CUTTACK: Expressing concern over the `sorry' state of law colleges in the country, leading legal luminaries from across the country have called for a complete revamp legal education so as to save the future of the judiciary in the country.

Speaking at a national seminar here recently, Chief Justice of India (CJI) K G Balakrishnan said there were many colleges which do not have anything to do with education.

"Their sole aim is to extract money from the students," he said. Currently there were over 550 law colleges, over 100 law departments in general colleges and 12 law universities in the country, but it is difficult to pick up 10 best law colleges or 10 best law teachers from them, the CJI said.

Advocating for an effective legal education, senior judge of Supreme Court Arijit Pasayat suggested for immediate setting up of National Law Universities throughout the country.

He said a five-year integrated law course with a uniform syllabus across the country is the need of the hour to revive the legal education.

While Madhya Pradesh High Court Chief Justice A.K. Patnaik suggested for complete revival of legal education in the country, Orissa High Court Chief Justice A.K. Ganguly said dearth of proper teaching materials and good teachers hampered the legal education in the country over the years.

Negligible

Calling for increase in budgetary allocation for the purpose, Ganguly said: "Even after 60 years of Independence and 57 years of Constitutional government, budgetary allocation for legal education in the country is negligible". Union Law Minister H.R. Bhardwaj and State Law Minister B.B. Harichandan also admitted that the legal education in the country needed overhaul to keep pace with the changes in society.

Both the Ministers assured that sincere efforts would be made at government level to establish national law schools in the country.

Law teachers suggested that law education should be institutionalised and mooted the idea of setting up National Legal Academy on the lines of National Judicial Academy for a comprehensive law course in the country.

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