Posted by Future of Indian Legal Education and the Relevance of Interdisciplinary Studies: Insights from Dr. Dharmender Patial (Alumnus, IIM Kashipur), Professor & Dean, Geeta Institute of Law (GIL), Panipat, Delhi-NCR
Prologue: Legal education around the globe has always been an epicentre of intense debates and deliberations. Indian scenario is no different. However, there remain several issues which require urgent attention. Therefore, to better understand the Indian case, this exclusive interview with Dr. DharmenderPatialis a must-read. Over the range of questions, this interview not only covers the impact of the fundamental shift between the Traditional and Modern notions of legal education in India but also touches upon the future needs for preventing the collapse of Indian Legal Education.
Interviewer: Welcome to this exclusive Interview Dr. Patial; please tell us something about your Educational and Institutional journey so far.
Dr. Patial: Thank you so much for inviting me to share my thoughts on one of the most important topics in the field of legal education in India, i.e., “Future of Indian Legal Education and the Relevance of Interdisciplinary Studies”. As far as my educational journey or more specifically to say the legal education journey is concerned, it began when I first stepped into one of the prestigious universities in India, Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), Shimla. I joined one of the most prominent courses, LL.B. at the Department of Laws, HPU, Shimla and went on to pursue my Masters in Law (LL.M.)from the Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra (KUK). I then undertook my doctoral degree, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), from HPU Shimla.I am further glad to share that I recently added one more feather to my cap by becoming an alumnus of one of the prominent management institutions, the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Kashipur.
Coming to my institutional and professional journey, I joined Geeta Institute of Law (GIL), Panipat, Delhi-NCR after successfully working with SGT University, Gurugram as Professor & Dean and Lloyd Law College, Greater Noida, Delhi NCR as the Dean of the Department of Law(LL.B.-3 Year) and Director (Admissions). Being highly committed and passionate in academics, I went on to found a National Level Entrance Test for Law i.e. Lloyd Entrance Test (LET). To provide law students, academicians, and law professionals with an exhaustive legal information platform related to various events and news, I founded a renowned legal news website “LawOF (www.lawof.in)”. There is a lot to share, but I rest my thoughts here.
Interviewer: What, over a period,according to you has changed in the Indian Legal Education sector?
Dr. Patial: Let me first appreciate you for asking such an important question which certainly connects with the most foundational problems that the Indian Legal Education sector is struggling with.If I discuss the preliminary years of legal education in India, the focus was on the classroom studies that also focused on the extensive use of physical libraries. As soon as modernisation and technological advancement came to India, there was a shift in the legal teaching pedagogy within the Colleges and Universities offering law courses. Moreover, the introduction of five-year integrated law programmes within the National Law Schools also paved the way for the advent of more advanced teaching methodology.
Therefore, in the present time, we notice the implementation of clinical legal education, case method, and seminar method along with classroom studies. The use of these methods has effectively exposed law students to the more intrinsic nuances of the law and its applicability. Moreover, the inclusion of practical exposure in terms of Moot Court Competitions and periodic Internships has further strengthened the very core of law school education and life. To my understanding, these are a few of the changes that I see in the Indian Education Sector.
Interviewer: Connecting to your previous response, what do you think will be the course of things as far as the advancement of Indian Legal Education in the coming future is concerned?
Dr. Patial: Discussion about Indian Legal Education in the coming time will be incomplete without focusing on the mandatory application of theRRW (Research, Reading, and Writing). For a law student and eventually, for a law school, the overall development will be a dream without the skills of intensive research, reading and writing. All these three things being interconnected with each other cannot be compromised in any sense.
A law school without a proper emphasis on these fundamental factors will stop in its path of growth. Continuous research and writing, therefore, help to come up with a diverse range of ideas, opinions, and solutions to societal issues. It further helps law students and scholars to better understand the application of law and regulations. Hence, there should be no doubt that the Indian Legal Education sector also requires urgent and focused implementation of research-based teaching methodology.
Interviewer: In the West part of the world, there has been intensive debates and implementation of interdisciplinary approach in legal studies. What are your views on the relevance of the same in the Indian Legal Education Sector?
Dr. Patial: Indeed, my personal views too resemble this intelligent idea of the west on the implementation of an interdisciplinary approach within legal studies. We need to understand its importance and the fruits it tends to provide to all the stakeholders in legal academia—be it students, research scholars, academicians, and other professionals. The concept of the interdisciplinary approach not only provides avenues to look beyond the intra-territorial regulations and legal framework but also equips students with an approach which is more holistic in nature. Interdisciplinary studies also playan undeniable and important role in finding solutions to existing legal and social problems.
Furthermore, it must also be understood that the law and other social sciences are interconnected,and therefore the exclusive application of one discipline does not provide the required solutions. It is where interdisciplinary studies help research scholars and policymakers to entertain the problem effectively. It is for these reasons that I strongly recommend the implementation of interdisciplinary studies and research within the law schools in India as it is the need of the hour.
Interviewer: Your response indeed touches upon very important aspects of the interdisciplinary approach and its relevance in the present time. As we have reached to the end of this interview, what advice would you give to the legal education stakeholders in India?
Dr. Patial: Thank you for the appreciation! It was quite an interesting experience talking to you and sharing my ideas. As far as advice to the Indian legal education sector is concerned, I must emphasise the shift from the library-basedand black-letter law approach to a more practicalapproach so that the ideas and concepts can be further developed and appreciated. Moreover, the teaching and research pedagogy also needs to be focused and formulated as per the requirement of societal issues and policymakers. In a nutshell, modern issues and developments should be considered with ahighly skilled and holistic mindset.With this, I wish everyone the best in their life and career. Once again, I thank you very much.
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