There is a clear consensus on two points amongst well-wishers of the National University of luridical Sciences, Kolkata. One, that NUIS is a success story -- in a relatively short period of seventeen years it has emerged as one of the three best law schools in India, and earned the respect of the global legal community. Two. that NUIS could have done, and can do, even better. 1' -n 72. Elena: tdeeply concerned to receive the statement presented to the Commissmn Ofgfaeiath i sltludents, conveying ?utter dissatisfaction and complete loss we ers 1p.of the Vice Chancellor with respect to these concerns c: (C concerns identi?ed by them 4" . This statement, backed by detailed arguments, and their concern must be taken with utmost seriousness by NUIS. A University is a community. No University can function without mutual trust and con?dence amongst the student body, the faculty and the administration. The issues the students raise are all in the best interests of the University. They are resolvable through reasoned dialogue and appropriate action. With the greatest respect we would suggest that the Vice Chancellor be requested to urgently take all necessary action to restore the confidence and trust of the student body by addressing their legitimate concerns as early as possible. We are deeply saddened to read the following statement in the student submission that is addressed not only to NUIS but to NLUs in general: ?Administrations of NLUs have subjected students to increasingly stringent rules and regulations while simultaneously reducing facilities available to them. It appears that funds are unavailable for trivial demands such as clean washrooms while expensive camera are installed around the campus encroaching on our privacy. Pro/I Madhava Menon established these institutes to improve legal education and nurture a generation of ?social engineers?.? Yet, the continuous ?ghts for basic survival and a right to decent education may leave us too drained and disillusioned to be of any use to the society.? The students are right. This is a wake up call to each of us involved with legal education. 88. First, we would recommend that the selection process for faculty be considerably revised and strengthened. Concerns have been expressed that selections recently made have been in?uenced by personal bias - it is not our role to ascertain the truth behind these allegations, but we certainly are interested that the selection system should be such that such an apprehension is avoided and all members of the community have full faith in the integrity of the selection process. The selection process should be as trustworthy and objective as the admissions process. The selection committee should have independent subject matter experts rather than be chosen based on the basis of position alone VCs). Criteria and processes for selection should be clear. Taking into account student feedback through a model class is a welcome innovation. The same comments 90.We also recommend a clear framework for de?ning and measuring faculty quality, including such factors as knowledge and expertise; academic contributions; inter-personal skills; democratic values; listening skills; openness to being questioned; and teaching, research, speaking and writing skills. 94. As noted earlier, NUJS physical infrastructure and faculty size have remained stagnant while its student population has expanded enormously. student strength has increased 122% sine 2002, whereas its faculty strength has increased by only 6% in the same period. NUJS today has an unacceptably low faculty-student ratio of 1 faculty 22 studentss. To keep pace with the student expansion. should have increased its faculty by 55 positions and should have today a faculty strength Of 87. NUJS is today short of 55 faculty members based on its 2002 teacher-student ratio. 95. We therefore recommend that a plan be developed urgently to increase the NUJS faculty size to a strength ofat least 80, appropriately distributed between various levels of seniority as needed for teaching and research. The faculty requirement should be drawn up based on training and research strategies to be drawn up by the Teaching Dean and a Dean who should be in charge of Strategy and Planning. 115. The administration ofthe academic programme is one of the weakest areas of the governance system in NUIS. The following are some of the pressing issues that a - Requests for repeat examinations are allowed without following prescribed rules. There is a perception that students from influential backgrounds get favourable treatment a perception that concerned staff con?rmed. lncessant 132.The core issue facing NUIS today is a failure of management and administration ofa very large scale. The Commission received a flood of complaints. Some of the complaints received are set out here to illustrate the depth of the management failure we encountered (many of the points below are noted elsewhere in the Report as well). 0 Key senior positions all remain either unfilled or will fall vacant soon. The There was a major instance of alleged corruption and embezzlement that has resulted in the suspension of the then Registrar. An inquiry report ordered by the Executive Council and another ordered by the High Court into this alleged corruption have both made recommendations for further investigation into a number of aspects and the fixing of individual responsibility beyond the Registrar. However there has been no effective follow up action on these recommendations. There have been at least incidents of sexual harassment which have been poorly handled resulting in alleged re-victimization of the survivor. There has been a sudden exit in signi?cant number of capable faculty without adequate replacement. Human Resource decisions on faculty and staff appointments and promotion are widely seen as malafide and vitiated by favouritism or incompetence. There was a case of alleged serious misconduct on the part of a student whose parents are senior bureaucrats and he was seen as being let off because of his in?uence. There is severe overcrowding. A campus meant for some 500 students is today occupied by some 700 students. Students are being packed into overcrowded and makeshift rooms. Teacher-student ratios are at a historic low and students are not receiving adequate individual attention. Even though there is a severe shortage of faculty, new programmes are being started without adequate academic resources. Even though there is a severe shortage of faculty, new programmes are being started without adequate academic resources. The undergraduate programme is suffering from grievous neglect. Record keeping is poor or non-?existent. Administrative competence is very low and there is no effort to improve it. There is little if any strategic or long term thinking at a time when legal education in India and globally is in the throes of structural change. Issues such as attendance and examination are being mismanaged in the absence of rational rules. There is an inordinate number of re- examinations, special re-examinations and special examinations resulting in the faculty being overburdened. Allocation of work amongst faculty is not being done properly. There seems to be an emerging difference of opinion with the Law Ministry of West Bengal over a demand that NUIS open up new centres in Siliguri and Asansol. This difference should be settled amicably, explaining the inability of NUJS to open up new centres for the present. because of its skeletal faculty and administrative staff strength. Most research centres are inactive. Quality of teaching and research is perceived to be declining. In a laissez fair environment, there is wide concern about con?icts of interest and self dealing. Security guards are ill trained and ineffective and are accused of harassing women students. Women feel there is no safety on campus. There are inadequate recreation facilities and inadequate avenues to use the cultural talents of students. Rules on movement in and out of the campus ?Curfew" are seen as irrational and selectively applied. Hygiene in the campus and it the hostel is a serious problem. Garbage is being dumped next to the hostel. Administrative decisions are seen as non-transparent. There is no effective framework for accountability of teachers and administrators. The community is fractured with distrust towards the administration on the part ofa section of students and faulty and vice-versa. There is fear of retaliation and a fear to speak out. A significant portion of the community has lost faith in the administration. Faculty meetings are not being held (there have only been two this year) and there is very little openness about administrative policies and decisions. CCTV cameras have been installed across the campus, even in classrooms, raising serious concerns about privacy. - Key rules are not in place. When rules are in place, they are not followed in a consistent manner. There is lack of adequate and effective oversight by University bodies even though EC is meeting on average once in three months or so. 0 Human Resources Management is weak There is inadequate faculty training other than what is required by UGC. - There is no available framework to engage quali?ed alumni and others desirous of teaching but lack NET qualification. The terms and conditions of such persons, when used, are onerous. MOUs are entered into with various foreign Universities but their details are not shared with faculty and students. In the absence of clear standards and guidelines, there is a perception of lack of transparency and objectivity and accountability in grading Suggested Measures of General Interest . EC should appoint a senior, independent person as an Ombudsman to whom all grievances can be immediately directed; . EC should immediately appoint a committee of one EC member and one outside senior expert based in Kolkata to review the management crisis and advice and assist the Administration about management steps that should be taken immediately to address the crisis. A specific time bound action plan should be developed and monitored by EC. Chancellor should be informed about such action. . The Registrar?s post should be advertised immediately and ?lled by an experienced administrator who will be able to handle the crisis facing the University .The Accounts Officers' post and all other vacant posts should be advertised immediately and ?lled . EC should monitor the recruitment through the committee suggested above. (B) 6. In view of the shortage of suitable candidates and the cumbersome and procedure involved, and as the current VC has only about two years left in of?ce, EC should act well in advance to find a suitable successor when he demits of?ce. To this end, EC may establish a search committee to begin the process, giving enough time for the transition. The new VC should have wide exposure and experience both academic and administrative and strong leadership qualities. Reducing the Overcrowding on Infrastructure and Augmenting Faculty Resources: The infrastructure was meant for about 80-85 students per year and a total student size of 504 which is the capacity of the hostels. This has now been raised to about 127 students per year and a total capacity of 767. This is an unbearable load. Until infrastructure and faculty capacity is increased as required for a community of 767, there should be a temporary reduction of intake into the LLB. by 22 seats to 105 starting in 2018 (temporary halt to admission of 19 sponsored seats and 3 foreign national seats. There will no reduction of other seats). This will bring some immediate relief to the pressure. Quality will improve. The measures will be seen as an indication of priority to quality. Meanwhile steps can be taken to expand infrastructure and faculty resources and the intake can be increased once requisite facilities and resources are in place. This decision can be accommodated within the ?nancial resources now available to the University.