This paper presents a policy-oriented Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis of National Law Universities (NLUs) in India to evaluate their role in advancing sustainable and inclusive legal education. Established to revolutionize the legal education landscape, NLUs have grown in number and stature but continue to grapple with issues related to curriculum stagnation, mono-disciplinarity, governance deficits, and inconsistent research output. While many possess world-class infrastructure and attract high-calibre students, their contribution to long-term educational sustainability remains uneven and limited.

This study critically engages with the frameworks governing NLUs, drawing on documentary analysis, institutional records, and stakeholder perspectives to assess their alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) and the objectives of India’s National Education Policy, 2020. It proposes key structural reforms in pedagogy, funding models, research integration, and institutional governance. The findings highlight the urgent need to democratize leadership, decentralize curriculum development, and ensure transparent grievance redressal mechanisms. The paper ultimately argues that reforming NLUs through sustainable, policy-driven innovation is essential not only for producing socially responsive legal professionals but also for strengthening India’s justice delivery and democratic institutions.