One need not study in National Law Schools to succeed in legal profession

I believe that many students from villages, rural background, and underprivileged families join law with sheer passion looking at famous lawyers in the Country like Shri Ram Jethmalani, Shri Arun Jaitly, Shri Kapil Sibal etc. Some students may lack the required financial support and also the background to join National Law Schools and other reputed Private Law Colleges in this Country. As such, students who lack the required guidance, legacy and financial support join Government Law Colleges to pursue law. Depending upon the management or the people at the top, even the Government Law Schools function well and they do get the services of experienced lawyers to teach in their schools. When it comes to enrolling faculty in Government Law Colleges, the faculty pursues teaching as their profession and they lack the required experience and understanding of the developments in the legal profession at times. It is also true that there are exceptional teachers teaching in aided law schools with passion.  Many aided law schools or the Government Law Colleges do have the required and sufficient infrastructure, however, the perception about the quality of teaching in these schools is not good. It is also true that some students and other people join law for acquiring qualification and to defend their personal issues. Whatever may be the issues or the difficulties in aided or the Government Law Schools, for students who are interested but come from underprivileged background, the option is to join some aided or the Government Law College.  Contra to the facilities in aided or Government Law Schools, National Law Schools provide excellent facilities to their students and they will have the privilege of listening to famous lawyers very often. As entry into National Law Schools is costly, as privileged normally prefer to join National Law Schools and due to the care taken by the management in administering National Law Schools, the students graduating from National Law Schools do possess good standards and they will easily get placements with noted lawyers in India, Big Law Firms and also with MNC’s.  I have heard the famous lawyers in India referring to National Law Schools and the students of National Law Schools often. 

While it is good to study in National Law Schools if possible, interested students studying in aided and Government Law Colleges need not worry at their future and they too can compete with anyone in legal profession in future. These interested students can certainly shine in the profession and can even become noted lawyers of Supreme Court or a particular High Court within a short span of time provided they plan well and provided they work hard.  The problem with the aided or the Government Law Schools is about management. While these aided or the Government Law Schools can have permanent faculty, the Principal of the College or the Management should take the initiative to convince the successful and busy practitioners to guide the students and it will certainly benefit the students and they get motivated. I believe that even the Bar should play an active role in guiding the next generation and they should make all efforts to continue the legacy. Despite the fact that the ‘Right to Education’ remains only on paper and though education has become a business in commercial sense in spite of the efforts taken by Supreme Court, no one, if he or she is qualified,  should be denied of educational opportunities based on their financial background. Compared to other professional courses, pursuing law in aided and Government Law Colleges is not costly and in my opinion it is a golden opportunity to reach to higher positions in life or the society. 

Even with the interested young students joining law, what happens is that they lack people to motivate them and there can be faculty talking negative about the legal profession based on their own experience. Any aided or the Government Law Collegecan be a good opportunity for all students and especially students from underprivileged families to improve the skills and to reach greater positions eventually in life.  When the students in aided or the Government Colleges gets the advantage of guidance from the successful lawyers though they could spend little time, it will benefit the students. I have seen really brilliant students while I pursue law, but, it is unfortunate to note that they could not come-up in profession, may be, they lack the required guidance.  There can be many students in aided and Government Law Colleges trying to discourage other students focusing on knowledge acquirement. These are simple issues in my opinion and if these issues are addressed, then, our aided or the Government Law Schools can compete with any prestigious law schools in the Country in terms of producing good students. Law School Administration and the regulatory frame-work regulating law colleges in this country require a re-look and we need reforms in this regard. 

Students pursuing law in aided or the Government Law Schools should focus on English Language, logical thinking through discussions and debates and they should know as to how to better use Information Technology.  Every student in Law College should be provided with access to Internet in their Library and there should be faculty to guide them. Even Advocate Associations, Bar Associations and the noted Senior Lawyers can think about these issues spending very little time and then, I am sure that it will produce good results. 

By taking advantage of classes, discussions, moot-courts, debates, by focusing on studying the subject well, by focusing on language, by developing the skill of logical thinking and with hard-work, planning and passion, any law student from aided or the Government Law School can succeed in legal profession or reach greater positions in the Corporate World.  The law students graduating from aided or the Government Law Schools may not get good opportunities for exposure and work when they enter into profession or the Corporate World initially. But, eventually and though it takes some time, they can achieve good results in profession and even in Corporate World. 

When these students from aided or the Government Schools enter the profession without legacy and other advantages, they very often lack guidance. But, one thing is for sure that if a student is sincere, hard-working and interested in profession, then, he will definitely get very good opportunities in profession and also in the Corporate World though these young lawyers graduate from aided or the Government Law Schools.  There can be difficulties in legal profession during initial days, but, with hard-work and passion, all difficulties can be overcome and anyone can succeed in profession.  It is true that it is not proper to blame brilliant students or youngsters leaving court practice as we have collectively failed to bring proper reforms in the Court system or the legal system. If we continue to be silent on reforms, then, we will be having advocates who do not even know the basics of law, constitutional provisions, the judicial tradition, writing even an adjournment petition. We should not go to such a position and there is a need to preserve the respect of the Judiciary. If there are no talented lawyers or advocates though we have good judges, it will affect the respect of the Judiciary. For the judiciary to preserve, improve and continue having the people’s support and respect, we need to focus on the required legal reforms. 

Though there can be numerous difficulties for a young lawyer, lacking legacy or privileges, entering into profession with big dreams, he can certainly overcome all the difficulties with planning, hard-work and qualities. 

Law Associations, Advocates Associations, Bar Associations, Judges, Senior Advocates can also think about the next generation lawyers and think about the legal system and the respect of the Indian Judiciary.  Indian Judiciary enjoys great respect despite the issues of corruption and delay in Lower Courts. We need to look within and should bring the required reforms in the system. 

While we continue to build world-class law schools, legal education should not be denied on cost considerations and other issues. 

Note: the views expressed are my personal, a view point, with great respect to lawyers, judges, all institutions including National Law Schools and I have no intention to belittle anyone or institution.