The decision to establish a National Law University (NLU) in Jammu and Kashmir marks a watershed moment for the Union Territory’s academic and legal ecosystem. This initiative, long overdue, promises to elevate the quality of legal education, provide a world-class academic platform for aspiring law students, and ultimately strengthen the justice delivery system in the region. J&K has a proud legacy of producing some of the country’s most distinguished legal luminaries, including those who have ascended to the highest echelons of the judiciary, like the Chief Justice of India. Yet, the region has lagged behind in providing structured, high-quality legal education within its boundaries. The absence of a dedicated NLU has led to a brain drain, with a record number of students forced to migrate to other states to pursue a basic law degree. This not only drains local talent but also burdens families financially. The establishment of an NLU will be a game-changer. It will provide access to modern legal education, promote advanced research, and serve as a training ground for future jurists, scholars, and policymakers from the region. It will also foster a vibrant legal fraternity within J&K that can cater to the increasing complexities of justice and governance in a rapidly evolving legal environment.
However, the recurring delays in implementation once again underscore a persistent malaise – the chasm between announcement and execution. The 2018 passage of the J&K National Law University Bill and its later adaptation post-reorganisation in 2019 should have ideally accelerated the process. Yet, in 2025, the university is still in the preliminary planning stages. Even bare minimum requirements such as faculty, infrastructure, and affiliations are being worked out. The idea of launching operations in a rented space signals that permanent infrastructure is still a distant dream. At a time when education needs to be urgently modernised and localised, such delays do more harm than good. The Government must treat this as a mission-mode project and fast-track every aspect – from land acquisition to UGC and Bar Council clearances – so that the university can begin functioning by the next academic session or as early as possible.
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