Karnataka will set up a dedicated coaching institution and campus for judicial service examination aspirants in Bengaluru, with the proposed facility expected to occupy 15 to 20 acres at the Racecourse premises. Chief Minister DK Shivakumar announced the plan at the 34th annual convocation of the National Law School of India University, saying the proposal would be placed before the state Cabinet for formal clearance.
Shivakumar said the proposed institution would support young lawyers preparing for the judiciary and would be designed as a model campus. He compared the planned facility with institutions that prepare candidates for the Union Public Service Commission, Indian Police Service and other public services.
“Today, I am very proud to announce that Karnataka will set up a dedicated law college for the judicial service examination, with a coaching institution for young aspirants,” the Chief Minister said. “UPS, IPS, and all these police services have institutions where candidates can educate themselves. But we need the same for the judiciary as well.”
The announcement was made during an address focused on democratic accountability and the role of legal professionals. Shivakumar told graduating students that a strong democracy is one in which citizens retain the freedom to question the government. He also urged lawyers to combine professional knowledge with integrity, compassion and courage.
The proposed campus would add a new public-purpose educational use to the Racecourse premises, although the announcement did not specify the project’s construction cost, implementing agency, design, floor area, funding arrangement or completion timeline. Those details will depend on the formal approval process and subsequent project planning.
Earlier in the day, Shivakumar, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru laid the foundation stone for NLSIU’s South Block, auditorium and student centre. The university’s expansion will therefore include both academic and student-support infrastructure, alongside the state’s proposed judicial preparation campus.
The judicial service institution is intended to help young lawyers prepare for competitive examinations and develop their professional capabilities. However, the state has not yet announced the proposed institute’s admission structure, course format, faculty model or relationship with existing law universities and coaching programmes.
The Cabinet’s consideration of the proposal will be the next formal milestone. Until clearance is granted, the 15–20-acre campus remains an announced plan rather than an approved construction project. Further details on the land, budget, institutional structure and implementation schedule are expected after the proposal is taken up by the state government.
