Bala Nihal hailing from Patna, Bihar. He belongs to a joint family of eleven members and managing studies in a small house which was always been a challenge. He started preparing for CLAT in May 2023, right after his board exams, but doing it online turned out to be a mistake as he found it difficult to concentrate. Around that time, his grandmother fell seriously ill and was bedridden for 3–4 months. Taking care of her, arranging oxygen cylinders, medicines, and spending time with her, became part of his daily routine until she sadly passed away in October.
Things became even more difficult when his brother was hospitalized with dengue and soon after his father lost his job at the NGO where he had been working for more than a decade, as a result the financial, emotional, and academic setbacks piled up, however he appeared for CLAT 2024 but secured an AIR of 33,560. Hoping for another chance, he appeared for MHCET but could not make it to the top colleges. He almost gave up, but with constant support from his parents, he decided to try again for CLAT 2025.
He joined Legalight coaching centre but could not afford the fees, he explained his financial situation to Mr. Vivek Mishra, founder and director of the Legalight coaching centre and he introduced him “Shamnad Basheer Equity Scholarship Programme”. provided by the Legalight coaching centre to the students who have the capability and motivation to make law a career but are restrained by lack of finance. He got study materials, extra classes, and invaluable guidance. He started from scratch, scoring just 20 in his first mock, but gradually improved and reached to the 80 by the end of the series. Being from a Hindi-medium background, English was a challenge for him, but he got massive support from his teachers day and night, even answering my doubts at midnight.
Finally, in CLAT 2025, he secured AIR 3947 with SC category rank 84 and All-Bihar SC rank 4 and secured admission to the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS), Kolkata, one of the top ranked law universities in India. When he learned about the high fees at National Law Universities, Bala feared his dream would be beyond reach. But just when he needed support the most, got to know about the IDIA program. With IDIA’s help, Bala was able to continue his education at WBNUJS, something he remains deeply grateful for.
Additionally, he enjoys playing football and always eager to learn new things.
