The CJI said that despite advancements in legal education, contemporary legal education system favours only “certain English-speaking urban students”.
Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud on Friday inaugurated Dr. Rajendra Prasad National Law University in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj and also urged the university to employ Hindi as the medium of instruction in the college.
The CJI said that the premium attached to fluency in English acts as a barrier for students coming from diverse backgrounds.
“I appeal to Dr. Rajendra Prasad National Law University to ensure that the medium of instruction takes place in Hindi so that the best students from Uttar Pradesh become the best lawyers who will practice before the High Court. Many of them will join the district judiciary and some of them will join colleges,” he said.
In line with his appeal, he gave his address in Hindi and English.
The event was also attended by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Bar Council of India Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra.
The CJI said that despite advancements in legal education, contemporary legal education system favours only “certain English-speaking urban students”.
“The data from diversity surveys of five National Law Universities which came into existence much before reveals that the composition of law schools in terms of region, gender, and the premium attached to the fluency in English and a stigma due to lack of knowledge of English amongst students acts as a hindrance to the full participation and assimilation of students coming from diverse backgrounds,” CJI Chandrachud said.
He also opined that internships and moot courts traditionally cater to students from privileged and English-speaking backgrounds.
College campus should foster a dynamic environment where diverse beliefs and opinions can interact, he underscored.
The CJI further said that education at the new NLU should reach students beyond Prayagraj to smaller towns in Uttar Pradesh and other States. In this context, he commented that technology enables us to extend education beyond physical boundaries.
While referring to the Ram Manohar Lohia NLU at Lucknow, CJI Chandrachud said both the NLUs in Uttar Pradesh should strive to improve the standards of legal education to meet the current demands in the field.
“Today, when we are gathered for the inauguration of a new NLU, we have to think as to where we are taking our legal education. Now, UP has two NLUs. Several NLU Lucknow students worked with me, and many of them [are] working with the district Judiciary… A student of law also needs to be knowledgeable about political theory, economics, philosophy, and the history and culture of the nation to be able to institute cultural changes,” he underscored.