NLSIU is all-inclusive institution: Prof R Venkata Rao

The National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru, has served students of weaker sections due to its all inclusive nature in the last few years, according to NLSIU Vice-Chancellor Prof R Venkata Rao. He will retire July end.

He is in Mangaluru to deliver ninth annual Prof (Dr) N Sridhar Shetty Endowment lecture at A B Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences) on Tuesday.

In an interaction with DH, Rao said that under his leadership the institution has been imparting socially relevant legal education.

“It was my dream to make it an all inclusive institution. I believe academic excellence without human excellence is dangerous to society. I’ve ensured that no student is deprived of legal education due to poverty,” he said.

Rao said that the institution offers free education, besides extending financial assistance to students to visit six foreign countries to participate in moot court programmes.

“Children of drivers and agricultural labourers are pursuing education now at NLSIU. Two girls were the first students to pursue research for doctoral degrees. Nearly 80% of students admitted this year belong to weaker sections. We’ve disbursing scholarships worth Rs 35 lakh every month,” he said.

The university had introduced courses like inclusive justice to sensitise students and make them socially aware of their responsibilities. The university’s outreach activities, centre for minorities, centre for study of social exclusion and inclusive policy were hailed as the best centres in India, he said.

“Our two-year programme on public policy has been hailed as better than Harvard Kennedy school. Different governments are seeking help of our graduates to formulate policies,” he said.