Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice DY Chandrachud has emphasized the need to teach law in regional languages.
The CJI said: “I often discuss with educationists across the country how law can be taught in simple language. If we cannot explain the principles of law to the general public in simple terms, then there is a deficiency in the legal profession and legal education.”
The CJI was attending the convocation of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University here on Saturday.
The CJI said: “In teaching law, we should also consider regional languages, and I believe that RM NLU should start an LLB course in Hindi. Laws related to regional issues should also be taught in our universities.”
“For instance, if someone comes to the university’s legal aid center from a nearby village with a land-related problem, and the student does not understand terms like Khasra and Khatauni, how will they be able to help? Therefore, students should be educated about regional laws related to land.”
He also mentioned in his address that as Chief Justice of India, he has issued many instructions to make the justice process more accessible for the common people.
For example, the Supreme Court decisions provided in English are being translated into various languages recognized in the Constitution of India, allowing the public to understand the content of these decisions, he said.
Currently, there are 37,000 Supreme Court decisions from 1950 to 2024 that have been translated into Hindi, and this service is available free of charge to all citizens, he said.
Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court Justice Arun Bhansali, Vice Chancellor of the University Prof Amarpal Singh and several judges of Allahabad High Court were present at the event.