'Law being a professional course demands innovation and creativity in pedagogy'

Dr. Mukund Bhagirath Sarda, Dean and Principal, BVU New Law College, Pune in an exclusive interview with Careers360 speaks on the new innovations that need to be brought into the teaching-learning pedagogy in legal education.

Q: How does the legal education system impact the society at large?

A: Legal education has impacted the efficiency of justice delivery system in the last decade. In the era of globalization, demonetization, tax reforms and new knowledge, the legal education has played a major role in creating awareness, rendering social justice, sensitizing the society, promoting legal literacy, assisting the justice delivery system, assuring good governance and contributing in national development through knowledge economy.

Q: Are there any unique methods for learning and understanding law?

A: Law being a professional course demands innovation and creativity in pedagogy. There has been constant evaluation of novel methods of learning and understanding law with a paradigm shift from classroom to courtroom teaching, traditional to clinical, ICT to virtual and case studies to situational methods. An ideal law school should try to experiment multiple pedagogies and subscribe to what is today known as ‘Blended Learning’.

Q: What makes your institution different from others?

A: The institution believes in the culture of excellence in academics and research. Innovations, inter-disciplinary approach, ICT method of teaching, internationalization of higher education, inclusiveness are the distinct features of this institute. Knowledge partnership, skilled development programmes, MOOC courses, finishing law school and need-based education contributes to making the institute a center of excellence.

Q: What are the prospects of online legal education?

A: Technology has influenced every part of human life so has the education. The online legal database, ICT methods of teaching, e-learning, virtual classrooms, MOOC courses, e-justice through video-conferencing are the modern utilization of internet utility in learning and justice delivery system. With the Internet platform, knowledge is available worldwide and law being a profession of ideas, benefits the most.

Q: What is the influence of globalization on the Indian legal market?

A: With the government’s policy of Make in India, Smart Cities and an invitation for foreign investments, there is a boom in the Indian legal market. With the growth in the internet economy through e-commerce, e-litigations is on the rise and India, being one of the favorite marketplaces in the world, gives the opportunity to an Indian lawyer to excel in the international scenario. Many Indian law firms are taking full advantage of this opportunity and their balance sheets are there to prove it.

Q: What future plans do you have for the institute?

A: The institution believes in five ‘C’s for success, i.e., creativity, connectivity, competition, credibility and compassion. The institute plans to promote knowledge partnerships with institutions of excellence in India and abroad. We also aim to design and introduce innovative courses in emerging areas and new knowledge. We promote interdisciplinary approach in research and we also believe in continuous legal education for lawyers and judges.