What’s it really like to walk the halls of one of India’s premier law schools and where does that journey lead after graduation? In this exclusive feature, we take a deep dive into the transformative world of legal education at National University of Study and Research in Law (NUSRL), Ranchi, exploring the trials, triumphs, and unexpected lessons that come with it.
To bring this story to life, we spoke with Ashish Srivastava, a proud graduate of NUSRL, who opens up about their experiences—on campus and beyond. From classroom debates to courtroom aspirations, they share how life at NUSRL Ranchi shaped both their legal acumen and personal growth.
- To begin with could you please briefly introduce yourself and share a bit about your journey so far.
Hello everyone. My name is Ashish Srivastava and I’m from Gorakhpur,UP. I have completed my B.A.LL.B (Hons.) from NUSRL Ranchi (2017-22) and LL.M from NUJS Kolkata (2022-23). Currently, I’m serving as Govt. Law Officer in Bank of Baroda. I’ll be sharing the insights of NUSRL Ranchi and the personal experiences I have had over there.
🧑🎓Life at Law School
- How would you describe your daily life at law school ?
It was very vibrant . Faculties at Nusrl Ranchi were very co-operative. We use to have a lot of introductory sessions for newly admitted students on the topics like- How to write a research paper?, How to prepare for moot court competitions?, How to do an effective legal research etc. Making students learn from scratch and creating a very stimulating environment is something I really liked about NUSRL.
🍽️Food (Mess/Canteen)
- How is the food at your law school in terms of taste, variety, and hygiene?
Well, both Veg and non-veg foods are being served for the students. In terms of taste, I’ll be giving a very honest opinion- Home-cooked food’s taste can’t be replicated anywhere else but “mess ke khane mei bhi koi kami nahi hai”. You’ll have multiple options to eat. Canteens are also there in the campus to take care of your specific taste and cravings. There’s a separate washing area for utensils and mess staffs take good care of that.
- Are there good alternatives to mess food nearby (cafes, delivery options)?
Quite a few restaurants are located nearby and that’s really a good alternative. Some of my personal favourites were – NVD Restaurant, Hot-Lips, Kaveri Restaurant, The Reef Rooftop.
- How do students usually manage food when mess food isn’t good? How is the water availability?
You have the canteens within the campus. You can go over there. Else, online foods are also being delivered to the campus. Zomato, Swiggy were the most preferred ones.
🏡Hostel Life
- How strict are the hostel rules regarding timings and permissions?
Well, there are given set of regulations for all the students residing within the hostel premises and that needs to be adhered. The hostel gate gets closed at 10:30 pm and in case you are out for some reason, you are required to take prior permission from the warden. Smoking and other things are strictly prohibited and if anyone is found indulging in such acts, they are proportionately punished. Else, the environment is quite homely and everyone is very considerate.
- How are the hostel facilities overall (rooms, cleanliness, Wi-Fi, common areas)?
All these amenities are there. You get a mid-sized room to stay and for each corridor there are two common washrooms. Cleaning staffs come to your room at regular intervals for cleaning and dusting.
- What’s the social life like in hostels — are there events, gatherings, study groups?
At NUSRL, you get to see a lot of events. You always get prior information too. In the hostel premises, there aren’t any event as such but there is group study culture. Infact, in the hostel premise, there is also one big study hall available wherein students do their late night studies.
- How is the hostel infrastructure? Are the rooms single, double or triple sharing?
Nusrl has a great hostel infra. In the first year, you will be getting a double occupancy room but from 2nd year onwards, single rooms are allotted.
- Is ac facility available?
AC facility is not available in the hostel premise. However, the academic building has the centralised air conditioning systems.
📜Rules & Regulations
- What are the major academic rules and regulations — especially regarding attendance and exams?
You need to have a minimum of 70 percent of attendance. In case of medical emergency some relaxations can be extended.
- How strict is the administration regarding discipline and code of conduct?
You get to see a relaxed atmosphere and the administration is student friendly.
- Are there specific dress codes for certain activities like moots or presentations?
For moot court activities you need to wear black blazers, black trousers and a white shirt. For presentations and all any decent dress will work.
📝Academics: Internals, Assignments, Unit Tests
- How frequent are the internals, assignments, and UTs (Unit Tests)?
There will be a lot of projects and presentations in between followed by Mid Sem and End Sem.
- Are assessments heavily weighted towards exams, projects, or continuous evaluation?
For maintaining a good CGPA, mid sem and end sem are important. Securing a good score in projects gives you an extra edge.
📚Classes and Timing
- What is the daily class timing like?
9am to 2:15 pm used to be the classes timing for us.
- Are Saturdays working days at your law school?
Unfortunately It’s a yes, Saturdays are working. Only Sundays are off.
- How hectic is the weekly schedule?
As you are required to make projects and then give presentations for each subject, the schedule does get hectic but I believe if you are disciplined in your approach, you will always end up having extra time. As Discipline is the only thing in this world that sets you free. Also, during end sem or mid sem examinations you do not get any break in between and that leads to a hectic schedule.
🎉Semester Breaks
- When are the semester breaks scheduled? And how long are these semester breaks?
Semester breaks are usually scheduled after Mid sems or End sems get over and It usually last for a month.
- Are breaks enough to take internships or refresh properly?
Yes, they are enough to take internships and refresh properly.
🌍Diversity and National Representation
- How is the national representation at your law school — do students come from all over India?
Nusrl has students from across all parts of India and you get to see a very homely atmosphere.
- How inclusive and diverse is the campus culture?
The culture is very inclusive; contributing towards a positive atmosphere.
🛎️Day 1: Registration and Admission
- What was the Day 1 experience like during hostel registration and college admission?
It was very smooth and hassle free. All important things were already communicated to us in advance. So, we didn’t face any difficulty as such.
- Are there any important tips for a smooth admission/hostel registration process?
You receive a checklist of important documents that are to brought during admission. The same is also uploaded on the website for students convenience. So staying in touch with the website is recommended.
⚖️Moot Court Activities
- What is the culture around mooting at your college?
The mooting culture at Nusrl is brilliant. Mooting is not just a competition but a very important tool in honing legal skills and Nusrl Moot Court Committee has plays a very important role in shaping a great mooting culture. Students of Nusrl consistently shine at various National and International platforms. The committee has also organised various national level moot court competitions such as National Trial and Advocacy competiton, NUSRL-NHRC moot court completion etc.
- How early can a first-year student start participating in moots?
As soon as the Introductory sessions are over, you can start participating in moot court competitions . You can also take help from seniors in case you encounter any difficulty.
- Are there internal selections for moots?
For most of the competitions, there isn’t any internal selections. But for the reputed ones, your Intra-Moot court rank plays a vital role.
- Is there any special training or mentorship available for moots?
Yes, regular sessions are being conducted for that. Various practising advocates are also called as chief guest to share their courtroom experience and knowledge.
🎯Extracurriculars
- What extracurricular activities are available at your law school?
Debating, poster-making competition, sports competition, etc.
- Which activities would you recommend to a 1st year student?
Well, a first year student should explore all the things. So, no specific recommendations from my side.
- How do extracurriculars help in career building or internships?
It foster advantages beyond academics and leads to personal growth, skill development and social development. For the ones who have stage fear and fear of public speaking, extra –curricular activities can come very handy. These skills can be used for career building and securing good internship
- Are there any limitations of participating in extracurriculars?
There aren’t any limitations from the side of institution. But your personal limitation/fear is something that you need to take care of. And once you overcome that, you will end up being a more well-rounded individual.
- How do you personally balance academics and extracurricular activities?
I have said it before and will say it here again, discipline is the only thing in this world that can set you free. So stay disciplined and consistent.
👥Committees
- What are the major committees and societies in your law school?
Moot court committee, IT Committee, Library Committee, Cultural Committee, Mess Committee, ADR committee etc.
- Which committees should a first-year student definitely try to join?
Well, the answer to this question would depend on the interest of the student. All committees are good and one could begin with keeping in view his/her interest.
- What is the process of getting into a committee? How competitive is the selection for these committees?
The selection procedure is not that competitive. You may be asked to give an interview or presentation and based on that students are selected.
🎊Fests and Campus Life
- What are the major college fests?
Nusrl hosts two main college fests: Yuventas, a cultural festival and Avirbhaav, a literary, sports and cultural festival.
- How vibrant is the cultural and sports scene at your law school?
Cultural and sports scene is very vibrant. There is also a big playground in the campus and most of the major sports competition are conducted over there.
🏀Sports Facilities
- What kind of sports facilities are available on campus?
All kinds of sport facilities are available in the campus ranging from indoor sports like table tennis, chess, carom to outdoor sports like badminton court, cricket ground, volleyball court etc.
- Are there any sports teams or tournaments students can participate in?
Yes. Intra tournaments keep taking place and it is so much of fun. Winners also get exciting prizes.
- How active is the sports culture at your college?
It is very active. Students are also encouraged to take part in various other sports competition.
🎓Class Representative (CR) Selection and Responsibilities
- How is the CR (Class Representative) selected?
There is no formal procedure. All the students are just asked to vote and that is how a CR is selected.
- What are the main responsibilities of a CR?
CR basically act as a liaison between students and faculty and represents the batch interest.
- How much influence or say does a CR have regarding student concerns?
He/She basically represents the class interest and conveys important information to the respective faculties.
🏛️Student Union
- Is there a Student Union at your college?
There wasn’t any student union during my time. However, student are always welcome to communicate their issues to warden or Vice Chancellor.
🧑💼Key People in the Administration
- Who are the key people in the administration that students should know about?
Dean, Registrar, Warden are some important authorities . One can always meet them in case of need. They all are very welcoming.
- Whom should students approach for different issues like academic help, hostel problems, or disciplinary matters?
For hostel problems and all, one should contact the hostel warden. For any academic related help, COE should be contacted.
- “Is there any unwritten advice about how to approach professors or administration to get help more easily?”
Always be polite to your professors. They are very learned and that respect should always be there.
Scholarships
- What scholarships are available for the students?
NUSRL does offer some scholarship for meritorious and economically weaker students and for that one should stay in touch with the website. One could also enquire about the same from the authorities as well.
🛠️Internship Guidance
- How does the college support students in finding internships?
There is a separate internship and placement committee. All opportunities are shared on a common mail. Student are asked to submit their CV in a certain format and the same is sent to the recruiters.
- What should a first-year law student do to land good internships?
Keep working on the legal skills and basics of law. Also, one should know the art of making a good CV. Although one need not worry much as NUSRL conducts sessions on this as well.
- What types of internships are recommended during the first year?
Well, the answer to this question would depend on the interest of the student. But from my standpoint, internship in a trial court, especially in the first year is a great idea.
❤️College Likes & Areas of Improvement
- What do you like the most about your college?
The faculties and staff at NUSRL are very cordial. Nusrl offers a very homely atmosphere and has a great mooting culture.
- Where do you think the college can improve?
There’s still a room for improvement in the area of placements but NUSRL really has a bright future.
🏆College Strengths
- According to you, what are the three biggest strengths of your college?
The Infrastructure is pretty decent, good student crowd, faculties are very cordial.
🎯Placements and Career Support
- How strong is the placement cell at your college?
Internship and placement committee works well. And the ones who are really serious, do manage to pull off a package as high as 18 Lakhs p.a. All the placement opportunities are shared on a common mail and student as per their preferences sit for the placements.
- What kind of firms, companies, or organizations usually recruit from your campus?
Khaitan & Co, Trilegal, SAM, CAM, Veritas Legal and various other prestigious firms.
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