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An estimated 5-minute read

What is the purpose of a Law School? Fighting or Learning?

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Recent Law School debate has been witnessed by most of us, and many of us find it very entertaining. Even, I was also a part of some of these fights which I do not deny. But, sometimes I feel these fights deviate us from the very purpose for which law colleges have been created.  Law was not considered to be a good option to go for career wise. For a long period of time, this field was considered to be for those who could not get admission in any of the good universities e.g. Engineering, Medical. But, it is a well settled principle that “Change is the law of Life”. And, it would be quite interesting to notice the change which has come in the field of law. National Law School, Bangalore was the first law university in India which re-defined the meaning of legal education, and since then law as a career is considered to be one of the best options which one can go for. In its short period of existence, this law school was able to achieve various feats. Following it, other National Law Universities were established within the period of 1999-2001 namely NALSAR, NLIU, NUJS, NLUJ. They also started establishing their name, and it would also be important to know the basic purpose for which these universities. Law is an integral part of any country, and to make sure that this law works in accordance with the social change, it is necessary to revise it from time to time. And, this purpose can only be fulfilled by those who have studied the law of this country. In short, the basic purpose for which these colleges have been established is to produce such people who can provide their helping hand in the working of this country.

Now, another purpose for which a student takes admission in any college is to study the subject which he is interested in. As long as this very purpose is fulfilled, studying in a particular college would not matter. There are various law colleges in India which provide all the facilities which are available for a person to study law. The recent debate “My car is better than yours” has left me in a situation where I am not able to understand the purpose for which National Law Universities have been established. Being a regular visitor of LegallyIndia, I would not find any difficulty to say that articles/posts/blogs based on law school placements, mooting get most attention than anything else. Very often, these posts become Fighting ring for everyone. When I was preparing for law entrance, Law school ranking was something which always remained one of the hottest topics among aspirants and this scenario has not changed. I have seen students preparing for CLAT again after getting into a law college which forces me to think of one question “Do we want to study or college?”

How would a college rank help in making me a successful lawyer, and more important a successful person? It is only a self-satisfaction which makes one happy, and no more than that. Ranking would not provide you a job unless you have worked hard in your college. Ranking would not make you a partner in a law firm; it would be your work which would make you a partner. Ranking would not get your article published in an international journal, unless you have written it well.  A college cannot make you a successful person if you are not willing to become one. We start talking about jobs since first day of our law school, and sometimes we forget the purpose for which we have joined that law school. And, most of the time we forget to understand that a college can only provide a medium, not your aim. Most of us do not leave any chance to show the excellence of their college irrespective of the university which we are studying in.

There are many of us who take admission in law school, because they do not want to do engineering. There was a comment which I once read in LegallyIndia “Prepare for NLS/NALSAR/NUJS if you want to study law, and if you do not get till NLIU/ NLUJ, then do not study law.” That means studying law is limited to only these universities as per the person who commented this. There are many students who could not clear CLAT, but they were more brilliant than those who made into so called good NLUs.

I do not want to criticise anyone, nor do I want to criticize any college. But, as a part of law school student community, it becomes necessary for each of us work together for the purpose which has been envisaged by the makers of these NLUs. I find it really funny student commenting like “NLSIU is the only real law college”, “Top 3 are class apart”, “and other colleges are not worth to study into”.  Library is available in every NLU, and if a person wants to use it, he can use it anywhere irrespective of the university which he is studying in. If a person wants to write an article, he can write it anywhere. If a person wants to open a law firm, he can do so if he is determined. If a person wants to study law, then he need not be in a particular university, he wants to study and not university. If a person wants to practice, then university name would not matter. If a person wants to join civil services, then university name would not help. And, those people who could make into CLAT this year, you do not have worry. It is not the end of the road, you have some quality in yourself and it may be possible that you would be more successful one day than those who are studying in so called good NLUs. Purpose of a law school can be learning, it can be making you a good lawyer. Legal Education is not limited to certain universities; it can be gathered from any law college which provides to all necessary resources.

 

Tagged in: legal education
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