Legal Education
The concept of legal education in India goes back to the Vedic age when it was essentially based on the concept of Dharma. There is, however, no record of any formal legal education being provided at that time. Training was self-acquired in matters connected with Dharma. The Kings either used to dispense justice themselves or appoint Judges and Assessors to administer justice, not necessarily trained in law but who were known for their righteousness and justness and had the reputation of being fair and impartial.
The pattern of legal education which is in vogue in India today was transplanted by the Britishers after the establishment of English Rule in the country. It was in the year 1857, that a step was taken in the direction of imparting formal legal education in the country. Three universities, set up in the cities of Calcutta, Madras and Bombay, formally introduced legal education as a subject for teaching. This was in a way the beginning of the era of legal education in India. At the initial stages, students were free to undertake instructions in other disciplines such as history, geography, science etc. along with law studies. Legal education was introduced in its very rudimentary form with hardly any standards and qualifications prescribed for admission to the law classes. A beginning had, however, been made.
Before India attained independence in 1947, there were only a few schools in the country which taught law. With the independence of the country, legal education acquired importance, as rule of law became a fundamental doctrine for the governance of the country. Since we adopted a democratic form of Government it became necessary that judicial system of the country should be brought in tune with social, economic and political needs of the society. With the changing complex of law and social needs, there was felt a greater need for change and reform in the structure and pattern of legal education. The ethos of legal education was required to undergo a change to fit in with the constitutional philosophy of ushering in the socio-economic transformation of the society. Gradually legal education was introduced as a course of study in a number of States.
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The pattern of legal education which is in vogue in India today was transplanted by the Britishers after the establishment of English Rule in the country. It was in the year 1857, that a step was taken in the direction of imparting formal legal education in the country. Three universities, set up in the cities of Calcutta, Madras and Bombay, formally introduced legal education as a subject for teaching. This was in a way the beginning of the era of legal education in India. At the initial stages, students were free to undertake instructions in other disciplines such as history, geography, science etc. along with law studies. Legal education was introduced in its very rudimentary form with hardly any standards and qualifications prescribed for admission to the law classes. A beginning had, however, been made.
Before India attained independence in 1947, there were only a few schools in the country which taught law. With the independence of the country, legal education acquired importance, as rule of law became a fundamental doctrine for the governance of the country. Since we adopted a democratic form of Government it became necessary that judicial system of the country should be brought in tune with social, economic and political needs of the society. With the changing complex of law and social needs, there was felt a greater need for change and reform in the structure and pattern of legal education. The ethos of legal education was required to undergo a change to fit in with the constitutional philosophy of ushering in the socio-economic transformation of the society. Gradually legal education was introduced as a course of study in a number of States.
Next Page>>