Law schools should bridge gap between theory & practical: President Pranab Mukherjee

HYDERABAD: President Pranab Mukherjee today stressed on the need for institutions imparting law education to bridge gap between theoretical concepts and practical application and ignite inquiry and encourage curiosity among its students.

Addressing the 12th annual convocation of Nalsar University of Law at Shamirpet here this evening, the President noted that many areas in legal education needed to be strengthened further as it underwent a paradigm shift in the last two decades.

"There are many areas that require further strengthening. Our educational institutions imparting law education have to bridge the gap between theoretical concepts and practical application. They have to ignite inquiry and encourage curiosity," he said.

The study of legal system could not be pursued in isolation from the wider socio-economic realities, he observed.

"Legal education should, therefore, be seen by students and practitioners much beyond than a means of livelihood. It must encourage them to constantly think about how their actions will affect the common man. Along with proficiency in the traditionally identified skills of legal reasoning, research and writing, students must be encouraged to attach utmost importance to the enduring principles of equality, liberty, fraternity with unflinching support for social justice," Mukherjee noted.

"Even as law students become more adept in interpreting legislative enactments and reading judicial opinions, they must do so within the liberal framework," he said.

The President expressed hope that leading law schools were 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 reform.

"In the interest of ensuring quality education, there is usually a push towards standardisation. Yet, there is need for experiments in higher education," the President said.

Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, Nalsar Vice-Chancellor Faizan Mustafa and others were present.