TH E N LS BA (HONS.

) PRO GR AMME 2 0 2 5
IN AU GURAL BROCHUR E
" M E S SAGE FROM T HE
V I C E - C HAN C E L LOR
PROF . ( DR . ) S U DH I R
K R I S H N A SWA M Y

In the last four decades, the National Law School of India University has
emerged as one of the most outstanding success stories in Indian higher
education. As the higher education ecosystem in India has shifted into a higher
gear in the past decade, we need to adapt and respond to these developments.

Spurred by government policy, we have witnessed the most rapid growth of universities
and increased student access to high quality education. NLS has responded to these
developments by increasing student intake by 120% and faculty by 235% in the last
4 years.

We have witnessed a renewed commitment to the creation of multidisciplinary

Humboldtian universities. This has spurred technological and professional universities
to expand into new disciplinary domains. In 2014 we offered our first non-law degree:
a Master’s Programme in Public Policy.

Today we are excited to announce a new Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree to

commence from Academic Year 2025-26. This innovative new programme develops
organically from our flagship Bachelor of Arts and Law (Honours) programme that
we have continually delivered over 35 years. The NLS BA will retain the depth and
rigour of our curriculum, the Socratic and experiential pedagogy we’ve adapted, and
the professional orientation to careers that is characteristic of our other programmes.

The NLS BA programme has been developed by our globally qualified, multidisciplinary
faculty teams. These faculty have created new approaches to the social sciences
and humanities that allow for a renewed ethical understanding of ourselves in the
contemporary social and political environment, while responding to the changing
demands of the world of work in a world shaped by new technology.

As a leading public university committed to delivering academic and professional

excellence to a diverse and inclusive student body, we offer a unique and transformative
educational experience. We invite parents and students who are keen to explore and
engage with us, to register your interest right away, and apply to our programme later
this December.
MESSAGE FROM THE
D EAN- ACA DE M IC S
& BA (HONS.)
PRO GRA MM E
CO M M I T T E E HE A D

D R . SAUR AB H B H AT TAC H A R J E E , DR . AT R E YE E M A J U M DE R ,
D EA N-ACA DE M I C S B A ( H O N S .) PRO G R A M M E
CO M M I T T E E H E A D

Within the NLS BA Programme Committee, we have debated and scrutinised several
different experiments with undergraduate educational models in several parts of India
and across the world. We tried to synthesise in this exciting, new experiment, the
traditional demands of learning something to the point of excellence, the aspects of
modern education and pedagogic theories and practices, while keeping in mind the
need for students to know how to use and apply their learning in the world. We have
paid attention to and learnt from the successful templates of our law programmes,
especially the BA LLB (Hons.) programme at the NLSIU. This new programme
has absorbed its pedagogic features of theory and practice bound together, Socratic
methods of teaching, small-group discussions, and emphases on experiential learning.

We are mindful of our location in India as a public university. We are mindful of

the tremendous responsibility that we carry in offering workforce-relevant education
in the social sciences and humanities via the NLS BA (Hons.) programme. We are
mindful of the need to carry out experiments in decolonised models of education
without taking a nativist perspective. With these anticipations, we are very excited to
reach out to educationists, parents, students, and the general public with our new
BA (Hons.) programme.
INT RO D U CT IO N
NLSIU has pioneered and developed an integrated 5-year BA LLB degree that
transformed Indian legal education. Several NLS graduates have pursued further
degrees in humanities, social sciences, and business and eventually then embarked on
very successful careers in these fields.

Over the years, alumni and faculty have been keen to build greater rigour and depth
in the BA section of the programme and the curriculum review that is currently
underway develops the BA programme in a manner befitting one of India’s highest
ranked Universities. Thus, the NLS, in its recent round of curriculum review, has
committed to strengthening the BA LLB (Hons.) through introduction of majors in
the social sciences and humanities, while simultaneously introducing a standalone
BA (Hons.) programme.

As NLSIU develops into a multi-disciplinary university, in line with national and

state education policies, the BA programme is an organic development that builds on
existing faculty expertise that can be delivered without having to develop an entirely
new faculty. With the introduction of majors and minors in the BA LLB (Hons.)
programme, our faculty will diversify immensely over the next few years. This will
enable us to offer a BA programme successfully. We wish to take steps in this direction,
with the hope, faculty and cohorts of students in diverse degree programmes will
give and take from each other’s learnings and values. We hope that this will add
meaningfully to holistic learning at the NLS and enrich all its programmes.

PE DAG O GY
The NLS BA (Hons.) programme is built around the primary concerns of balance
between lecture and small-group discussion sections, a multiplicity of pedagogies,
experiential learning, internships and externships, as also close attention to skill-
building that is relevant to the changing demands of the worlds of work.

The NLS BA offers a three-year programme, with an additional fourth year

option (on selection basis) for a rigorous year of dissertation and research assistance for
those who aspire to take the research pathway. Moreover, this BA (Hons.) programme
has been developed employing NLS’s unique pedagogical philosophy that combines
a rigorous academic programme with experiential learning and a professional
orientation. This undergraduate BA degree will also be a pathway to the LLB and
MPP programme and is fully integrated with the various pedagogic and structural
changes proposed by the BA LLB (Hons.) Curriculum Review Committee. The
NLS BA Curriculum Proposal has been extensively discussed with a diverse cohort
of stakeholders – academics and practitioners who teach, research, and work in
INT ROD U C TI ON professions that derive expertise from the social sciences and humanities.

O U R FACU LT Y
The NLS BA (Hons.) programme will allow students to benefit from NLSIU’s decades-
long experience in offering a world class learning environment. The faculty comprises
a vibrant group of scholars in the law, social sciences, and public policy alongside
leading practitioners who offer a range of elective courses.

READ MORE ABOUT THE FACULTY HERE

ST RU CT U R E O F T H E PRO G R AM M E
The three-year BA (Hons.) programme at NLSIU will have a common core
[shared with the BA LLB (Hons.) programme], majors and minors, a language
training component, an internship component, and a basket of practice courses.
ST RUC TURE This programme will offer and combine training in social sciences, humanities, and
career-oriented courses in order to yield a student body that is ready for the changing
O F T HE N LS BA
character of the workforce in our times.
P ROG RAMME
For example, a literature student could be equipped with planned career-training in
media and communications, data analytics, design thinking, or creative writing. A
sociology major student may be equipped with training in statistical methods, machine
learning, qualitative research, film and media. This combination of deep learning in
a core discipline along with training in workforce-facing skill sets, will constitute the
unique offering of the NLS BA (Hons.) programme.

The programme will deliver a 148-credit BA (Hons.) degree in three years, with
some students (on the basis of their performance in the first three years) being invited
to apply for an additional research-track fourth year for 24 extra credits. The four-
year-track students will graduate with a BA (Hons. with Research) degree.

Typically, students will take courses worth 16 credits per trimester, and thus, complete
144 credits by the end of nine trimesters alongside 4 credits worth of internships.
All core courses will be offered at a default calculation of 4 credits, but the elective
offerings will adapt to the variable credit model that the university is moving towards.
The Academic Review Committee, at its discretion, will assign variable credits (with a
minimum of 2, and a maximum of 4) to electives, though the core courses will remain
pegged at 4 credits all across.

 Students will be admitted through the NLSAT-BA test. Details of the test are
provided in our Admission Notification.
 Students in the first year will take six Common Core courses.
 They will declare their first major at entry into the programme. The second major
or the minor will be declared after the third trimester, at the end of the first year.
 Students in the third year, complete all the remaining requirements of their chosen
majors and minors and take three practice courses.
 Dissertation students (selected on the basis of academic performance in the three
years) will conduct original research and write a 20,000-word dissertation in the
fourth year for 12 credits. They must submit their dissertations at the end of the
fourth year and be examined on it successfully. The dissertation may draw from
the topics of majors and minors that they have elected, and will be supervised by
relevant faculty with expertise in these areas.

AD M ISSIO N PRO CE SS
Admission to the 3-Year BA (Hons.) programme will be through a national level
entrance examination process - the National Law School Admission Test (NLSAT-
BA). 60 students shall be admitted to the BA (Hons.) programme in the Academic Year
2025-2026.

Details of the admission process along with the reservation policy are available in the
Admission Notification of the BA (Hons.) Programme on the NLS website.
F E AT U R E S O F THE PRO GRAM M E

A CO M M O N CO R E
In pursuit of the goal of multidisciplinarity and the university’s growing strength in
faculty for humanities and the social sciences, the students will begin with a Common
Core curriculum of six courses to be completed over the three terms of the first year.
F E ATU RE S The aim of these courses is fundamentally to shape a young mind to look at the world
around them, near and far, with wonder, curiosity, appreciation, and critique. These
OF TH E
courses are organized around concerns in the world and the human condition at large
P ROGRAMME rather than disciplinary silos.

There are six compulsory courses in the Common Core. These are organized around
six themes: narrative, numbers, society, power, history, and economy. Each
of these courses will interrogate a common set of themes in different ways. These
themes would include relations, power hierarchies, inequities, and institutions.

The Common Core curriculum aims to provide students who join the programme
with different high school specialisations, with a broad-based foundation of knowledge,
skills and values that are essential for their intellectual and professional development.
The common core curriculum (detailed description below) shall be identified with the
aim of exposing students to diverse perspectives and disciplines, and enhancing their
critical thinking, creativity and ability to carry out research without being confined
to rigid disciplinary boundaries. The common core curriculum shall be completed
in the first year of the BA programme so that it can serve as a foundation for the
other courses of the programme. This will also influence student decisions on their
choices of second majors and minors. The six Common Core courses will be taught
to the BA (Hons.) students together with the BA LLB (Hons.) first year students, thus
helping healthy exchange and collaboration among the students of law and those of
humanities and social sciences.

Besides the academic courses, there will be another course titled Professional Life
for incoming undergraduate students.This course will be offered in the first term
of the first year, as a pass/fail course, aimed at equipping students with a range of
functional competencies and value orientation, geared towards the highest standards
of professional life. This will include, among other things, orientations to inter-personal
conduct and conflict resolution in a diverse society, tolerance and coexistence, navigating
academic study at the university, career pathways, professional communication and
conduct, as also ethical standards, effective public speaking, leadership and teamwork,
time management, mental health and well-being, learning and growth mindsets.

Credit Count: 6*4= 24 credits

F E AT U R E S O F THE PRO GRAM M E

MA J O RS A N D MI N ORS B The major in the BA Programme will consist of 10 courses – 6 core courses of 4
Every student in the NLS BA (Hons.) programme will have the option of credits each and a 16 credits worth of electives, in the variable credit system model,
electing a major-minor combination, or a double major. Each student will summing up to a total of 40 credits. These electives will be earmarked by the Major
provide a ranked list of first major choices at the time of applying to the faculty as being related to the subject area of the Major. Students will declare a first
programme. Each student will, thereafter, opt for a minor or second major major at the point of entry into the programme. Students who choose to do a double
at the end of the first year. major instead of a major-minor combination, will have 40 more credits to complete
in the double major track before they graduate. Second majors will be declared at the
A system of training in majors will allow students to focus and streamline their end of the first year.
coursework, gain in-depth knowledge, and develop expertise in a specific subject
area. This specialization can provide a competitive advantage when pursuing careers i. History
or further studies in that field. Additionally, for students interested in pursuing ii. Sociology & Anthropology
postgraduate degrees, having a major in a specific field will be advantageous. BA LLB iii. Economics
(Hons.) students will also opt for a major and complete its requirements alongside their iv. Politics
legal studies.
Credit count towards completion of the major:
Combination of majors and minors will provide students with the opportunity to 6 Major Core Courses + 16 credits worth of electives = 40 credits ((6*4)+16)
explore multiple disciplines and broaden their academic horizons, while focusing deeply
on one or two fields. Minors will allow students to pursue secondary interests alongside
their primary major, creating a well-rounded educational experience. To begin with, M INO RS
the majors and minors will be in the same areas/disciplines that are currently taught C Any of the majors can also be taken as a minor. A minor will consist of 6 courses – at
within the BA LLB (Hons.) programme; we will expand these areas and disciplines minimum, 4 core courses of 4 credits each and 8 credits worth of electives, under the
as our faculty strength and diversity enhances over the years. These disciplines are 1) variable credit model. Again, the relevant faculty cluster will suggest the particular
History, 2) Sociology & Anthropology, 3) Politics, 4) Economics. Over time, we hope combinations of core and elective courses for each minor. Minors must be declared by
to introduce Philosophy, Literature, Environment Studies, Data Analytics as majors the end of first year. The relevant faculty cluster will determine which of its basket of
and minors. core courses will serve as a core course for those students taking it as part of the minor.

Each Major will be delivered through 6 Core Courses and 4 Electives and the same Credit count towards completion of the minor:
discipline will be delivered as a Minor through 4 Core Courses and 2 Electives. 4 core courses + 8 credits worth of electives = 24 credits ((4*4)+8)

MA J O RS O PE N E L E CT IV E S
D Across the three years of the programme, students who are on the major-minor track,
will have to take 36 credits worth of open electives (under the variable credit model),
which may not have anything to do with the focal areas of their training. The students
who are on the double major track will have to take 20 credits worth of open
electives. Elective slots could also stand in for the option of a 4-credit Advanced
Language course.
F E AT URES OF T HE PROGRAMME F E AT U R E S O F THE PRO GRAM M E

E PRAC T I C E CO URS ES The NLS BA Programme will offer Indian language training, beginning with Kannada
In the NLS BA (Hons.) programme, we have introduced compulsory practice courses and Hindi. Students must opt for a language and go through the first two levels of
to train students in workforce-facing skill-sets and open up career pathways as they language training - Beginner and Intermediate (for 4 credits each). Students
complete the degree. One of the strengths of NLSIU in over three decades of its must pass the Intermediate level before graduating, having taken both levels in sequence.
existence has been the employability of its graduates. The focus in the University’s These courses will be taught on a pass/fail/honours basis. The top 25 percent of
pedagogy and curriculum on experiential learning and problem-solving skills, students in the class will carry honours grades from these courses and others will get
internships and field projects have enabled students to develop and demonstrate key a pass/fail grade. The Advanced levels of language training will be available on an
skills and competencies that are valued by employers. The BA (Hons.) programme will optional basis in lieu of an elective of 4 credits. The Advanced level will be available
build on these pedagogical strengths and be responsive and adaptive to the changing to students only after they have completed (with at least pass grades) the Beginner and
demands and expectations of the stakeholders, such as employers, industry partners, Intermediate levels. Students must obtain a pass grade at the Intermediate level before
accreditation bodies and alumni. We will also actively provide institutional preference they graduate from the programme.
for our top-performing students in the BA (Hons.) programme to enter our 3-Year
LLB (Hons.) programme and our Public Policy programme (MPP). The Practice Language (Beginner) - 4 credits
courses will be taught by practitioners from the industrial world, government, and the Language (Intermediate) - 4 credits
various service professions. Language (Advanced- optional in lieu of elective slots) - 4 credits

In lieu of three open electives, every student in the BA (Hons.) programme must take
three Practice Courses towards completion of the degree requirements. These will INT E R NSH IP
G
be application and skill-oriented courses carrying 4 credits each. The aim is to train Students are required to complete at least one internship of a duration of at least
students to use their education and complement it with workforce-facing skills. one month in every year of the programme. They will earn 4 credits through
Practice courses will be taught by industry experts and organized around themes such the completion of this task at the end of the third year. Internships will be assessed
as: through a system of internal and external completion reports.
1. AI & Machine Learning
2. Film-making
3. Scriptwriting H FO U RT H YE AR
4. Consulting In the fourth year, students (invited to the fourth year on the basis of their
5. User Experience Research performance in the first three years) will write a 20,000-word dissertation based on
6. Digital Journalism original research for 16 credits and earn another 8 credits as a TA or an RA assigned
7. Creative Writing to a faculty member or a research centre at the NLS. They are also welcome to take
8. Entrepreneurship courses that aid in dissertation-writing for extra credit or on audit basis over and above
9. Policy Advocacy and Analysis this requirement. The four-year-track students will graduate with a BA (Hons. with
Research) degree.
Credit count for 3 courses: 3*4= 12 credits

F L A N GUAGES
Social sciences and humanities education, in its emphasis on myriad formats of reason CR E D IT ST RU CT U R E
and expression, is incomplete without language training. Although Indian higher Credit count to graduate from the NLS BA programme with honours on the major-
education has become, to a great extent, an English language mediated system, we minor track (comprising 24 credits of the 6 Common Core courses; 10 Major courses;
offer the opportunity in the BA programme, for students to take an Indian language 6 Minor courses; 3 Practice courses, 36 credits of Open Electives, 8 credits of
as part of their humanistic and holistic training. A whole gamut of occupations like Language, 4 credits of Internships): 148
regional media and film, translation, journalism, anthropology, qualitative research will
open to students who can show advanced competence in more than one language. We Credit count to graduate from the programme with honours on the double major
are aware that language-teaching capacities are not well-enmeshed within the Indian track (comprising 24 credits of the 6 Common Core courses; 10 Major courses; 10
higher education system. We will make the greatest effort to enhance our language- second major courses; 3 Practice courses, 20 credits of Open Electives, 8 credits of
teaching capacity by tying up with premier language institutes and university language Language, 4 credits of Internships): 148
faculties in Bangalore and the region.
Credit count for those who take a fourth year: 172
PRO GRAM M E M AP

YE AR T R IM E ST E R CO U RSES

I 1 Common Core I
Common Core II
Common Core III
PROG RAMM E Language (Beginner)
MAP Orientation to Professional Life

2 Common Core IV
Common Core V
Major Core I
Major Core II

3 Common Core VI
Major Core III
Major Elective I
Major Elective II

II 1 Major Core IV
Major Core V
Minor Core I/ Double Major Core I
Language (Intermediate)

2 Major Core VI
Minor Core II/ Double Major Core II
Minor Core III/ Double Major Core III
Practice Course I

3 Major Elective III

Major Elective IV
Minor Elective I/Double Major Elective I
Minor Elective II/Double Major Elective II

III 1 Practice Course 2

Elective /Double Major Core IV
Elective /Double Major Core V
Elective /Double Major Core VI

2 Elective/ Minor Elective III

Elective /Double Major Elective III
Elective /Double Major Elective IV
Elective

3 Practice Course 3
Elective
Elective/Language (Advanced)
Elective
D I SC I PLI N E S

Difficulty Levels
 Level 100 indicates that these are basic, introductory courses.
All Common Core courses are set at difficulty level 100.
 Level 200 courses are structured as broad-based, survey courses.
DIS CIP LIN ES  Most Major/Minor core courses are set at difficulty level 200, HI STORY
with a few courses set at level 100.
 Level 300 indicates the study of a niche area within the discipline.
All electives, with the exception of a few, are set at difficulty level
300.

The B.A. History Curriculum at the National Law School of India University is
designed to help undergraduates learn to think expansively, as they develop research
skills and expertise in written, oral, and digital communication. History Majors allows
undergraduates to understand the everyday realities by situating these in a long-term
perspective, thereby building their ability to think analytically about the present. The
programme sharpens problem solving skills apart from making opportunities for
in-depth learning about changes that have shaped human history, from the earliest
phase to the present day. We expect our students to grow as informed citizens in a
globalizing world. The programme offers a thorough training in methodologies of
historical research, legal history, urban history, science & technology studies, history of
medicine, labor histories, intellectual history, dalit history, and public history & museum
studies with a focus on building transferable skills that will expose undergraduates
to employment opportunities. The knowledge and skills gained in the programme
will help undergraduates excel in a vast array of fields, such as, law and education,
public policy and social work, archives management and curatorship, and digital
communications and journalism. History Majors is a gateway to a wider world of
leadership, advocacy, and governance.

The final list of courses along with electives will be released on the NLS website.
D I SC I PLIN ES D I SC I PLI N E S

SOCIOLOGY
& E CON OM I C S
ANTHROPOLOGY

The Sociology and Anthropology major/minor track provides a concentration The Economics major and minor courses are designed to provide a strong foundation
of core courses that not only teach breadth at the intersection of sociology and in the discipline and inculcate rational thinking in making choices.
social anthropology, but looks to make this training traverse the classical tropes of We emphasise principles of individual choice, economic aspects of the development
the disciplines as well as contemporary themes and issues. We cover themes such as process, historical development of economic systems, and role of government in
capitalisms, religion, caste, gender, globalisation. This major is designed for students the economy. The majors enable a quantitative approach towards a comprehensive
who wish to pursue the disciplines for academic training, as also persons who wish to understanding of the behaviour of micro units and the economy as a whole.
go into various professions such as public policy, rights advocacy, journalism, media The major core is designed for students to pursue academia, research, public policy
and creative industries, development practice, and corporate research. This major/ and data analytics. The electives proposed are designed to allow for selection of a niche
minor track will deliver itself through a combination of historical and contemporary domain (including applied economics such as labour and development economics and
perspectives in treatment of the themes that are part of the core curriculum. Its focus international trade and finance) within the discipline. These courses will also cover
on training both in quantitative and qualitative methods is its core strength. the breadth of some contemporary fields that deviate from the rational economic
principles in behaviour economics, economic geography, natural resources and climate
The final list of courses along with electives will be released on the NLS website. change, media, and health. The blend of rational perspective and its deviations and
applications to various fields is the strength of the majors/minors track.

The final list of courses along with electives will be released on the NLS website.
D I SC I PLIN ES F E E STRUC TURE

FE E ST RU CT U R E (ACAD E M IC YE AR 2025– 26)

Admission fee (one-time fee): Rs. 13,000/-
Tuition and facilities fee: Rs. 2,96,000/- per annum
Off-campus housing fee (optional): Rs. 1,23,500/- per annum
Total fee: Rs. 4,32,500/-
POLITIC S
One Time Refundable Deposit
Refundable deposits for SC/ST category students: Rs. 17,500/-
Refundable deposits for other students: Rs. 22,000/-

The total amount payable by SC/ST category students is Rs. 4,50,000/-

The total amount payable by other students is Rs. 4,54,500/-

*(Fees are subject to necessary approvals and further revision)

The Politics major/minor track offers a core curriculum that provides students with a
deep understanding of political theory, institutions, and practices across diverse contexts.
The aim is to equip students to independently comprehend, interpret, explain and
evaluate complex political phenomena in an imaginative, fair and reasoned manner.
With a strong emphasis on rigorously taught theoretical foundations, the core courses
introduce students to a broad spectrum of political concepts and debates, ranging
from classical political thought to contemporary issues in diverse fields, including,
but not limited to, the nature of the modern state, capitalism, development, identity
politics, state politics, colonialism, comparative politics and international relations. The
programme emphasizes methodological diversity in the study of politics, equipping
students with relevant approaches. The major is designed for students interested in
pursuing academic careers in political science and related disciplines, as well as those
seeking career opportunities in public policy, journalism, political consulting, civil
services, diplomacy, and related fields.

The Politics major/minor will offer the following core courses. Though there is no
specific core or elective course on methods, each of the 6 core courses will have specific
modules within the course syllabi on the specific methodology that each of these will
follow.

The final list of courses along with electives will be released on the NLS website.

SCAN FO R M O R E INFO R M AT IO N