Hyderabad: President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday said the study of the legal system cannot be pursued in isolation from the wider socio-economic realities, according to a press release issued by the Press Information Bureau.
Addressing the 12th convocation of the Nalsar law university, he stressed the need for educational institutions imparting law education to bridge the gap between theoretical concepts and practical application and the institution have to ignite inquiry and encourage curiosity. He said that legal education in the country has undergone a paradigm shift in the last two decades and yet, there are many areas that require further strengthening.
He said, “The study of the legal system cannot be pursued in isolation from the wider socio-economic realities. Even as law students become more adept in interpreting legislative enactments and reading judicial opinions, they must do so within the liberal framework.”
Referring to the British regime, the President said, “The shadows of our colonial past continue to play a predominant role in our thinking in relation to the enforcement of rules as well as adjudication of disputes. It is important to gradually rework the underlying principles to make administration of justice more representative and responsive to the citizens.”
He said lawyers are in a unique position to play this transformative role, be it through offering inputs in the framing of legislations, leading cause-oriented litigations and engaging in social advocacy or research. Maintaining that there was a need for experiments in higher education, the President expressed hope that leading law schools of the country are encouraging their students to not merely learn the content of laws but to also assess their rationale, the consequences of their implementation and constructive suggestions for their reforms.
Congratulating the new law graduates, the President advised them to always remember values that they have imbibed during the course of their education while pursuing their professional goals, irrespective of their chosen branch of law, apply these values to them.
