Consortium of National Law Universities

What Consortium of National Law Universities does

The Consortium of National Law Universities is a society registered in India, established on 19 August 2017 and headquartered at Gujarat National Law University (GNLU) in Gandhinagar, that functions as the official coordinating body for 25 National Law Universities across India. Its primary operational product is the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT), a computer-based, all-India standardized entrance examination administered annually for admission to undergraduate (LLB) and postgraduate (LLM) programs at all member NLUs, including NLSIU Bengaluru, NALSAR Hyderabad, NLIU Bhopal, GNLU Gandhinagar, and the other 21 member institutions. Beyond the examination, the consortium's stated mandate covers standardization of curriculum, teaching methods and grading systems, faculty development, research collaboration, financial assistance to member NLUs, and the promotion of faculty and student exchanges with foreign law schools. Governance is provided by a President (currently Prof. (Dr.) S. Shanthakumar, Director of GNLU), a Vice-President (Prof. (Dr.) Dilip Ukey, Vice-Chancellor of MNLU Mumbai), a Secretary-Treasurer, and an Executive Committee and Governing Body composed of the Vice-Chancellors of member NLUs, with no external investors, parent company, or private equity ownership. Revenue is generated through CLAT examination fees paid by applicants and is not publicly disclosed, with no external funding rounds, subsidiaries, or product line beyond the annual CLAT administration cycle.

Name

Consortium of National Law Universities

Legal name

Consortium of National Law Universities

Website

https://consortiumofnlus.ac.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Consortium of National Law Universities is a society, founded in 2017, that coordinates India's 25 National Law Universities and administers the all-India CLAT entrance examination for undergraduate and postgraduate law admissions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Education Admissions Testing

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

University/College Entrance & Admissions Testing Authorities (EDADAFAE)

Keywords

• Legal education coordination
• Law admission testing
• National law universities
• CLAT examination
• Higher education standardization

Headquarters

HQ city

Bangalore

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. CLAT Examination Fees: The Consortium collects examination fees from CLAT applicants for conducting the Common Law Admission Test, which serves as the entrance examination for admission to all member National Law Universities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

The Consortium of National Law Universities administers the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT), a nationwide computer-based entrance examination for undergraduate and postgraduate law admissions to 25 member National Law Universities across India. It also coordinates the 25 member NLUs on curriculum standardization, grading, faculty development, research, and international collaborations in legal education.

Product overview

The Consortium of National Law Universities is a coordinating body for 25 National Law Universities in India, established on 19th August, 2017. Its primary function is to administer and conduct the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) for admission to law programs across member NLUs. The consortium serves as a coordinating body to improve standards of legal education, facilitate better coordination among NLUs, and promote reforms in legal education. No distinct named product offerings, modules, or sub-products were identified beyond the CLAT examination administration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) An all-India common entrance examination conducted as a computer-based test for admission to undergraduate (LLB) and postgraduate (LLM) law programs at the 25 member National Law Universities. Targeted at law aspirants across India.
• NLU Consortium Coordination and Standardization Services Coordinating body services for 25 member National Law Universities, including standardization of curriculum, teaching methods, and grading systems, faculty exchange, student exchange, research collaboration, and international partnerships in legal education.

Quantifiable outcome

• 25 NLUs coordinated under single consortium
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

27 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Gujarat National Law University (GNLU)coreOthers · 19 August 2017GNLU serves as the host institution for the Consortium headquarters. The Director of GNLU, Prof. (Dr.) S. Shanthakumar, serves as the President of the Consortium. GNLU has been instrumental in establishing the Consortium since its founding on 19th August, 2017.
• National Law School of India University (NLSIU), BengalurucoreOthersNLSIU Bengaluru is one of the 25 founding member NLUs of the Consortium. Prof. (Dr.) Sudhir Krishnaswamy serves as Secretary-Treasurer on the Executive Committee.
• Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), MumbaicoreOthersMNLU Mumbai is one of the 25 member NLUs. Prof. (Dr.) Dilip Ukey, Vice-Chancellor of MNLU Mumbai, serves as Vice-President of the Consortium.
• NALSAR University of Law, HyderabadcoreOthersNALSAR Hyderabad is one of the founding member NLUs. Prof. (Dr.) Srikrishna Deva Rao serves as Ex-Officio Member on the Executive Committee.
• National Law Institute University (NLIU), BhopalcoreOthersNLIU Bhopal is one of the 25 member NLUs represented on the Executive Committee by Prof. (Dr.) S. Surya Prakash.
• Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University (RMLNLU), LucknowcoreOthersRMLNLU Lucknow hosts the CLAT 2026 convenorship. Prof. (Dr.) Amar Pal Singh serves as Convenor, CLAT 2026.
• Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU), RaipurcoreOthersHNLU Raipur is one of the 25 member NLUs represented on the Executive Committee by Prof. (Dr.) V.C. Vivekanandan.
• West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS), KolkatacoreOthersWBNUJS Kolkata is one of the 25 member NLUs represented on the Governing Body by Prof. (Dr.) Nandimath Omprakash V.
• National Law University (NLU), JodhpurcoreOthersNLU Jodhpur is one of the 25 member NLUs represented on the Governing Body by Prof. (Dr.) Harpreet Kaur.
• Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (RGNUL), PunjabcoreOthersRGNUL Punjab is one of the 25 member NLUs represented on the Governing Body by Prof. (Dr.) Jai Shankar Singh.
• Chanakya National Law University (CNLU), PatnacoreOthersCNLU Patna is one of the 25 member NLUs represented on the Governing Body by Prof. (Dr.) Faizan Mustafa.
• National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS), KochicoreOthersNUALS Kochi is one of the 25 member NLUs represented on the Governing Body by Prof. Dr. G.B. Reddy.
• National Law University Odisha (NLUO), CuttackcoreOthersNLUO Cuttack is one of the 25 member NLUs represented on the Governing Body by Prof. (Dr.) Rangin Pallav Tripathy.
• National University of Study and Research in Law (NUSRL), RanchicoreOthersNUSRL Ranchi is one of the 25 member NLUs represented on the Governing Body by Prof. (Dr.) Ashok R. Patil.
• National Law University and Judicial Academy (NLUJA), AssamcoreOthersNLUJA Assam is one of the 25 member NLUs represented on the Governing Body by Prof. (Dr.) K.V.S. Sarma.
• Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University (DSNLU), VisakhapatnamcoreOthersDSNLU Visakhapatnam is one of the 25 member NLUs represented on the Governing Body by Prof. (Dr.) D. Surya Prakasa Rao.
• Tamil Nadu National Law University (TNNLU), TiruchirappallicoreOthersTNNLU Tiruchirappalli is one of the 25 member NLUs represented on the Governing Body by Prof. (Dr.) V. Nagaraj.
• Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), NagpurcoreOthersMNLU Nagpur is one of the 25 member NLUs represented on the Governing Body by Prof. (Dr.) Vijender Kumar.
• Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), Chhatrapati SambhajinagarcoreOthersMNLU Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar is one of the 25 member NLUs represented on the Governing Body by Prof. (Dr.) Bindu S. Ronald.
• Dharmashastra National Law University, JabalpurcoreOthersDharmashastra National Law University (DNLU) Jabalpur is one of the 25 member NLUs represented on the Governing Body by Prof. (Dr.) Manoj Kumar Sinha.
• Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Law University, SonepatcoreOthersDBRANLU Sonepat is one of the 25 member NLUs represented on the Governing Body by Prof. (Dr.) Devinder Singh.
• National Law University, TripuracoreOthersNLU Tripura is one of the 25 member NLUs represented on the Governing Body by Prof. (Dr.) Yogesh Pratap Singh.
• India International University of Legal Education and Research (IIULER), GoacoreOthersIIULER Goa is one of the member institutions represented on the Governing Body by Prof. (Dr.) R. Venkata Rao.
• National Law University MeghalayacoreOthersNLU Meghalaya is one of the member NLUs represented on the Governing Body by Smt. Kerpa Meida Lyngdoh Nongbri, MHJS, Vice-Chancellor(I/C).
• Dr. Rajendra Prasad National Law University, PrayagrajcoreOthersRPNLUP Prayagraj is one of the 25 member NLUs represented on the Executive Committee as Special Invitee by Prof. (Dr.) Usha Tandon.
• Himachal Pradesh National Law University (HPNLU), ShimlacoreOthersHPNLU Shimla is one of the 25 member NLUs represented on the Executive Committee by Prof. (Dr.) Priti Saxena.
• Foreign Law Schools and UniversitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Consortium objectives include promoting and facilitating exchange of faculty and students with foreign law schools and universities. The Consortium aims to attract foreign students and develop international collaborations for academic research.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Law School Admission Council (LSAC): LSAC administers the LSAT and operates as the centralized admissions and testing body for member law schools in the United States — directly analogous to the Consortium of NLUs administering CLAT for member law schools in India.
• GMAC (Graduate Management Admission Council): Owner of the GMAT exam and admissions service for business schools — a member-owned consortium model analogous to the Consortium of NLUs, providing standardized admissions testing for graduate professional schools.
• National Testing Agency (NTA): India's central government testing body that conducts large-scale competitive entrance examinations such as JEE, NEET, and CUET — the closest Indian analogue to the Consortium in terms of standardized, event-driven national testing for higher-education admissions.

Broad incumbents

• Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE): Conducts nationwide standardized secondary-school examinations in India. Comparable to the Consortium in delivering large-scale, standardized national testing with a coordinating body role.
• Educational Testing Service (ETS): Administers GRE, TOEFL, and other large-scale standardized tests globally — analogous to the Consortium in delivering high-volume, event-driven standardized testing with central coordination.
• The College Board: Operates the SAT and AP exam programs in the United States, serving as a centralized admissions-testing authority for member colleges — broadly comparable in role to the Consortium of NLUs for Indian law school admissions.

Regional players

• Bar Council of India (BCI): Statutory regulator of legal education and the legal profession in India. While not a testing body, BCI sets the regulatory framework in which the Consortium's law school members operate, making it the most relevant policy peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ConsortiumNLUs
• Facebookfacebook.com/ConsortiumNLUs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/consortium-of-national-law-universities

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles26 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Consortium of National Law Universities