. (Hons) Course.
The students are required to conduct Legal Aid camps and Legal Aid clinics in selected villages in Kerala.
Course structure
Maritime Law, Medical Jurisprudence, Law and Medicine, Law and Forensic Science, etc. are some of the specialised subjects taught by experts in the field. The students are also given exposure to socially relevant subjects like, Cyber law and E-Governance, Energy Law, Media and the Law, Environment and Law, Securities Law, Competition Law, Investment Arbitration, etc.
Syllabus
The syllabus of NUALS was drafted under the leadership of former director of NUALS (then NIALS), Prof Dr. K.N.Chandrasekharan Pillai, the former director of the Indian Law Institute, New Delhi. The syllabus introduces subjects relevant to the study of law but never incorporated hitherto in the syllabi of Indian law schools.
Faculty
Faculty members have published books on subjects of their specialization, which include Electronic Signatures, Indian history, legal language etc. They also have paper publications to their credit in law journals in the country. A majority of the faculty belong to the Bar and are advocates in the High Court and lower courts.
Guest lecturers and visiting faculty are part of the extended family of NUALS. They include Supreme Court lawyers, scientists, medical professionals, Heads of Departments of other Universities, and Professors from foreign Universities.
Notable visiting faculty
Sebastian Paul - Doctorate in the Law of Press; Former Member of Indian Parliament.
Tie-ups and exchange programmes
Student-Teacher Exchange Programme with University of Paris – Nanterre, France.
Exchange Programme and Scholarship with Albert-Ludwigs University, Germany.
Approved by Supreme Court in the panel of National Law Schools
Achievements
Runners-up at the Stetson International Environmental Moot Court Competition, 2007 (National Round) and represented India at Stetson, Florida, USA[3]
Winners at the 2nd Surana and Surana Trial Moot Court Competition, 2006
Winners at the ULC Bangalore National Moot Court Competition, 2006[5]
LL.M. programme
NUALS runs an LL.M. programme in International Trade Law and in Constitutional and Administrative Law. From academic year 2011-12, the admission is through the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) conducted by the consortium of National Law Universities.
