On Thursday, March 9, an official announced the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani in Rajasthan will be expanding into legal education with the introduction of the BITS Law School. The school will offer "new age" courses and will be located in Greater Mumbai. Initially, the school will be located in Powai and later move to a 63-acre residential "green campus" with state-of-the-art facilities and a zero-carbon footprint. The campus is being built by the renowned architect Hafeez Contractor in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) at a cost of Rs 1,500 crore, as stated in a report by IANS.
What subjects are covered by the school? The BITS Law School will offer various specialisations including Technology and Media Law, Entertainment and Sports Law, Corporate and Financial Law, and Alternate Dispute Resolution and Mediation, reimagining all aspects of legal education.
When does it begin? The law school will commence in August 2023, and it will provide five-year integrated degree programmes, specifically BA LLB (Hons) and BBA LLB (Hons), with a flexible and interdisciplinary curriculum. The programme will also have a strong digital foundation, prioritising empathy and creativity in learning. Additionally, deserving students will be awarded scholarships.
Furthermore, Kumar Mangalam Birla, the Chairman of Aditya Birla Group and Chancellor of BITS Pilani, stated the BITS Law School would address current and emerging issues of both local and global significance, inspired by the National Education Policy and the lofty aspirations of the youth.
The BITS Law School's Advisory Council is comprised of former Chief Justice of India Justice UU Lalit, former Supreme Court Justice BN Srikrishna, and other distinguished personalities from the legal community. Ashish Bharadwaj will serve as the founding Dean.
In addition, law students at this institution will have the opportunity to access the extensive BITS Pilani Alumni network, which spans 55 countries and consists of over 170,000 members. This network includes leading law firms, business houses, banks, research organisations, and NGOs, as stated in a report by IANS.
