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The Curious Case of NLS Journals

4 comments9 September 20093 min readby Madhav Khosla
Written by Madhav Khosla

Having an interest in Indian legal scholarship, I’ve been closely following the growth of law reviews in India. Over time, three law schools in India (considered by many to be perhaps the leading law schools in India): National Law School of India University (NLS), Bangalore; National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS), Kolkata; and NALSAR Hyderabad, have established a diverse range of journals. I’m noticed however a strange phenomenon about NLS journals as compared with NALSAR and NUJS ones. NALSAR journals such as the Indian Journal of Constitutional Law, and the recently established Indian Journal of Law and Economics maintain updated websites with pdf copies of new as well as old issues (Not the law and eco journal since it is yet to take out an issue). A similar trend is seen in NUJS journals such as the NUJS Law Review that maintains an excellent updated site with all current and old issues. NLS journals however seem to be doing no such thing. The Indian Journal of International Economic Law that recently posted on this blog does not even mention on its site that it has published 2 issues and gives no information about either issue. The Socio-Legal Review has no details of any issue after 2007 [the tab ‘current issue’ takes you to a 2007 issue]. The Indian Journal of Law and Technology also has no details after 2007. Forget about the articles themselves; the sites of these three journals do not even provide the table of contents for the current or old issues. The National Law School of India Review is the only exception. Its current issue is up, but again the archive section isn’t updated. Some many feel that this is largely an irrelevant issue. On the other hand, I regard it to be enormously significant. None of these journals are available on westlaw/lexis. Without updated websites, there is no way to access them or to receive details about new issues unless one subscribes to them. This is the same problem that many of us are facing JILI, but it is indeed unfortunate that it is also true of these new journals. If NLS journals follow the standard laid down by NALSAR and NUJS journals, it would benefit us all.

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4 comments

  • The concerns are raised in the post are valid and it is time that NLS journals maintain updated websites.

    As for the National Law School of India Review, we are moving to an entirely new website, which is presently being designed. This should be ready within two weeks and I hope these difficulties will be addressed then, as far as the NLSIR is concerned.

    V. Niranjan,
    Chief Editor,
    NLSIR

    Reply

  • I certainly agree !!
    If we want India to be on the forefront in the international legal arena, we have to keep up with time….
    and law schools like NLS have to keep up with time….
    The updated data on a website will attract more readers and will also allow students to benefit….

    PG Law student

    Reply

  • A correction: the Indian Journal of Law and Technology website did have both full articles and content listings even at the point of time when this post first appeared. The Journal now has updated its online content up to Volume 4 on its new website at http://www.ijlt.in. It is also now available via HeinOnline.

    Reply

  • Thanks Raman for the clarification. You are indeed correct. It's great to see the journal on HeinOnline. Congrats.

    Reply
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