The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) India Rankings 2025 evaluates higher education institutions across several categories, including Law. According to the provided ranking data, the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru, Karnataka, secured the first position in the Law category with a score of 82.97.
National Law University, New Delhi, ranked second with 80.00 points, followed by NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, in third place with 79.50 points. The top 10 includes specialised national law universities, law schools, and multidisciplinary institutions offering legal education.
Top 10 Law Institutions in India Rankings 2025
The following table presents the top 10 institutions in the Law category, along with their locations, states, scores, and national ranks.
| Rank | Institution | City | State/UT | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Law School of India University (NLSIU) | Bengaluru | Karnataka | 82.97 |
| 2 | National Law University (NLU) | New Delhi | Delhi | 80.00 |
| 3 | NALSAR University of Law | Hyderabad | Telangana | 79.50 |
| 4 | The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS) | Kolkata | West Bengal | 79.39 |
| 5 | Gujarat National Law University (GNLU) | Gandhinagar | Gujarat | 76.23 |
| 6 | Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur | Kharagpur | West Bengal | 74.09 |
| 7 | Symbiosis Law School | Pune | Maharashtra | 74.07 |
| 8 | Jamia Millia Islamia | New Delhi | Delhi | 66.39 |
| 9 | Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) | Aligarh | Uttar Pradesh | 65.82 |
| 10 | Siksha 'O' Anusandhan | Bhubaneswar | Odisha | 65.36 |
Source: National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), India Rankings 2025, Law category.
NLSIU Bengaluru Secures the Top Position
The National Law School of India University, located in Bengaluru, Karnataka, ranked first with a score of 82.97. NLSIU is widely recognised for its legal education, research, and contributions to the study of law and public policy.
Its leading position reflects its standing among India's prominent legal education institutions. NLSIU recorded a lead of 2.97 points over National Law University, New Delhi, which secured second place.
National Law University Delhi Ranks Second
National Law University, New Delhi, secured second place with a score of 80.00. The institution is known for its specialised legal education, research, and professional training.
Its academic activities include legal studies, constitutional law, corporate law, criminal law, and other areas of legal scholarship. Its position among the top two highlights its role in India's legal education system.
NALSAR University of Law Secures Third Place
NALSAR University of Law, located in Hyderabad, Telangana, ranked third with a score of 79.50.
NALSAR offers legal education and research opportunities across several areas of law. Its programmes and academic activities support the development of legal professionals and researchers.
The institution's score was only 0.11 points higher than that of the fourth-ranked West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences.
West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences Ranks Fourth
The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS), located in Kolkata, secured fourth place with a score of 79.39.
The institution is known for its specialised legal education and research. Its academic activities cover several fields of law and related disciplines, supporting professional training and legal scholarship.
Gujarat National Law University Secures Fifth Place
Gujarat National Law University (GNLU), located in Gandhinagar, ranked fifth with a score of 76.23.
GNLU offers legal education across multiple specialisations, including corporate law, international law, constitutional law, and other areas of legal practice and research.
Its presence in the top five highlights the representation of specialised national law universities across different regions of India.
IIT Kharagpur and Symbiosis Law School Rank Sixth and Seventh
Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur secured sixth place with a score of 74.09. Its law-related education is associated with its Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law, which focuses on legal education and research, including intellectual property law.
Symbiosis Law School, Pune, ranked seventh with a score of 74.07. The institution offers legal education and training across several areas of law.
The two institutions recorded a difference of just 0.02 points, making their scores almost identical in the provided rankings.
Jamia Millia Islamia Ranks Eighth
Jamia Millia Islamia, located in New Delhi, secured eighth place with a score of 66.39.
The university offers programmes across multiple academic disciplines, including legal education. Its position among the top 10 demonstrates the presence of multidisciplinary universities in India's legal education landscape.
Aligarh Muslim University Ranks Ninth
Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), located in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, ranked ninth with a score of 65.82.
AMU offers legal education alongside its wider academic programmes. Its law-related academic activities contribute to legal training, research, and professional development.
Siksha 'O' Anusandhan Completes the Top 10
Siksha 'O' Anusandhan, located in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, secured tenth place with a score of 65.36.
The institution is a multidisciplinary university offering programmes in several fields, including law. Its inclusion in the top 10 highlights the contribution of universities with diverse academic offerings to legal education.
State-Wise Representation Among the Top 10
The top 10 institutions represent several states and administrative regions:
West Bengal: WBNUJS and IIT Kharagpur.
Delhi: National Law University and Jamia Millia Islamia.
Karnataka: NLSIU Bengaluru.
Telangana: NALSAR University of Law.
Gujarat: Gujarat National Law University.
Maharashtra: Symbiosis Law School, Pune.
Uttar Pradesh: Aligarh Muslim University.
Odisha: Siksha 'O' Anusandhan.
West Bengal and Delhi each have two institutions in the top 10, while the remaining positions are distributed across six other states or administrative regions.
This distribution provides a snapshot of the geographical representation of leading law institutions rather than a comprehensive assessment of legal education in every state.
How NIRF Evaluates Law Institutions
NIRF uses a structured assessment framework to evaluate institutional performance across several dimensions. Its broad parameters include:
- Teaching, Learning and Resources (TLR): Evaluates faculty strength, infrastructure, and learning resources.
- Research and Professional Practice (RP): Assesses research output, research quality, and professional activities.
- Graduation Outcomes (GO): Examines student progression and graduation-related outcomes.
- Outreach and Inclusivity (OI): Considers diversity, accessibility, and institutional inclusiveness.
- Perception (PR): Evaluates institutional reputation among relevant stakeholders.
These parameters provide a common basis for comparing institutions. However, an overall Law category rank does not necessarily determine the best institution for every legal specialisation or career pathway.
Importance of Law Rankings for Students
The NIRF Law rankings can help students prepare an initial shortlist when considering undergraduate law programmes, postgraduate legal studies, and research opportunities.
Applicants should also examine admission requirements, entrance examinations such as CLAT where applicable, faculty expertise, moot court facilities, internships, legal aid activities, placement reports, alumni networks, programme fees, and available specialisations.
Students interested in litigation, corporate law, judicial services, public policy, academia, or international law should compare the strengths of individual programmes and their professional opportunities alongside the national ranking.
Official source: NIRF India Rankings 2025 – Law Category
