HISTORY

The North-Eastern region of India has traditionally been one of the underdeveloped and marginalized areas of the nation. Despite the fact that Gauhati High Court has jurisdiction over 4 North-Eastern states, viz., Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Mizoram and Nagaland, the scenario of legal education in the area remained far from the potential of possible proliferation of excellence in the realm of legal profession. Thus, to fulfil the aspirations of the people, the Government of Assam decided to initiate and facilitate the establishment of a Law University in Assam. This lead to the establishment of The National Law University and Judicial Academy(NLUJAA), Assam by the Government of Assam by way of passing the National Law School and Judicial Academy, Assam Act, 2009(Act No. XXV of 2009). This Act was later amended as the National Law University and Judicial Academy, Assam (Amendment) Act, 2011 (Act No. II of 2012), wherein the word ‘School’ was replaced by the word ‘University’.

 

The NLUJAA is a member of the Consortium of NLUs of the 24 (twenty-four) National Law Universities established across the country. It offers the B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) Five Year Integrated Course, LL.M. One Year Course and Ph.D. Programme. The Hon’ble Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court is the Chancellor of this University.

 

The University is built on a sprawling 50 acres of beautiful landscape at Amingaon, Guwahati, which is situated on the North bank of the Brahmaputra River with an imposing hill on the other side. The campus, at present, houses the Administrative Block, Academic Block, Boys’ Hostel, Girls’ Hostel, Library, Cafeteria, Power House, Multipurpose Indoor Hall with Sports Facility and Staff Quarters where all modern amenities are available. Construction of Quarters for teaching staff, and Vice-Chancellor’s Bungalow and 300 bedded Hostel are underway. Judicial Academy, Assam is located in the University campus, a unique experiment in legal education in which Judicial Academy and the University co-exist in the same precinct.

 

The Law University is modelled on the lines of NLSIU, Bengaluru which has set new benchmarks of excellence in India and abroad in different aspects of the legal education and legal profession. Since its inception, in September 2011, NLUJAA has been making steady steps in its Pursuit of Excellence. To get admission in NLUJA, the students have to pass through a rigorous screening process known as the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) which selects students for 23 National Law Universities in the country.

 

The Law University receives liberal grants from the Government of Assam. It has the recognition from the Bar Council of India and recognised under section 12-B of the University Grant Commission Act, 1956. Professional membership to the Association of Indian Universities, New Delhi has also been granted to this University which consolidates the formal establishment of the brand name NLUJAA. The Law University is also a member of a number of International academic institutions and associations from across the world, viz.:

 

  • INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LAW SCHOOLS,
  • ASIAN LAW INSTITUTE (ASLI) SINGAPORE,
  • INDIAN LAW INSTITUTE (ILI),
  • INDIAN SOCIETY OF INTERNATIONAL LAW (ISIL),
  • INDIAN INSTITUTE OF COMPARATIVE LAW (IICL),
  • CONSUMER GUIDANCE SOCIETY OF INDIA (CGSI),
  • DEVELOPING LIBRARY NETWORK (DELNET),
  • INDIAN SOCIOLOGICAL SOCIETY (ISS),
  • INDIAN POLITICAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION (IPSA),
  • INDIAN COMMERCE ASSOCIATION (ICA),
  • INSTITUTE OF CONSTITUTIONAL AND PARLIAMENTARY STUDIES (ICPS),
  • INDIAN SOCIETY OF CRIMINOLOGY (ISC),
  • INDIAN ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE (ISSA)
  • FORUM OF SOUTH ASIAN CLINICAL LAW TEACHERS, GOA (FSACLI) etc.

 

The Law University is a residential university and has a student strength of more than 350(three hundred and fifty).They are accommodated in one boys’ hostels and one girls’ hostel which provides excellent academic infrastructure like internet access, Wi-Fi connectivity, a fully functioning Mess, and gymnasium. A panel of doctors are available for any medical emergency. Health check-ups of students are organized on a regular basis.

 

The Library of the Law University is rapidly growing and online databases like LEXISNEXIS, MANUPATRA, SCCONLINE, DELNET, and JSTOR are accessible to the students. The University is in the process of subscribing to many more such databases of repute.

 

The process of imparting instructions and training to students is interactive, with ample use of the audio-visual aids. A continuous and comprehensive evaluation process takes place in the form of practical training which includes Seminars, Projects, and Viva-voce. In addition, theory classes are conducted with a view to provide a holistic development of the legal skills and the personality. A thorough and exhaustive examination system is one of the hallmarks of NLUJAA.

 

The Law University has hosted the North Eastern Round of Surana and Surana Moot Court Competition in the past. Dr. Gurjeet Singh Memorial National Moot Court Competition has been launched since 2017 as a flagship event of the NLUJAA and is being organised every year. Vox Anatolis National Moot Court Competition (“The Voice of the East”) is one of the flagship moot court competitions organised by the National Law University and Judicial Academy, Assam since 2019.

 

First Convocation of the National Law University and Judicial Academy Assam, Guwahati was held in its Campus at Amingaon on February 25, 2018. Total of 148 students were conferred degrees of B.A.,LL.B. and LL.M. in the convocation. Seven students bagged gold medals.