The Chief Justice of India’s recent address has sparked an important conversation about the accessibility and inclusivity of legal education in India. Emphasising the necessity of teaching law in regional languages, the CJI highlighted a significant gap in the current legal education system. This gap, he argued, lies in the inability to convey complex legal principles to the general public in simple, understandable terms. His observations underscore a pressing need for reform that, if implemented, could democratise legal knowledge and enhance the justice delivery system in India. The Chief Justice’s proposition is not merely about linguistic translation but about cultural and contextual understanding. For a country as diverse as India, with its myriad languages and dialects, the law often seems distant and inaccessible to the common man. The CJI’s suggestion to introduce LLB courses in Hindi and other regional languages is a step towards bridging this gap. It aims to make legal education more inclusive, ensuring that aspiring lawyers can engage with and serve their communities more effectively.
Moreover, the proposal to incorporate regional laws related to specific issues, such as land disputes, into the curriculum is particularly noteworthy. Legal education, when contextualised to include local issues and terminologies, equips students with practical knowledge that is directly applicable to their communities. Understanding terms like ‘Khasra’ and ‘Khatauni’, as mentioned by the CJI, is crucial for effectively addressing land-related issues, which are common in rural India. The CJI’s efforts to make the justice process more accessible are commendable. The translation of SC decisions into various regional languages is a significant step towards transparency and inclusivity. By making these translations freely available, the judiciary is ensuring that the public can understand and engage with legal rulings that impact their lives. This initiative, which has already seen the translation of 37,000 decisions from 1950 to 2024, is a testament to the judiciary’s commitment to making justice more accessible to all citizens, irrespective of their linguistic background. The reforms can enhance the relevance of legal education and strengthen the rule of law in India.
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