Navodaya to law college: How a programme is powering rural dreams

In Hapur’s Athsaini village, Uttar Pradesh, Anshita Rani's father bought a rechargeable lamp for her when she was unable to study during power cuts. This lamp symbolizes her journey, which she credits to hard work and the National Law Scholars Programme (NLSP). NLSP is a fully funded, two-year residential programme that identifies promising students from Navodaya schools and prepares them for the CLAT exam and law school.

Anshita, a 23-year-old in her final year at National Law University, Jodhpur, is one of many scholars who have benefited from the programme.

Started in 2019 by Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti and its alumnus Anoop Maurya, NLSP aims to bring students from rural backgrounds into the country's most competitive law schools. The programme involves outreach sessions to roughly 10,000 students annually, mostly from rural areas. Those who qualify undergo a rigorous two-year programme, residing on campus in Hyderabad where they study school coursework during the day and attend coaching classes in the evenings.

Of the 150 scholars selected for the programme in the past seven years, 120 completed the two-year NLSP residential program and went on to law school. Of these, 84 are still pursuing law, with 54 currently attending National Law Universities. The programme provides financial assistance, including tuition fees that can run into several lakh rupees per year.

Anshita's experience highlights the challenges faced by students from poor and large families, such as finding quiet corners for study. Despite the difficulties, the programme has provided her with a direction and a sense of belonging. For many students, the NLSP offered not just coaching but a renewed sense of purpose and confidence.