Legal Education A Need To Reform Role of Regulatory Bodies

Historically, the legal education in India at the ‘Vedic’ age based on the concept of ‘Dharma’.
Though there was no formal education to impart law. Dharma was basic grandeur for every
living individual. Training was self-acquired in matters concerned with ‘Dharma’. The king
either used to dispense justice themselves or appoint judges and assessors to administer it.

Legal education is the basic which only would create such responsible and responsive social
lawyering. Legal education equips law students for filling different roles in society for
discharging various law jobs, the range and scope of which are always expanding in the
modern democratic society. Example- policy makers, administrators, lawyers, etc. it is crucial
function of legal education to produce a social vision in a developing country like India.

The imparting of legal education in India had begun during the British period much before
India gained its independence in 1947. Law course were started at college, Calcutta, elphistone
college, Bombay and at madras. In course of time, legal education expanded and several
institutions at various places began imparting it. The primary aim of legal education at the time
was to equip law students so that they could help the lower courts and high courts in the
administration of justice.

With the down of independence in India in 1947, the whole scene concerning legal education
started undergoing transformation. The supreme courts have replaced judicial committee of the
privacy council as the highest court in India. From during last several years now there has been
a lot of ferment in the area of legal education and it has been very much discussed and debated
subject. Since the independence, two developments of consequences are noticeable in the
country in the field of legal education. One there has been a phenomenal increase in the number
of students studying law as well as in the numbers of law school teaching law.

Role of Regulatory Bodies In Legal Education

Legal education in India regulated by central and state government, Universities Grant
Commission, Bar Council Of India and respective universities. For various reasons the quality
and standard of legal education is not satisfactory. Several attempts were made to reform
curriculum of legal education by the BCI. On the guidelines of BCI, several national law schools
have seen established, but the result is not up to mark.

A very significant development in the area of legal education took place when the bar council of
India was set up under the Advocates Act 1981. Under the act, the bar council enjoy very
significant function in relation to legal education. Under Sec. 7 of the Advocates Act, one of the
most important function of bar council of India is ‘’ to promote legal education and to lay down
standards of such education in consultation with the universities in India imparting such
education and the state bar council.’’
The vision of legal education is to provide justice oriented education essential to the realization
of the various enshrined in the Constitution Of India. At the same time, it also prepares
professionals equipped to the meet the new challenges and dimensions of globalization. These
goals will be achieved in reality by considering the following suggestions:

1. As our nation is a member of WTO agreement it is bound by the general agreement on Trade
in Services (GATS) which will give birth to tough competition between our traditional and
foreign lawyers. To tackle the situation and to compete, it is necessary to impart quality legal
education as well as global legal education with the help of advances in information technology
and telecommunication to our law students.

2. Bar Council of India, constituted under sec. 4 of the Advocates Act, 1961 is the apex body for
legal professionals in India. BCI had limited role in promoting legal education and laid
minimum standards for students who are entitled to practice. But it has neither the power
under the Advocates Act 1961 nor the expertise to meet the new challenges both domestically
and internationally. It is therefor, necessary to constitute a new regulatory body vested with
power to deal with all aspects of legal education having sanction of the government.

3. As the socio economic conditions in India are different from other countries, the global legal
education will be affordable and digestive only by the richer few. The necessary steps should be
taken in these fields as per the local conditions of our country to find out have it will be made
digestive and adoptive to majority students of our country.

4. There has been grosing demand in various packet of the counter to provide lecture in
vernacular language. Several universities permit the law student to write their examination in
vernacular languages and even provide vernacular version of the question papers.

These aspects are not taken notes of by the regulatory bodies of India, no view are found in this
regards.

The Hon’ble Supreme Court observed:

‘’The need for convincing and well organized legal education is absolutely essential reckoning
the new trend in the world order, to meet the ever grooving challenges. The legal education
should be able to meet the eves growing demands of the society and should be thoroughly
equipped to cater to the complexities of different situations.”

The role of regulatory bodies in promoting legal education is worth appreciation and it is due to
these efforts which has not shacked the faith of people in judiciary. Effective reform in Indian
legal education will require energy, imagination, and devotion, nor can such reform alone
resolve the dilemma in which the indian legal order find itself. In the recent few years are save
indian institute of technology, khargapur comes out with new course on the law related
technology and computer. No other institutions than IIT, IISC, ISI are the best in their
intellectual in this fields then the developments in law will be unimaginable. As it is the need of
hour to be prepared for global challenges of the world. It is also necessary to be firm on our
values of justice , democracy rule of law, equality, local requirements etc. let me conclude with
the thought of Mahatma Gandhi, who said that-

‘’let us keep our doors and windows open for all the winds to come in and at the same time
keep our feet firm from being swept away.”