Legal education in India, once a static field, is now undergoing a significant transformation. The rapid developments in technology, coupled with an increasingly complex legal landscape, demand that legal education adapt accordingly. This change was the subject of an insightful discussion at a recent event featuring three eminent speakers—Professor Rajkumar, Anju Vali Tikko and Former Justice AN Mittal—who provided their perspectives on the evolving nature of legal education in India.
Addressing the Changing Landscape of Legal Education
The event began with Professor Rajkumar, who has been a pioneer in revolutionizing legal education in India. He spoke about a unique initiative he spearheaded—the establishment of the Constitution Museum, which aims to promote civic education and make India’s Constitution more accessible to the general public. Professor Rajkumar emphasized that the Constitution, while a fundamental document for lawyers and judges, has not yet fully permeated the imagination of ordinary citizens. The museum’s goal is to change that by creating an interactive and engaging learning experience, allowing citizens to connect with their country’s legal foundations in a more meaningful way.
He further discussed how the museum also honors the lesser-known members of India’s Constituent Assembly, including 15 remarkable women who contributed to shaping the Constitution. This effort, he said, is crucial for fostering a deeper understanding of democratic governance in younger generations. By focusing on the importance of the Constitution and the people behind it, the museum encourages enlightened citizenship, which he believes is essential for India’s future.
Adapting Legal Education to Modern Demands
Professor Ashok Kumar, another distinguished speaker, addressed the need for legal education to evolve in response to the changing demands of society and technology. As the legal profession diversifies—especially with the rise of new fields like artificial intelligence, cyber law, and environmental law
—he stressed the importance of updating legal education to reflect these shifts. Professor Kumar emphasized that, while law students may study a range of subjects during their courses, they cannot realistically cover all the laws in the country, given the vast number of statutes. He proposed a more practical approach to legal education, one that includes meaningful internships where students gain hands-on experience and practical skills, such as legal drafting.
He also suggested that law schools consider compensating students for their internship work, thereby ensuring they are actively engaged in meaningful tasks, such as legal research or drafting documents. By doing so, students would gain valuable experience that prepares them for real-world legal practice.
Rethinking the Legal Education Curriculum
Justice AN Mittal, who was also present at the event, shared his perspective on how legal education in India could be restructured to better meet modern needs. He acknowledged that the five-year law degree course is a generalist program, which does not adequately prepare students for specialized fields. He proposed that the curriculum be restructured so that the first year covers general legal subjects, followed by two years of core subjects like constitutional law, jurisprudence, and legal history. The final two years should focus on specialized subjects, allowing students to delve deeper into areas like taxation, international law, or corporate law, based on their career interests.
Justice Amit argued that this approach would provide a more balanced education, combining foundational legal knowledge with specialized expertise, thus preparing students for the diverse legal careers they may pursue.
Legal Education for Professionals
The discussion also addressed the challenges faced by professionals from other fields who wish to study law. Member of Parliament Kartikeya Sharma raised an important point: as the legal field continues to evolve, many professionals from other sectors—such as business leaders or technologists—may want to gain legal knowledge without committing to the traditional five-year program. He suggested that specialized programs be introduced for such individuals, allowing them to study law in a more flexible and relevant manner.
This idea resonated with the panel, as they recognized the growing need for professionals who have a strong understanding of law but may not want to practice law full-time. Some universities have already introduced programs like a BA in Legal Studies or a Master’s in Law and Business, which cater to this need. These programs provide a practical understanding of law without requiring students to engage in traditional legal practice.
The Future of Legal Education: Innovation and Reform
The panelists agreed that while there have been positive changes in legal education, there is still much work to be done. Professor Rajkumar and others acknowledged that the Bar Council of India (BCI) and other regulatory bodies have allowed law schools to experiment with new curricula, but a broader reform is needed to keep pace with the rapid changes in the legal and technological landscape.
The rise of artificial intelligence, robotics, and machine learning, for example, has created new legal challenges that require lawyers to be equipped with interdisciplinary knowledge. The panelists argued that legal education should expand to include these emerging fields, ensuring that students are prepared for the complex, intersectional legal issues that will arise in the future. However, as Justice Amit pointed out, while individual law schools may innovate, a larger regulatory framework is needed to ensure that these reforms are implemented at a national level.
As the legal landscape of India becomes increasingly complex, so too must the education system that trains its legal professionals. The ideas presented by the panelists—ranging from curriculum reforms and the introduction of specialized programs for professionals to the inclusion of emerging technologies in legal education—represent a significant step toward modernizing legal education in India. For these changes to be successfully implemented, however, the regulatory framework must evolve to support innovation and ensure that law schools across the country are equipped to meet the demands of the 21st century. Only through these reforms can India’s legal education system continue to produce skilled professionals who are ready to navigate the challenges of the modern world.