Meet Our New Director – PACE | Vikas Chaturvedi

We extend a warm welcome to Mr. Vikas Chaturvedi who joins us as Director – Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) at NLSIU. PACE offers 10 online and hybrid programmes across various domains of the law to as wide a range of learners as possible. It also offers Executive Education programmes in hybrid, online, and in-person formats.

Vikas Chaturvedi has nearly three decades of experience across higher education, management consulting and line roles in consumer products.

In his previous role at IIM Ahmedabad, Vikas was the COO for their Executive Education programmes and the Director for the Dubai centre. In all the years of Vikas’s tenure, IIMA executive education led positions in FT rankings.

Vikas has also worked at Gallup, where he held key roles such as senior practice leader in Asia. His role involved strategic planning and organic growth consulting and advising blue-chip client management teams across the Asia-Pacific region and the Middle East. At Gallup, Vikas worked with leadership teams across 120 firms worldwide.

He regularly represented IIMA and Gallup at key forums and is a published author for Gallup. He has also been published in The Economic Times and HT Mint.

Vikas has a Bachelor’s degree in History from St. Stephen’s College in Delhi, a Master’s Degree in Behavioural Science from the London School of Economics & Political Science, and an MBA from Pittsburg State University, USA.

Vikas enjoys long drives, reading, and is a lifelong fan of the Chelsea football club.

He can be reached at .

Call for Applications | Assistant Professor – Law (2-Year Contract)

The National Law School of India University (NLSIU) invites applications from well-qualified individuals, dedicated to academic teaching, scholarship and institutional service for the following position:

  • Assistant Professor (Law) (2-Year Contract) | 10 Vacancies (Unreserved)
    Subjects: All major Law subjects including Family Law, Labour Law, Legal Theory, Law and Technology, Civil Procedure, Contracts, Property, Criminal Law, Torts, Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, Intellectual Property Rights, Company Law, Public International Law, Human Rights, Jurisprudence, Environmental Law, Taxation Law, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Conflict of Laws, Financial Sector Regulation, International Trade Law, Professional Ethics.

About the Role

Assistant Professors (Contract) are full-time members of University departments/faculties. They will join an inter-disciplinary, intellectually stimulating environment and collaborate with highly accomplished colleagues for research and teaching.

Duties and responsibilities

  • To teach undergraduate and/or graduate courses.
  • To design and deliver lectures or classes during term time to undergraduates and/or graduates; and to produce lecture notes, course materials, and reading lists as required and set and grade assignments and exams. In addition, to design and deliver lectures and classes over the year in the University’s Professional and Continuing Education department.
  • To hold consultation with students and provide feedback on their work.
  • To liaise, as required, with other faculty teaching the subject.
  • To undertake an appropriate share of other Faculty administrative duties, dependent on career stage, including service on committees.
  • To participate in the governance, intellectual life, and academic activities of the University.

Selection Criteria

The application will be judged only against the criteria which are set out below. You should ensure that your application shows clearly how your skills and experience meet these criteria. NLSIU is an equal opportunity employer, and we value diversity at our institution.

Essential Qualifications

  • A master’s degree with at least 55% marks (or an equivalent grade in a point-scale, wherever the grading system is followed). A relaxation of 5% may be provided at the graduate and master’s level for the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, and Differently abled categories for the purpose of eligibility and for assessing good academic record during direct recruitment to teaching positions.
  • Communication, interpersonal, time management and organizational skills necessary to undertake pastoral care and administration for both undergraduate and graduate students and the ability to work with students from diverse backgrounds to enable them to reach their full potential.

Desirable Qualifications

  • Candidates who have published in high-quality academic journals will be preferred.
  • Candidates with demonstrated academic excellence in their University education will be preferred.
  • Candidates should demonstrate evidence of the skills needed for higher education teaching and a research record commensurate with the stage of their career.
  • Candidates should demonstrate their commitment to the University’s goals and objectives.

How to apply

Interested candidates are required to submit applications through online mode only by completing the Application Form and uploading copies of all required certificates. Without these certificates, the application form will not be considered. Your application must include:

  1. A statement of purpose of not more than 800 words.
  2. A full CV that includes a publications list.
  3. A sample or samples or written work, published or unpublished (co-authored pieces should be identified as such). In the case of pieces of written work exceeding 20,000 words, candidates should indicate which part or parts they wish to draw to the attention of the selection committee.
  4. Details of two referees.

The last date to submit applications for all positions is April 25, 2025 (5 PM). View the official notification.

Note: Only applications that are submitted through the successful completion and submission of the applicable Google form before the stated deadline will be considered.

 

“Be A Durga” Handbook Release | Legal Services Clinic in collaboration with Durga India

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the Legal Services Clinic (LSC), a student run committee at NLSIU, released the updated edition of the “Be A Durga” handbook in collaboration with Durga India (a not-for-profit organisation) on March 8,  2025. Designed as an accessible and practical legal resource, the handbook aims to equip women with the knowledge and tools needed to understand, navigate, and assert their rights in the face of gender-based violence.

Members of the LSC also visited Durga India’s office in Bengaluru for the official launch of the handbook and discussed further potential collaboration. Originally published in 2020, “Be A Durga” was conceived as a guide to help individuals—particularly women—navigate the complex legal systems surrounding violence and harassment. The 2025 edition has been significantly updated to reflect recent legal reforms, including the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). To improve accessibility and ease of understanding, the handbook has been restructured into a thematic FAQ-based format, covering legal protections in public, private, and digital spaces.

Reflecting on this initiative, LSC said: “With its use of simple language, minimal legal jargon, and engaging illustrations, the handbook serves as a user-friendly tool for survivors, support providers, and community advocates alike. This initiative would not have been possible without the invaluable partnership with Durga India, led by Priya Varadarajan, whose insights and expertise were instrumental throughout the project.

The Legal Services Clinic also gratefully acknowledges the academic mentorship of Aishwarya Birla, Assistant Professor of Law, NLSIU and Malini Chidambaram, (former) Assistant Professor of Law, NLSIU and extends heartfelt thanks to the team of contributors and design volunteers who brought the handbook to life.”

Looking ahead, LSC and Durga India plan to translate the handbook into Kannada and distribute it widely within local communities, furthering their shared mission of legal empowerment and gender justice.

Sustainable Solutions: NLSIU Collaborates with BWSSB for Water Conservation

With temperatures soaring in the city, the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) continues to take measures to utilise its water resources sustainably and efficiently.

Given the vast expanse of our campus, adequate water is essential for the upkeep of lush green areas and campus facilities, spread across 23 acres. Of the 12,000 sqm of redeveloped area on campus, an estimated 6,000 sqm is covered by the garden area – this includes the library precinct, the amphitheatre, along with the area surrounding the four halls of residence.

To strengthen its ongoing water conservation activities, the University has collaborated with the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to provide the University with a regular supply of treated water. This treated water is being used for gardening purposes so as to reduce the burden on other sources of water, primarily our borewells.

The University has taken all necessary infrastructural measures for the storage and distribution of the treated water. This supports our gardening team in tending to the campus flora without hampering the availability of water to the wider NLSIU Community for their essential daily needs. With this arrangement, the University has been able to regulate and manage the supply of water in houses (for drinking and bathing purposes), comprising approximately 1600 NLS community members.

This collaboration marks a significant step in our consistent efforts to continue keeping the NLSIU campus green and sustainable.

To read more about our recent sustainability initiatives on campus, click here.

 

Gallery

Reflections from ‘Maps of Memory: Reimagining South Asian Histories through the Uma Chakravarti Collection’

The National Law School of India University’s Law and Society Archives launched ‘Maps of Memory: The Uma Chakravarti Collection‘, a landmark exhibition that brought together feminist and democratic histories from across South Asia. Hosted at the Bangalore International Centre from March 29 to April 6, the exhibition featured archival fragments—posters, photographs, films, and documents—that traced networks of activism, solidarity, and political imagination from the mid-20th century onwards.

Curated by NLSIU faculty members Diya Deviah and Ammel Sharon, the exhibition drew from the personal  collection of renowned historian, filmmaker and activist Dr. Uma Chakravarti. It offered a rare, multi-sited glimpse into people’s movements across India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, exploring how feminists imagined alternative futures through acts of resistance, community, and care.

Upon entering the exhibition, visitors were met with a striking wall of haphazardly pasted and torn posters. Diya Deviah, the art director, explained: “The intention was to resist presenting the poster as a polished art object. Instead, the display highlighted the inexpensive, urgent nature of posters—designed not for permanence, but to call for action or announce an event.”

Themes

The exhibition was structured around four thematic sections: (i) Archiving Feminist Histories, (ii) Friendships Beyond Borders, (iii) Democratic Participation and Civil Liberties, and (iv) Counterpublics and the Classroom. Each theme was introduced through a video, offering viewers the curators’ interpretive lens and unpacking the layered meaning of materials on display. For instance, the section on “the classroom” presented a history curriculum designed by Chakravarti and colleagues at the Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwa Vidyalaya in Wardha, where, in the absence of Hindi-language theory texts, literature and film became tools for analysing Indian social life.

The exhibition also included interpretive panels on the relationship between memory, material records, and insights from neuroscience, inviting visitors to consider the question: When and how does memory become history? It distinguished archives from collections, emphasising that archives are not just physical or digital storage spaces, but institutions governed by curatorial vision, public access policies, and historical responsibility.

Challenging notions of archiving

In this spirit, the curators challenged conventional notions of archiving. “We don’t see archives as dusty repositories for specialists,” say the curators. “In a post-truth era, archiving becomes a public question—about what counts as fact, whose stories are remembered, and how histories are constructed.” The exhibition traced the evolution of the “fact” from 16th-century bookkeeping practices to its transformation into “data” through market surveys and statistics in the 20th century. In the current age—where emotion often overrides evidence—the idea of the objective fact is under renewed scrutiny. This theme comes alive through materials like fact-finding reports from the People’s Union for Democratic Rights, including those authored by Chakravarti, which remain powerful records of human rights violations and documentation.

Maps of Memory reimagined archives as living spaces of interpretation and storytelling. It invited audiences to reflect not only on the past but also on the act of remembering itself—and the forms that justice, friendship, and solidarity can take in our present.

Sessions

As part of the week-long event, the curators hosted four workshops on inclusive archiving and digital poster design.

The exhibition opened with a panel discussion featuring Dr. Uma Chakravarti, historian and publisher V. Geetha, and theatre performer, poet, and activist Du Saraswathi. V. Geetha reflected on the fragmented and complex nature of women’s movement histories, noting that “women don’t speak in one voice.” She highlighted Bengaluru’s unique role in shaping feminist discourse, particularly through the alliances and friendships that emerged between Dalit, feminist, and left-democratic activists. The exhibition also featured a performance by Du Saraswathi titled Pakshi Purana—a reflection on masculinity and a call to notice the tenderness and care birds show one another.

Of particular interest to Bengaluru audiences was the inclusion of a newsletter from the city-based women’s organisation Vimochana, whose visuals were later borrowed by Sri Lankan activists for their own publications. Also featured was a moving testimony by Nandana Reddy, who recounted the imprisonment of her mother, Snehalata Reddy, the acclaimed actor from the film Samskara, who died while on parole after being held in solitary confinement during the Emergency.

The exhibition drew a large and diverse public audience, from students, scholars, and lawyers to journalists, filmmakers, and performers. Some of our attendees included Vrinda Grover (lawyer), Janaki Nair (scholar and author), AR Vasavi (anthropologist), Mary John (scholar), Deepa Dhanraj (filmmaker), Lakshmi Murthy (performer), and Maya Krishna Rao (performer), among many others. In addition, there were several guided walk-throughs scheduled during the weekend.

In the Media:

Gallery

Hon’ble Mr. Justice Gerard Hogan, Judge, Supreme Court of Ireland Visits NLSIU

[left to right] Dr. Harisankar Sathyapalan, BA LLB (Hons) Chair; Dr. Saurabh Bhattacharjee, Dean-Academics & LLM Chair; Dr. Nigam Nuggehalli, Registrar; Ms. Karen Quirk; Hon’ble Mr. Justice Gerard Hogan, Supreme Court of Ireland; Dr. Sudhir Krishnaswamy, Vice-Chancellor; Dr. Sneha Thapliyal, Dean-Students & MPP Chair; Dr. Arun Thiruvengadam, PhD Chair
We were honoured to host Hon’ble Mr. Justice Gerard Hogan, Judge, Supreme Court of Ireland, and his wife, Ms. Karen Quirk, at the NLSIU campus on April 3, 2025. During his visit, Justice Hogan delivered an insightful lecture titled ‘Findings of Unconstitutionality in India, Ireland and the US’. The talk was followed by a Q&A session.

In his lecture, Justice Hogan took a comparative look at the Constitutions of the three countries. He pointed out differences such as the basic structure doctrine in the Indian Constitution, as opposed to the Irish Grundnorm referendums. He also brought to light the differences in the way the terms ‘void’ and ‘invalid’ are used and interpreted across judgements and questioned what happens to a law when it is declared unconstitutional. He concluded his lecture by quoting B.N. Rau, constitutional advisor to the Constituent Assembly of India, with the statement, “Indian and Irish Constitutions are close cousins who ought to know each other much better.”

Speaking to us, Justice Hogan said: “I’m a huge admirer of the Indian Constitution and of the jurisprudence of the Indian Supreme Court and the role that it’s played in Indian society. And, you know, it is a privilege, and I’m humbled to be here.”

“This is my first visit to NLSIU and my second visit to India. The students were so impressive –  they were so engaged, remained so patient, and asked such great questions, some of which were difficult!”

As part of his visit, Justice Hogan had a meeting with the Vice-Chancellor and Registrar of the University along with the various Programme heads, interacted with the Public Law faculty cluster over an informal lunch, and went on a guided tour of the University campus.

Prior to visiting NLS, Justice Hogan also spent time in New Delhi where he met with Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Chief Justice, Supreme Court of India.

About Hon’ble Justice Gerard Hogan

Justice Hogan was appointed to the Supreme Court of Ireland in October 2021.

A native of Tipperary, Justice Hogan was educated at University College Dublin, the University of Pennsylvania, The Honorary Society of King’s Inns, and Trinity College. He was called to the Bar of Ireland in 1984 and to the Inner Bar in 1997.

Justice Hogan previously served as a judge of the High Court from 2010 to 2014, as a judge of the Court of Appeal from 2014 to 2018, and as Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union from 2019 to 2021. (Source: Supreme Court of Ireland website)

In the media

The Hindu | CJI Sanjiv Khanna welcomes Irish Supreme Court Judge Justice Gerard Hogan

ET LegalWorld | CJI Sanjiv Khanna welcomes Irish SC judge Justice Gerard Hogan

Deccan Herald | CJI Sanjiv Khanna welcomes Irish Supreme Court judge Justice Gerard Hogan

News18 हिंदी | आयरलैंड के जज जेरार्ड हॉगन ने भारतीय सुप्रीम कोर्ट का दौरा किया.

Daily Excelsior | CJI Sanjiv Khanna welcomes Irish SC judge Justice Gerard Hogan

LawChakra | Irish Supreme Court Judge Justice Gerard Hogan Visits India’s Supreme Court

Gallery

Writing Urban India Workshop | April 7-11, 2025

The HUPA Chair for Urban Poor and the Law at NLSIU, in collaboration with Writing Urban India Collective and the Urban Studies Foundation (UK), is hosting a workshop from April 7 to 11, 2025, as part of the Writing Urban India Fellowship 3.0. The workshop will be held in sessions between 10 am to 5 pm at the Conference Room, Training Centre, NLSIU.

About the Workshop

The WUI Fellowship 3.0 Workshop is an intensive, writing-focused boot camp designed to enhance academic writing skills. Specifically tailored for fellows, the workshop emphasizes critical thinking, crafting persuasive arguments, working with evidence, and applying theoretical frameworks. Participants will set long-term writing goals for the next six months, aimed at transforming their research into polished, publishable work. Through hands-on sessions, expert mentorship in urban studies, and a focus on continuous improvement, this workshop will equip fellows with the tools and support needed to refine their writing and achieve academic excellence.

View the full schedule

Mentors

The mentors that will facilitate this workshop are:

  1. Anwesha Ghosh (NLSIU)
  2. Champaka Rajagopal(Centre for Policy Research)
  3. Dhivya Janarthanan (NLSIU)
  4. Gautam Bhan (Indian Institute for Human Settlements)
  5. J Devika (Centre for Development Studies)
  6. Mukta Naik (National Institute for Urban Affairs)
  7. Neha Sami (Indian Institute for Human Settlements)
  8. Partha Mukhopadhyay (Centre for Policy Research)
  9. Sushmita Pati (NLSIU)

Contact Us

For any queries regarding the fellowship, contact .

Request for Quotations | Supply of Books and Journals to NLSIU Library

The National Law School of India University (“NLSIU”) established under the National Law School of India Act, 1986, invites quotations from book vendors, publishers, and journal suppliers for the procurement of books and bound journal volumes for the period starting from May 1, 2025, to March 31, 2027.

Date of Issue of Quotation: 03.04.2025
Last Date of Submission: Up to 5 PM on 17.04.2025

For more details along with the terms and conditions, please read the following:

  1. Tender Document
  2. List of Indian Publications
  3. List of Foreign Publications

Invitation to teach Elective Courses at NLSIU | July 2025 Trimester

NLSIU invites interested persons to offer Elective Courses at the University in the first trimester (July 1, 2025 to September 19, 2025) of the Academic Year 2025-26.

An elective course at NLSIU requires 40 hours of classroom engagement. These courses may be delivered in the following format:

Full Term Elective with 40 hours of classroom engagement spread across 10 weeks (July 1, 2025 to September 19, 2025). All classes of full-term elective courses shall be conducted in-person on campus. On request, the University may support Visiting Faculty with an Academic Associate to assist with the delivery of the course.

Elective Courses vary in their focus and pedagogy. Three types of Elective Courses are common at NLSIU:

  • Taught Course (predominantly lecture/discussion based, with an exam);
  • Research Course (focused on review of primary and secondary research leading to a Term Paper);
  • Practice or Clinical Course (focused on field work, simulation, drafting or litigation exercises examined through the clinical methods).

All classes shall be held between 9 am and 7 pm on weekdays only. Most elective courses are usually scheduled between 2 pm and 7 pm.

The University will reimburse one economy-class airfare, to-and-fro from Bengaluru for domestic flights only. The University will make necessary arrangements for accommodation for individuals selected to teach electives after mutual discussion for initial 10 days from the commencement of the Trimester only. The University will not be able to provide any reimbursement for international flights.

Individuals who are desirous of teaching elective courses at NLSIU  must invariably possess a graduate and post-graduate degree in law or the Social Sciences. Post-qualification experience of 3 years or more will be preferred. Alternatively, they may have at least 7-10 years of post-qualification experience in legal practice. Individuals who have published widely in their fields of expertise, shall be preferred.

To apply, kindly fill out the form here. The last date to submit the form has been extended to May 13, 2025.

Your proposal shall be reviewed by the Academic Review Committee (ARC) of the University. The course shall be finalised after registration of choices by students. Please note that a course is offered only if it meets: (1) the approval of the ARC, and (2) a minimum number of students as required by the University’s Academic Regulations subscribe for the course. 

For any academic queries please contact Dr. Harisankar K Sathyapalan at . For any other queries, please contact Mr. Shailendra Pratap Singh at .

FAQs

Here are some FAQs that will help you gain a better understanding of the electives courses and the process for applying to teach these courses. To know more, please click here.

Call for Applications – Chair Professor | Department of Revenue Chair

The National Law School of India University (NLSIU) invites applications for the position (1 vacancy) of Department of Revenue (DOR) Chair Professor. This is a full time position, based out of the NLSIU campus in Bengaluru on contract basis for 5 years (extendable) or till the age of superannuation i.e., 65 years, whichever is earlier.

About NLSIU

NLSIU was established in 1987 and is a premier institution for legal excellence in India. The University has remained the undoubted leader in legal education and research in India and has been ranked first among Law Universities in the Ministry of Human Resource Development’s National Institute Ranking Framework for the last seven years.

NLSIU along with the Department of Revenue, Government of India, has established the Department of  Revenue (DOR) to recognize scholars and teachers in the field of taxation law, anti-corruption, and  foreign exchange regulation, with the aim of producing high quality research, strengthening pedagogy,  engaging in public policy dialogue and attracting world class researchers and academicians to the  University.

The Department of Revenue (DOR) Chair Professor will engage in research in areas of  direct and indirect tax laws to (i) strengthen the working capacity of DoR in areas of legal and policy  research, (ii) to build and maintain an updated knowledge database in tax law and related areas, (iii) to act  as a ‘think-tank’ for DoR, and (iv) to provide necessary legal advice on demand and to support DoR in  capacity building.

Role Description

The Chair Professor will lead research and scholarship and mentor faculty in taxation at the University. The Chair Professor will participate in the teaching of taxation law to undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral students. The Chair Professor will be expected to publish high-quality research in taxation law in top ranking publications, globally. The Chair Professor will also extend training to DoR officers in Laws by way of seminars, conferences organised by NLSIU from time to time, and provide legal advice and capacity building to DoR personnel.

How To Apply

Interested individuals are requested to go through the University’s website, fill in the Application Form and upload the certificates to support their claim for educational qualifications, age, experience etc. on or before the deadline.

Please note: The shortlisted candidates will be intimated through email.

Application Deadline

Last date for submission of the application has been extended to April 29, 2025 (5 pm). | View Official Notification | View Corrigendum

For any clarifications in this regard, you may contact the University at .