Chandigarh
Meeting people at Himachal Pradesh National Law University
HPNLU is a hill-station law school: its campus is at Ghandal, known as 16 Miles, outside Shimla. It began operating on 5 October 2016 as India's 20th National Law University and now has around 800 undergraduates.
HPNLU's campus is at Ghandal, a spot on the Shimla road known by its highway milestone as 16 Miles, which makes it one of the few National Law Universities in the hills.
The story of Himachal Pradesh National Law University
Himachal Pradesh National Law University was set up by Act 16 of 2016 and started functioning on 5 October 2016. It was the 20th National Law University in India, and the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court is its Chancellor.
Its flagship journal, the Shimla Law Review, has published volumes every year since 2018. Prof. (Dr.) Priti Saxena is the current Vice-Chancellor, and the university's third convocation is scheduled for October 2026.
What the campus is like socially
Studying law in the mountains comes with views, cold winters and a certain distance from city life. The campus is small enough that batches know each other well, and moot and ADR competitions shape the academic year.
Shimla town is the nearest escape for weekends, and the hostel, library and canteen are the centres of daily life on campus.
Traditions every Himachal Pradesh National Law University student knows
- International Conference on Law and Economics: HPNLU's academic conference, now in its twelfth edition.
- Moot and ADR competitions: The university runs moot court and alternative dispute resolution competitions through the year.
- Shimla Law Review calls: The annual call for papers is a fixture for research-minded students.
Campus lore and insider spots
- 16 Miles: The campus is better known by its milestone name, 16 Miles, than by Ghandal.
- The 20th NLU: HPNLU was the 20th National Law University in India when it opened in 2016.
How to find your people here
At Himachal Pradesh National Law University, the fastest way in is a moot court team, a committee, or a fest organizing team. Cohorts are small enough that showing up consistently gets noticed fast.
Fests and societies at Himachal Pradesh National Law University
Signature fests
- International Conference on Law and Economics (ICLE)
Notable societies
- Moot Court Committee
- Shimla Law Review
Societies worth knowing at Himachal Pradesh National Law University
- Moot Court Committee: Selects and trains teams; an HPNLU team won a Best Brief Award at the INTA Asia-Pacific Moot Court Competition 2026.
- Shimla Law Review: The flagship journal, with volumes published since 2018.
Careers, internships and placements
HPNLU offers undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes in law. Graduates head into law firms, litigation, judicial services and further study, with moot and journal records as the main CV builders.
Internships in Chandigarh, Delhi and beyond are essential, given the campus's distance from big legal markets.
Rivalries and eternal debates
HPNLU's natural comparison is RGNUL Patiala, the older NLU in the northern belt, in every CLAT preference debate. Students' standard defence is the setting: no other NLU has these mountains.
Meeting people at Himachal Pradesh National Law University by interest
A lot of friendships here form around a shared interest rather than a class or a hostel wing. If you are into debating and mun, reading and book clubs, quizzing, running, and food and cafe hopping, those pages cover where that scene actually happens in India and how to find people near you who are into the same thing.
Colleges nearby
Himachal Pradesh National Law University sits close to Panjab University and Thapar (Patiala), all part of the same Chandigarh student scene. Cross-college friendships often start at inter-college fests, hackathons, or shared-interest communities rather than in class.
Similar campuses across India
If you are looking beyond your own campus, students at Maharashtra National Law University Mumbai, NALSAR University of Law, National Law Institute University Bhopal, and National Law School of India University share a similar campus culture, and Zyber works the same way at each: showing you verified people nearby who match on interest, intent, or timing.
Zyber on campus
Zyber is built for meeting people nearby in real time, with verified profiles only. At Himachal Pradesh National Law University, that means showing you people near you who share your interests or your drive, whether or not you overlap on a class or a society.
New to Himachal Pradesh National Law University? Start here
If you are just starting out, these freshers guides are written for exactly this moment: first week of college checklist, how to choose societies in college, making friends beyond your branch, and case competitions for freshers.
FAQ: Himachal Pradesh National Law University
Where is HPNLU located?+
HPNLU's campus is at Ghandal, known as 16 Miles, in District Shimla, Himachal Pradesh.
When was HPNLU established?+
HPNLU was set up by Act 16 of 2016 and began operating on 5 October 2016.
Is HPNLU a National Law University?+
Yes. HPNLU was the 20th National Law University in India and admits through CLAT.
Who is the Chancellor of HPNLU?+
The Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court is HPNLU's Chancellor.
Does HPNLU have a law journal?+
Yes, the Shimla Law Review, published annually since 2018.
How do I make friends at Himachal Pradesh National Law University?+
The fastest way to make friends at Himachal Pradesh National Law University is to join a society or activity group in your first few weeks and keep showing up, since Chandigarh's campus culture here rewards consistency over one-off networking.
What societies should I join at Himachal Pradesh National Law University?+
At Himachal Pradesh National Law University, the societies and clubs tied to what you actually care about, not the biggest or most popular ones, tend to build the strongest friendships.
What are the main societies and fests at Himachal Pradesh National Law University?+
Himachal Pradesh National Law University's social calendar centers on International Conference on Law and Economics (ICLE), alongside societies like Moot Court Committee and Shimla Law Review.
How do I meet people from other colleges nearby?+
In Chandigarh, cross-college friendships usually start at inter-college fests, hackathons, or shared interest communities rather than in class. Apps like Zyber help by showing you nearby people at other campuses who share your interests.
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See meeting people in Chandigarh, events in Chandigarh, the freshers guide, the Meet People pillar, or read what Zyber is.