Bar Council of India (BCI) accords recognition to School of Law at RV University (RVU)

Bangalore : Legal education regulator, Bar Council of India has approved the RV University’s School of Law and its 5-year integrated B.A. LL.B. and B.B.A. LL.B. programmes. The School of Law (SoL) degree programmes will commence from August 2023 and it will become the sixth school under RVU.

In his reaction, Prof. Y.S.R. Murthy, Dean, School of Law, and Vice Chancellor, RVU said, “We are excited to launch the School of Law at RVU which will join the existing five schools to deepen our commitment to interdisciplinarity. Through the School of Law, we aim to nurture future lawyers who will uphold the principles of justice, integrity, and social responsibility. Our students will have the unique opportunity to learn the intersection of law with business, economics, technology and public policy.”

He further added, “Our law students will have the privilege of being guided and inspired by an exceptional pool of faculty hailing from prestigious institutions across the globe. Through strategic tie-ups with corporate and law firms, industry partners, banking and financial institutions, think-tanks, and NGOs, we are committed to providing our students with invaluable learning opportunities.”

Welcoming the BCI’s recognition, Dr. (h.c.) A.V.S. Murthy, Chancellor, RVU said, “To ensure academic excellence and relevance, we have assembled a distinguished Board of Studies comprising experts from India and the world. Under their guidance, our curriculum was crafted with care, incorporating interdisciplinary perspectives to equip our graduates with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving legal landscape. We are also pleased to offer 75 merit scholarships worth Rs. 1 crore, which serves as a testament to our dedication in nurturing talent and acknowledging outstanding achievements.”

Mr. Justice B.N. Srikrishna, Former Judge, Supreme Court of India and Former Chief Justice of Kerala High Court, and Prof. (Dr.) K. Chockalingam, Father of Indian Criminology and Victimology and Former Vice President of the World Society of Victimology, is Professor Emeritus at the School of Law. The faculty include scholars who have secured Fulbright, British Chevening, Erasmus Mundus Scholarship, Sir Ratan Tata post-doctoral Fellowship, etc. from eminent institutions such as Jindal Global Law School, NLSIU, WBNUJS, RGNUL, University of London, Emory University, University of Warwick, SOAS, Geneva Academy and Central European University, renowned legal practitioners, and industry experts. Students will have access to a dynamic learning environment that fosters critical thinking, research proficiency, and practical legal skills, with an emphasis on experiential learning.

RVU’s School of Law will offer a range of programmes designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and ethical values necessary to excel in the legal field. Students can enroll for five-year integrated B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) or B.B.A. LL.B. (Hons.),LL.M and Ph.D.. The admissions for undergraduate, postgraduate and full-time/ part-time Ph.D. programmes are already underway. Candidates can apply through the online application available on the University’s website – https://admissions.rvu.edu.in/. The admission to the UG programme is based on RVSAT entrance exam /valid CLAT/LSAT/CUET scores. RVU School of Law has instituted 75 merit scholarships ranging from 25% to 100% to deserving candidates in the first year itself.

Additionally, in partnership with Seattle University, USA, RV University’s SoL has designed two joint programmes. Under the first programme, students will be offered the opportunity to pursue LL.M. pathway, a dual-degree programme. Students enrolled in the five-year integrated law programme at RV University will have the chance to obtain an undergraduate degree in law from RV University and an LL.M. degree from Seattle School of Law in their chosen area of specialization within a span of five years. The second programme provides an LL.M. student with the opportunity to pursue a second LL.M. degree from Seattle University. Furthermore, Seattle University will offer a 50% tuition scholarship for five students. At the end of two years, the student can get two LL.M. degrees, from both RV University and Seattle University.

RVU has forged international collaborations with 50+ universities in the USA, UK, Europe, Asia and Africa. In addition, it has more than 50 national collaborations with Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), People’s Archive of Rural India (PARI), SOCHARA, Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement (GRAAM), Human Rights Alert, HelpAge India, SICHREM, etc. to name a few.

Prof. Y.S.R. Murthy, a civil servant turned academic, has worked in the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for 12 years in various capacities, including as the Director Research. He joined the Jindal Global Law School as a founding faculty member in 2009 and directed its Centre for Human Rights Studies between 2009 – 2020 and contributed to its rapid rise in the global rankings. He served as the Executive Council Member of the Indian Society of International Law (ISIL) for six years including as its Vice President between 2018 and 2021. He is currently an Executive Council member of the All India Law Teachers’ Congress. His books on Halsbury’s Laws – Human Rights and Human Rights Handbook were published by LexisNexis Butterworths. He was also the editor of the NHRC‘s annual journal and also the Journal of ISIL for several years. He is the Advisor to All India Network of NGOs and Individuals working with National and State Human Rights Institutions (AiNNI) and Member, Civil Society Coalition Against Torture.

RVU being a research-intensive university has multiple research centres such as the Centre for Human Rights Studies, Centre for Victimological Research and Victim Assistance, Centre for Democracy and Election Studies, Centre for Future of Things, Centre for Legal Aid and Community Engagement, Centre for Law, History and Ideas, etc. Students can choose to be a part of these centres and assist in research and organisation of activities.