Capacity Building of Law Colleges of Gujarat

GNLU association with Law Colleges of Gujarat grow closer - Director Patel addresses Vivekanand Law College, Ahmedabad, Saturday, 5 December 2009

In its efforts to enhance standards of legal education, research, training and extension activities, GNLU Director Shri Patel addressed faculty and students of Vivekanand Law College, Ahmedbad. While focussing on the topic of "Abuse of Public Interest Litigation" as now becoming more like Private Interest Litigation, Political Interest Litigation or even Publicity Interest Litigation, Director Patel outlined the main causes of abuse of public interest litigation. The abuse has spread in virtually every walk of life - human rights, environment, defence, education, etc. He emphasised and wondered whether the day has arisen which requires a special mechanism to deal with public interest litigations only.

Director Patel also outlined various measures taken by the Gujarat National Law University to bring all law colleges on one platform to achieve high legal education standards in the state. Some of the measures include; faculty exchange, library resource assistance, curriculum development, common law entrance exam, etc. Under the faculty exchange measure, GNLU will deliver at least two lectures in each of the law colleges of Gujarat and invite specialist from law colleges to address GNLU students on relevant topics of expertise. 

Dr P. S. Patel, Principal, Vivekanand Law College thanked the GNLU for its efforts and reaffirmed the commitment of his law college to join the collective efforts deployed by all law colleges to achieve the higher standards of legal education in the state.

Principals of Law Colleges in Gujarat and the GNLU geared for higher standards of Legal education, research and training” , GNLU workshop, 11 August 2009

With a view to build capacity of law colleges/institutions of Gujarat, the Gujarat National Law University (www.gnlu.ac.in), organized the first ever workshop on “Enhancing the standards of Legal Education, Training and research in the state of Gujarat” on Tuesday, 11 August, 2009. The workshop was attended by principals/directors of 15 law colleges/institutions. Principal Secretary, Education, Shri Hasmukh Adhia and Commissioner for Higher Education, Ms Jayanti Ravi, Government of Guajrat, also briefly attended the workshop and encouraged the participants to come out with a plan of action for holistic approach to legal education and to enhance the overall standards. Shri Adhia and Ms Ravi, both underlined the importance of regular meetings of the heads of law colleges/institutions and reassured the participants about the government’s full commitment to achieve the aims of high standards of education in this vital field of society. 

Inaugurating the workshop, Director, GNLU Shri Bimal Patel reaffirmed the commitment of the GNLU to help in building capacity of all law colleges/institutions of Gujarat as the overall aim of the GNLU is to become a vehicle for change through legal and related processes for the development of the state, country and the society at large. He underlined that the GNLU is not only preparing best lawyers through education at the GNLU itself but will put its best efforts to enhance the overall standards of legal education, research and training in the entire state. A holistic and integrated approach is key to the success, he emphasized.

The workshop brainstormed various topics on the subject, such as, curriculum, teaching methods, admission, evaluation procedures, infrastructure, literature resources, research, training of students and law teachers, role of the Gujarat National Law University, various departments of the government, the Bar Council of India, the Bar Council of Gujarat and the judiciary. The first ever workshop resulted into a unanimous declaration signed by the participating heads of law colleges/institutions and resolved to ensure timely and effective actions on each of the agreed actions. The most important declaration points are:

• Training of teachers should be continuously provided. GNLU should act as the nodal agency in this exercise.

• The syllabus and curriculum of all the law colleges in Gujarat should be circulated on or before 24th August 2009 and there should be uniformity in the curriculum and the same should be implemented by the academic year 2010.

• There should be common entrance test for all three year law colleges and strict compliance norms of the Bar Council of India for training  and education should be followed.

• For the academic year 2009-10 details for the admission, vacant positions of the faculty and other requirements were discussed and expert team under the chairmanship of Mr. Bimal Patel, Director, GNLU, to be formed for developing reading materials for the colleges.

• GNLU extended tangible cooperation benefits to all colleges, such as, access to GNLU online library, lectures by GNLU faculty/students at the law colleges, participation of law colleges in GNLU events, training by GNLU faculty/students in moot court, mock trials, etc. of the law colleges.

It was the first of its kind of initiative taken by the GNLU for the improvement of legal infrastructure within the state of Gujarat and this initiative was very much appreciated the Education Department and all the participants.

In addition to above, various other issues were discussed and resolved, and the various recommendations would be forwarded to the Government of Gujarat, Deans and Vice Chancellor of various universities, Bar Council of India and the Bar Council of Gujarat for their consideration.

Dr. Tarkesh Molia, Assistant Professor of Law and Ms. Nidhi Buch, Visiting Faculty of Law of the GNLU and a team of students ensured an effective and successful organization of the workshop.

The participants included Mr. A.C. Pathak, Anand Law College, Dr. J. T. Desai, Shah K. M. College, Valsad, Dr. Rajesh S. Vyas, Shri N. S. Patel Law college, Modasa, Mr. A. M. Shroff, Asst. Professor Shri N. S. Patel Law College Modasa, Mr. A. I. Parmar, Sonawala Law College, Nadiad, Dr. Vimal Parmar, Law College Godhra, Mr. O. P. Pandey, K. A. Pandhi Law College, Dr. Mayuri Pandya, Sir L. A. Shah Law College, Mr. M. R. Upadhyay, Government Law College, Dr. A.B. Pandya, Law College- Palanpur, Mr. Subhas R. Rathor, Head of the Department University School of Law Ahmedabad, Prof. N. K. Pathak, Director- Nima University, Dr. M. K. Padalia, Head of the Department of Human Rights –Saurashtra University.

For more information on the workshop and the GNLU, please contact, Mr Ramesh Kumar, Registrar In-Charge at registrar@gnlu.ac.in.