The School Review Commission 2023-24
About the Commission
- About the Commission
- Advisory Panel to SRC
- Stakeholder Consultations
The School Review Commission 2023-24 (‘SRC’) has been appointed by the Chancellor of the University, the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India Dr. D. Y. Chandrachud, under Section 14 of the National Law School of India Act, 1986 to review the working of the University and make recommendations for the future of NLSIU and legal and policy education in India. The Commission comprises Prof. Timothy Endicott as the Chair, and Prof. Catherine O’Regan and Prof. David B. Wilkins as Members. This Commission brings together pre-eminent academics who have shaped legal education across three continents and whose experience and insight will help NLSIU reflect on our role and contribution to consolidating the rule of law and constitutional democracy in India.
The Commission
Prof. Timothy Endicott is presently the Vinerian Professor of English Law, University of Oxford and Former Dean of the Oxford Law Faculty for two terms, from 2007 to 2015. Prof Endicott was appointed by Universidad Carlos III de Madrid in 2016 to a Cátedra de Excelencia and was a Distinguished Visitor in the Faculty of Law, University of Toronto.
“Serving on this Commission gives us an opportunity to learn about the groundbreaking developments in legal education that are underway at NLS Bangalore, and also to be closely involved in a very exciting future. I really hope that this review will be an occasion for the whole National Law School community to reflect on what can be done, and to look ahead with the highest ambitions and expectations.”
Prof. David B. Wilkins is presently the Lester Kissel Professor of Law, Vice Dean for Global Initiatives on the Legal Profession, and Faculty Director of the Center on the Legal Profession at the Harvard Law School. Prof Wilkins’ current scholarly projects include Globalization, Lawyers, and Emerging Economies, where he directs over 50 researchers studying the impact of globalization on the market for legal services in rapidly developing countries including India.
“This is a pivotal time for the legal profession, both in India and around the world. Since its founding, NLSIU has established itself as a pre-eminent center for teaching and scholarship, producing leaders in every sector of society. I look forward to working with the other members of this distinguished commission, and with the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India and the rest of the NLSIU community, to explore how this important institution can continue to build on this rich legacy of accomplishment to prepare the next generations of graduates to meet the challenges of a changing world. ”
Prof. Catherine O’Regan has been the inaugural Director of the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights and Professor of Human Rights Law in the Faculty of Law at the University of Oxford since 2016. Prof O’Regan’s fifteen-year term as a Judge of the Constitutional Court of South Africa ended in 2009. Prof O’Regan has also served as an ad hoc judge of the Supreme Court of Namibia and Chairperson of the Khayelitsha Commission of Inquiry into allegations of police inefficiency and a breakdown in trust between the police and the community of Khayelitsha, South Africa.
“It is an honour to be asked to serve as a member of the NLSIU School Review Commission. I hope that the Commission will provide a valuable opportunity for reflection by the broader NLSIU community on what the NLSIU has already achieved, as well as the opportunities and challenges that the NLSIU will face in the years ahead.”
While engaging with the SRC, the Hon’ble Dr Justice D. Y. Chandrachud observed that the NLSIU has done very well as an experiment and succeeded in reshaping Indian legal education. The Chancellor suggested to the SRC that their Review will provide an opportunity for the University to reflect and grow, particularly to not just train students, but also help academics develop their highest potential. The Chancellor further noted that the task before this SRC would extend beyond submission of review findings, and would be a forward glance on the future of NLSIU and of legal and policy education in India.
The Vice-Chancellor of NLSIU, Prof (Dr.) Sudhir Krishnaswamy remarked on the appointment of the SRC, “The Commission brings together pre-eminent global academics who have designed and shaped legal education across three continents. Their experience and wisdom will help NLS reflect on our role and contribution to consolidating the rule of law and constitutional democracy in India. As India grows in global stature, the SRC will help NLS re-position itself in the global conversation regarding the future.”
The SRC 2023-24 shall undertake an extensive review including consultations with all University stakeholders over the coming months as they prepare their Report. For the first time in the history of the University, the Report of the SRC will be released publicly in accordance with the commitment of the Chancellor and the Members to ensure the highest standards of transparency, and to enhance the utility of the Review.
About the SRC
Section 14 of the National Law School of India Act, 1986 mandates the appointment of a School Review Commission comprising three eminent educationists to review the working of the University. Two Commissions have been constituted previously to review the workings of the University. In 1996, an Expert Panel comprising Prof. Marc Galanter, Prof. Savitri Goonesekere, and Prof. William Twining reviewed the University and advised on future directions. In 2007- 2008, a Commission was appointed that was chaired by Justice K. T. Thomas, former judge of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, and included as its members Prof (Dr) Virendra Kumar and Prof (Dr) MP Singh.
At the request of the Commission, the Chancellor in consultation with the Government of Karnataka has also appointed an Advisory Panel to guide the work of the Commission. The Chancellor has constituted an Advisory Panel to support and guide the work of the SRC comprising Prof. Poonam Saxena, Ms. Zia J. Mody, and Hon’ble Mr. Justice Siddappa Sunil Dutt Yadav. The Panel comprises eminent members from academia, the legal profession, and judiciary who are based in India and whose vast experience and expertise will benefit the work of the Commission. Below is a brief description of the members of the Advisory Panel to the SRC:
- Prof. Poonam Saxena, Former Vice-Chancellor, National Law University, Jodhpur:
Prof. Poonam Saxena is an eminent distinguished legal academic who has led the National Law University, Jodhpur as the Vice Chancellor from (2013-2023) and was formerly the Professor in charge, Law Centre-II, Faculty of Law, University of Delhi (2007-2010). Prof Saxena holds degrees of LL.B., LL.M. and Ph.D. from the University of Delhi.
- Ms. Zia J. Mody, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, AZB & Partners, Advocates and Solicitors:
Ms Mody is among India’s senior corporate attorneys and is dually licensed to practice law in India and the United States of America. She holds an LL.M. from Harvard Law School, USA and a Bachelor of Arts (Law) from Cambridge University, UK. Ms Mody has served on multiple review committees constituted by SEBI, RBI and the Ministry for Corporate Affairs.
- Hon’ble Mr. Justice Siddappa Sunil Dutt Yadav, Judge, High Court of Karnataka:
Justice Yadav was appointed as Additional Judge of the High Court of Karnataka in 2018 and has been appointed as a Permanent Judge since 2020. Justice Yadav is a graduate of the 1996 batch of the BA LLB (Hons) programme from NLSIU, and the first NLSIU graduate to be appointed as a judge of the High Court of Karnataka.
NLSIU is honoured to welcome the distinguished members on the Advisory Panel to guide and advise the Commission in its review and we are confident that the Report of the Commission will help shape the future of NLSIU and legal education in the country.
The SRC 2023-34 will travel to Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi to hold consultations with various stakeholders concerned with NLSIU and legal education generally from 18th to 22nd March, 2024. Please follow the NLS website for further updates. You may also reach out to the Office of the Commission at
To access the PDF version of this announcement, click here.
As part of its review, the Commission will consult with stakeholders within and outside NLSIU to gain a holistic perspective on legal education in India and the legal profession more broadly. The Commission will visit India in March 2024 and travel to Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi to hold consultations with various stakeholders concerned with NLSIU and legal education generally. The Commission invites interested members to submit their input for the Commission’s review through the stakeholder consultation form available here.
School Review Commission (SRC) Visit | March 2024
