Lajpat Rai Law College, Sambalpur

Lajpat Rai Law College (LRLC), located in Hans Nagar, Sambalpur, Odisha, is one of the state's earliest institutions dedicated to legal education. Founded in 1965 by the Sambalpur Trust Fund, it initially operated under Utkal University before becoming a constituent college of Sambalpur University in 1967 . With over 55% of its 500‑strong student body being women, the college has been a pivotal hub for aspiring lawyers across western Odisha .

The college delivers a comprehensive curriculum under the jurisdiction of Sambalpur University and the Bar Council of India (BCI). Academic programs include a three-year LLB, a five-year integrated BBA‑LLB (Honours), a two-year postgraduate diploma in Industrial Relations & Personnel Management (PGDIRPM), and an LLM program added recently . Admission to these courses is determined through merit, entrance tests like Orissa SAMS, CPET, and the college’s own entrance exam, with eligibility criteria requiring a minimum of 45% in a relevant undergraduate degree (40% for reserved categories) .

Campus life at LRLC includes a library, moot court facility, computer labs, cafeteria, Wi‑Fi, and extracurricular platforms such as debates and guest lectures designed to cultivate legal reasoning and advocacy skills . Though established decades ago, the campus modernized with the recent inauguration of its first girls’ hostel—funded by the Western Odisha Development Council at a cost of around ₹4 crore—which accommodates 120 students and significantly enhances residential and academic access .

Despite solid academic credentials and BCI approval, some regulatory hiccups have occurred—for instance, the integrated BBA‑LLB course briefly faced pending BCI affiliation in 2015 . Nonetheless, LRLC offers well‑priced tuition—around ₹16,800 to ₹1.25 Lac for undergraduate and integrated programs—and maintains a median placement package of approximately ₹4.74 Lac .