CJI BR Gavai: Law Schools Must Instill Constitutional Ideals in Every Student

Introduction:

Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai newly stated that legal learning system in India must go over preparing lawyers and judges. Instead, it should also create responsible citizens who believe in the perfection of equality, fraternity and liberty.

He was speaking at the first Prof. (Dr.) N.R. Madhava Menon Memorial Lecture on the topic “Legal and Justice Education @2024: An Agenda for 100 Years of Independence.”

Law as a Public Service

CJI Gavai explained that law is not just a career, but a public service. Therefore, law schools must not only focus on professional training but also on building ethics and respect for constitutional values among students.

“Law is not merely a profession, but a vocation of public service, grounded in justice and human dignity,” he remarked.

Remembering Dr. N.R. Madhava Menon

CJI Gavai paid tribute to Prof. N.R. Madhava Menon, who introduced the five-year integrated law course and helped establish premier law schools like NLSIU Bengaluru and NUJS Kolkata. These reforms, he said, revolutionized legal education in India and prepared the ground for the next phase of progress.

Breaking Barriers in Legal Education

The Chief Justice said that legal education must stand on four pillars:  

• Professional skills  

• Social justice  

• Technological progress  

• Commitment to constitutional ideals 

He also highlighted that; it becomes difficult for many citizens to access courts and law schools in rural and remote areas. This creates justice gap in India.

To address this, he advised:  

• Use of technology to expand legal education.  

• Encouraging regional language instruction.  

• Strengthening legal aid systems.  

• Supporting first-generation learners from excluded groups.  

“If law is to be a true tool of empowerment, it must dismantle barriers such as economic disadvantage and linguistic exclusion,” he said.

CJI Gavai - From “What” to “Why” 

CJI Gavai urged law schools to shift their teaching style. Instead of only teaching “what the court held”, they should focus on “why the court held”.

This, he explained, would help students understand judicial philosophy, constitutional values, and the confusion faced by judges. He also recommended bringing in interdisciplinary texts, so students could see how law connects with society, economics, and politics.

“Classrooms must be places where critical thinking is encouraged, and students learn to challenge systemic exclusions,” he added.

Need for Lawyers in Social Justice:  

The CJI expressed concern that many top law graduates will move to corporate jobs, leaving fewer lawyers to address issues of social change and justice.

He stressed that legal education should not only produce technically skilled lawyers but also encourage students to work on pressing issues like inequality, conflict, and democratic fragility.

Way forward: 

CJI Gavai’s speech made it transparent that legal learning is all about nation-building and not just about career. It is the responsibility of the law schools to mold their students in an ethical, socially conscious way. As the country moves toward its 100th year of independence, only then can India truly achieve equal access to law and justice for all.

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