CNLU makes significant strides

PATNA: CM Nitish Kumar's dream of having a law institution of national repute in Bihar is coming true. Established just a couple of years back, Chanakya National Law University (CNLU) has made significant strides in the field of legal education.

Currently functioning from A N Sinha Institute of Social Studies, Patna, CNLU is all set to shift to its new campus next year. The foundation stone of its new building at the Mithapur agricultural farm was laid by the CM himself at a function held on Thursday.

The government had allotted 18 acres of land to this nascent university but when CNLU chancellor and Patna High Court Chief Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha pointed out that even a crowded metropolis Mumbai has given 25 acres of land to its law university, the CM announced that the government would allot that much land to CNLU. The existing bus stand of the city located in the neighbourhood is likely to be shifted to some other place to make room for CNLU and other upcoming educational institutions.

CNLU VC A Lakshminath claimed that the construction of the university building would be completed in 18 months and the university would start functioning from its own campus from the session 2009-10.

Designed to be constructed in the Mauryan architecture style at an estimated cost of Rs 72 crore, the campus would be fully residential, providing residential accommodation to 600 students, including 300 girls and 100 teaching and non-teaching staff members. Besides, there would be an auditorium with a capacity of 500, two video conference rooms with a capacity of 200 each, mock court hall, internet centre, sports complex, including gymnasium, library and guest house. The built-up area of the project is over 50,000 square metres.
CNLU is fast expanding its academic horizon by introducing new programmes of studies in its curriculum. It has already started doctor of laws (LL.D) and doctor of philosophy (PhD) programmes. It has also made necessary arrangements for introducing six new post-graduate diploma courses from the next academic session. These courses are PG diploma in human rights, humanitarian law and refugee law, PG diploma in industrial and intellectual property law, PG diploma in alternative dispute resolution, PG diploma in cyber laws, PG diploma in disaster management and law and PG diploma in disabilities and law.