The JD - loosely the US-equivalent qualification to India’s LLB - is the main qualifying course to sit for the US bar examination, although to date the California and New York bar exams, for example, have also allowed LLM graduates.

Jindal and Indiana entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on 19 February to offer a BALLB degree from JGLS with a JD from Indiana, which would last a total of six years and a summer term, and a JGLS LLB with US JD, which would take four years and a summer term.

Normally the BALLB and LLB would last five and three years each, while the US JD normally takes three years.

Both joint degree courses would be a first of their kind in India, said OP Jindal Global University vice chancellor and professor Raj Kumar (pictured 3rd from right), adding that intakes would initially be limited to around five students.

Admissions are open to final year students from both the BALLB and LLB programmes at JGLS, and likewise Indiana JD students would be able to take semesters at JGLS for course credit said Kumar.

The additional costs of the JD would be carried by students themselves, explained Kumar.

The three-year JD course at Maurer normally costs around $43,000 (around Rs 21 lakh) per year for non-Indiana residents, excluding accommodation and other mandatory fees.

Jindal’s five-year BALLB and three-year LLB programs carry fees of around Rs 6.5 Lakh and Rs 7.5 Lakh per year respectively.