The Aditya Birla Scholarship Programme is one of the most coveted private scholarships available to law students in India. Instituted in 1999, it was introduced to provide outstanding students with opportunities to learn through networking with the country’s first global conglomerate. The programme pays tribute to the legendary leader, the late Mr. Aditya Vikram Birla — a man deeply rooted in Indian values yet global in vision, who firmly believed that the key to India’s growth lies in fostering young talent.
Recognising outstanding students in the management, law, and engineering streams, the scholarship encourages young leaders to make their mark in the world. To date, 684 scholars have been featured on the Aditya Birla Scholarship roster.
Participating Law Schools
The scholarship extends to law students from six premier National Law Universities. The law colleges eligible under the programme are:
- National Law School of India University, Bangalore;
- NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad;
- The WB National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata;
- Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar;
- National Law University, Jodhpur; and
- National Law University, Delhi.
These six NLUs are part of a broader pool of 22 premier institutes across engineering and management streams as well, making the Aditya Birla Scholarship one of the few private scholarship programmes that explicitly and consistently recognises National Law Universities at par with IITs and IIMs.
Scholarship Amount
The scholarship amount for law students is ₹1,80,000 per annum, or fees at actuals, whichever is lower.
The scholarship covers a part of the tuition fee for the law stream.
Eligibilty Criteria
The top 20 students from each law college, in terms of their entrance exam ranking at the time of admission, are invited to apply through the Dean of the respective institutes.
This means eligibility is determined by CLAT (or equivalent entrance exam) merit rank — not academic performance at the law school itself — making it an entrance-rank-based filter right from the outset.
There is no income-based or need-based criterion; this is a purely merit and excellence-driven scholarship
Application Process
Eligible students are required to fill in the application form and submit it to the Dean. The Dean in turn forwards all 20 forms to the Aditya Birla Group. Students do not apply directly to the Group — the entire application pipeline is routed through the institution, making the Dean’s office a crucial intermediary.
Selection Process
The selection follows a rigorous multi-stage process:
Stage 1 — Screening of Application Forms: 100 students from law campuses are evaluated on the basis of the information given in the application form, with their overall achievements spanning academic and co-curricular excellence assessed to select them for the next round. Adityabirlascholars
Stage 2 — Essay Review: Essays written by these students are reviewed by a panel to shortlist candidates for the final round. Adityabirlascholars
Stage 3 — Interviews in Mumbai: Shortlisted students are invited for an interview, which determines the 15 best students from law colleges who will be named Aditya Birla Scholars. The interviews are conducted by an eminent panel of luminaries and academicians. Shortlisted students should carry all supporting documents such as copies of certificates and mark sheets. The interviews are held in Mumbai, for which shortlisted candidates are provided accommodation, travel reimbursement, and a token allowance. Adityabirlascholars
The panel assesses students holistically based on extra-curricular activities, leadership qualities, academics, values, vision, and dreams. Past jury members have included retired Supreme Court justices, chairpersons of leading consulting firms, and senior legal luminaries such as Ms. Zia Mody and Dr. Darius Khambata — underscoring the prestige and rigour of the selection.
Scholarship Renewal & Performance Assessment
The scholarship is not a one-time award — it is renewable annually, subject to sustained performance. The performance of the Scholars is monitored closely for the renewal of the Scholarship every year. The assessment is done every year until the completion of the course. Adityabirlascholars
The renewal criteria are notably specific. Scholars must belong to the top 25% of their batch; at least 60% of their assignments must have a rating of 7 on a 9-point scale; they must participate in a minimum of two forums at the campus; and they must submit a 250-word write-up on their experience as an Aditya Birla Scholar. This data must be submitted by the Scholar and certified by the Academic Dean at the institute.
Disbursement of Funds
The Deans/Directors of law campuses have agreed to administer the monies. The scholarship amount is sent directly to the institute’s designated bank account through bank transfer. As the scholarship is announced only in September and students would have already paid their fees by then, the institute refunds the amount paid
Our Aditya Birla Scholars
At CLAT Essentials, we are incredibly proud to have several of our students go on to become Aditya Birla Scholars. Today, they occupy some of the most coveted positions in the legal world — from top-tier law firms to prestigious clerkships and beyond. We had the privilege of sitting down with a few of them to hear, in their own words, what the Aditya Birla Scholarship meant to them and how it shaped their journey. Read on to get a firsthand account of the experience, straight from those who have lived it.
ARYAN KHANNA
I am Aryan Khanna. I am a Senior Associate at Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas, where I work in the firm’s M&A, Private Equity and General Corporate practice.
Q: Take us back to the moment you found out you were selected as an Aditya Birla Scholar – what was the first thing that went through your mind?
A:It felt entirely surreal, particularly because I was the only recipient from my college. Having had the first interview slot, the wait for results was considerable. Throughout that period, my primary concern was whether I had responded with sufficient clarity and conviction.
Q: Did the Aditya Birla name open doors for you in law school – internships, moot courts, networking — that you feel wouldn’t have been as easy otherwise?
A: I would describe it less as opening doors and more as becoming part of a distinguished community. The scholarship does come up in professional conversations, and the reunion, bringing together leaders across sectors, was a remarkably enriching experience in its own right.
Q: What’s one thing about the scholarship that surprised you – something you didn’t expect and nobody tells you about?
A:The level of hospitality extended by the Aditya Birla organisation was something I had not anticipated. What struck me most was that the experience holds value even independent of the outcome, the interactions and conversations during those days were genuinely informative and memorable
Q: When you look back honestly, what do you think set you apart — not on paper, but as a person? What is it in you that you believe the selection committee saw that others didn’t have?
A: I believe it was conviction, both in how I carried myself and in how I had constructed my essays. Writing in a personal, narrative style, grounding each quality in real experience, gave me a coherent thread to draw from during the interview.
Q: If a student walks up to you today and says ‘I want to be where you are’ — what’s the one brutal truth you’d tell them?
A: I would caution against entering law school with a fixed professional destination. The exposure you gain there is substantial enough to guide you meaningfully. Let your experiences inform your decisions rather than emulating another’s path, what is right for you will emerge from that process.
ARYAN GARG
I am Aryan Garg, a 2024 B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) graduate from NALSAR University of Law, where I majored in business and commercial laws. After gaining valuable experience as a corporate lawyer at S&R Associates in New Delhi, I transitioned back to Jaipur to step into the role of Managing Partner at my family enterprise, K.M. Jewellers.
Today, I am leveraging my legal acumen to aggressively scale the business. My vision is to modernize and expand our footprint by establishing multiple showrooms, launching international jewellery exports, spearheading digital marketing strategies, and building a premier 925 sterling silver jewellery enterprise. I am focused on bridging corporate strategy with heritage luxury to drive our next phase of growth.
Q: Take us back to the moment you found out you were selected as an Aditya Birla Scholar – what was the first thing that went through your mind?
A: The setting was an imposing hall. All of us candidates sat anxiously at a round table in the front, while the seasoned, previous scholars sat behind us. I felt incredibly young, naive, and frankly, terrified. When my name was finally announced before an illustrious jury featuring Justice Dipak Misra, Senior Advocate Menaka Guruswamy, and Justice Anoop Mohta, an instant rush of triumph hit me—it felt as though the world was at my feet.
However, that initial euphoria quickly gave way to a deeper realization. I began to understand the immense weight and responsibility that the Aditya Birla Scholar tag carries. It isn’t just an award; it is a mandate to strive for genuine social and intellectual differences. The realization that I now possessed the drive to carry forward this profound legacy permanently shifted my identity and purpose from that very moment.
Q: Did the Aditya Birla name open doors for you in law school – internships, moot courts, networking — that you feel wouldn’t have been as easy otherwise?
A: While the prestige of the scholarship undoubtedly commands respect in professional circles, its truest value lay in the unparalleled community it unlocked. The most transformative aspect of the scholarship was the opportunity to meet and connect with fiercely like-minded individuals who share a common drive to disrupt the status quo and strive for meaningful change.
The organic relationships I forged within this cohort have endured long past law school. These bonds opened doors that extended far beyond traditional legal avenues like internships or moot courts; they created a network of collaborators willing to support ventures both within the legal profession and outside it. The tag acts as a catalyst, but it is the deep, value-driven human connections that ultimately create lifelong opportunities and expand your professional horizons.
Q: What’s one thing about the scholarship that surprised you – something you didn’t expect and nobody tells you about?
A: What surprised me most was the internal paradox regarding the scholarship’s reach. On one hand, the program is incredibly prestigious because it actively seeks to identify talent from the grassroots level and nurture them into future leaders. On the other hand, nobody tells you how rigidly the initial talent pool is constrained.
By restricting eligibility strictly to the top 20 rank holders of the entrance exams, the scholarship inadvertently limits an immense pool of brilliant, diverse talent that could otherwise come and strive to achieve this honour. It was eye-opening to realize that academic metrics can sometimes overshadow holistic potential. Encouragingly, however, I discovered that the Aditya Birla group is acutely aware of this limitation and is actively working on innovative ways to broaden its horizons to make the selection process more inclusive.
Q: When you look back honestly, what do you think set you apart — not on paper, but as a person? What is it in you that you believe the selection committee saw that others didn’t have?
A: I believe the selection committee saw someone who viewed the law not merely as a career or a set of rules, but as an intrinsic part of life. While many candidates approached the law with purely academic or financial ambitions, my focus was driven by a deep-seated desire to foster holistic change.
I presented a clear, realistic picture of how law could be seamlessly inculcated into broader aspects like business—ensuring that commercial progress aligns with social responsibility. I think the jury recognized that my vision wasn’t confined to paper or profitability; it was rooted in social empathy. My ability to synthesize these multidimensional elements and articulate a purpose that balances financial viability with societal impact is what ultimately set me apart from an otherwise stellar group of peers.
Q: If a student walks up to you today and says ‘I want to be where you are’ — what’s the one brutal truth you’d tell them?
A: The brutal truth I would tell them is that law is a zone of infinite, unpredictable possibilities, and trying to meticulously script your entire future is a trap. You cannot paint an exact, rigid picture of your career in your head because the legal landscape is inherently multidimensional and constantly evolving.
If you fixate too hard on a specific destination, you will blind yourself to unexpected, transformative opportunities. Instead of chasing a predetermined title or position, focus on keeping your intellectual horizons wide open. Do not force yourself into a box; instead, build a robust foundation, remain adaptable, and let your evolving genuine interests naturally dictate your career line. True success in this field comes from agility, not a fixed script.
SHRITAMA GOSWAMI
Hello, I am Shritama Goswami. I have just finished my second year in the 5-year B.A.Llb. (Hons.) course in NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad.
Q: Take us back to the moment you found out you were selected as an Aditya Birla Scholar – what was the first thing that went through your mind?
A: I could not believe it at the moment. I also could not believe it the rest of the night. I had been so nervous beforehand and the actual moment was hilariously “anticlimactic” because I froze in that moment. I was also quite happy because some of my friends won.
Q: Did the Aditya Birla name open doors for you in law school – internships, moot courts, networking — that you feel wouldn’t have been as easy otherwise?
A: I do not think it opened so many doors as such anywhere other than networking. I think people tend to connect on LinkedIn more seeing the ABS tag.
Q: What’s one thing about the scholarship that surprised you – something you didn’t expect and nobody tells you about?
A: How hard the following time would be. Law school is so competitive and maintaining the scholarship is all that runs in the mind every semester.
Q: When you look back honestly, what do you think set you apart — not on paper, but as a person? What is it in you that you believe the selection committee saw that others didn’t have?
A: I think my nervous energy in the interview room convinced them that I was quite passionate about the issues I was speaking about. Not everything went right in my interview but I managed to make an impression with what went right.
Q: If a student walks up to you today and says ‘I want to be where you are’ — what’s the one brutal truth you’d tell them?
A: I think I would tell them that the idea of being an Aditya Birla Scholar is great and can be achieved but to keep the scholarship is exceptionally tough and we underestimate it.
About the author
Oyishee Bose is a driven student whose journey is defined by excellence in academics, leadership, and communication. Securing West Bengal Rank 39 in CLAT 2026, she is set to join one of India’s prestigious National Law Universities — RGNUL, Patiala.
Shaped by a passion for law, leadership, and the written word, she has held roles as Student Council member and House Captain, competed in inter-school debates and speech competitions, and contributed to her school magazine as part of the editorial team. Her most defining achievement came as Editor-in-Chief of the International Press Corps at Ashok Hall IntraMUN 2024, where she led a team of student journalists across press reportage, editorial decision-making, and committee coverage. She further honed her legal instincts through moot court, earning a Special Mention from the judges for her argumentation and reasoning.
At CLAT Essentials, Oyishee serves as a Website Manager, Content Facilitator, Mentor, and Prep Assessor & Guide, spearheading the platform’s content and operations, crafting and curating study materials, and walking aspirants through every step of their preparation journey, from targeted doubt sessions to personalised progress assessments, bringing both her academic insight and editorial voice to support the next wave of law school hopefuls.