The National University of Study and Research in Law (NUSRL) is a state public university located in Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand, India. It is one of the National Law Universities (NLUs) established across various Indian states to impart specialised legal education and to undertake research in law and allied disciplines. The university was established by an Act of the Jharkhand State Legislature and admits students primarily through the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT).
| Name | National University of Study and Research in Law |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | NUSRL |
| Type | State public university; National Law University |
| Location | Ranchi, Jharkhand, India |
| Established by | Government of Jharkhand |
| Admission | Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) |
| Chancellor | Chief Justice of the High Court of Jharkhand (ex officio) |
NUSRL belongs to the family of National Law Universities in India, a system that began with the establishment of the National Law School of India University in Bangalore in 1987. These institutions were conceived to reform legal education in the country by offering integrated five-year undergraduate law degrees and rigorous postgraduate and doctoral programmes. Following the creation of Jharkhand as a separate state in 2000, the Government of Jharkhand set up NUSRL to serve as the state's flagship institution for legal education and research.
The university offers an integrated five-year B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) programme as its principal undergraduate course. It also offers a postgraduate LL.M. programme and provides facilities for doctoral research (Ph.D.) in law. The curriculum combines core legal subjects with specialised electives, moot court training, internships, and clinical legal education.
Admission to the integrated B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) and LL.M. courses is conducted through CLAT, the centralised entrance examination administered by the Consortium of National Law Universities, of which NUSRL is a member.
As is typical of National Law Universities in India, the Chancellor of NUSRL is the Chief Justice of the High Court of Jharkhand, who serves in an ex officio capacity. The day-to-day administration is led by the Vice-Chancellor, supported by statutory bodies such as the General Council, Executive Council, Academic Council and Finance Committee, constituted under the founding Act of the university.
The university is located in Ranchi and operates a residential campus with academic blocks, library facilities, hostels, and sports amenities. Student activities include moot court competitions, debating, legal aid clinics, journals and periodicals, and various student-run committees and societies that organise national-level seminars and conferences.
NUSRL is the principal centre of formal legal education and research in Jharkhand. By participating in the CLAT system and the Consortium of NLUs, the university contributes to a national pool of legal professionals, judicial clerks, academics and policy researchers. It also engages with the local legal community in Ranchi, including the Jharkhand High Court, through internships, legal aid initiatives and academic collaboration.