SC Justice Ramana flags glut of below-par law colleges; eyes nation building in education

Supreme Court Justice N V Ramana, who was recently recommended by CJI S A Bobde as the next Chief Justice of India, on April 4 raised concerns over the “worrying trend” of several sub-standard law colleges in the country and said that the judiciary is seeking to correct the same. 

While delivering a virtual address at the convocation ceremony of Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University (DSNLU) on Sunday, Justice Ramana noted that India has over 1,500 Law colleges and schools from which at least 1.50 lakh students graduate but also stressed upon “quality, over quantity.” Urging the attendees to not take his words wrongly, the SC Justice questioned, “what proportion of graduates who are fresh out of college are actually ready or prepared for the profession?”

“There are many sub-standard Colleges in the country, which is a very worrying trend. The Judiciary has taken a note of this, and is attempting to correct the same,” said Ramana.

"We have more than 1500 Law Colleges and Law Schools in the country. Nearly 1.50 lakh students graduate from these Universities including the 23 National Law Universities...But as is often the case, "quality, over quantity". Please do not take this wrongly, but what proportion of graduates who are fresh out of college are actually ready or prepared for the profession? I would think less than 25 per cent. This is in no way a comment on the graduates themselves, who certainly possess the required attributes to be successful lawyers. Rather, it is a comment on the large number of sub-standard legal educational institutions in the country which are colleges merely in the name," he said.

‘Education system not equipped to build character’

Justice Ramana also noted that it is the responsibility of the teachers and the institutions to “train students and prepare them to participate in nation-building, which should be one of the main aims of education.” Further, the senior-most judge also noted that the education system in the country is “not equipped to build the character of our students" and now it is all about the "rat race.” 

Justice Ramana on Sunday evening said, “The education system is currently not equipped to build the character of our students, to develop a social consciousness and responsibility.

"Students are often caught in the rat race. All of us should therefore make a collective effort to revamp the educational system to ensure that students can have the right outlook to their career and life outside. It is the responsibility of teachers and institutions to train students and prepare them to participate in nation-building, which should be one of the main aims of education,” he added. 

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