The vision embodied in the preamble and other parts of the Constitution of India is the basic socio-economic and political charter of the Indian state which all state instrumentalities and institutions are under a legal duty to pursue. It is to give effect to the said vision and the core values underlying it that has guided the policies of the central and state governments in general as also the educational and professional programmes, in particular. Legal education is intended not only to be a facilitator but also a catalyst for bringing social change in the Indian Society so that common man’s faith in rule of law remains resolute. Further, the Constitution of India has made provision to encourage Indian citizens to develop understanding and contribute to the International efforts of promoting peace, harmony and development.
The Indian Society has evolved from traditional to modern with no compromise on the core values which permeate the constitution and the legal processes. Now with the liberalization and the globalization having become a reality there is integration of economies. All nations are pursuing the goals of development, which have to be sustainable, for increasing productivity and efficiency in services with a view to have better quality of life and overall contentment. Younger generation is finding in it an opening to new vistas and opportunities for their progress and in turn progress of the society. But Globalization has to be humane and inclusive. Therefore, all the policies whether economic or educational including the legal education have to ensure that these are not used to create more disparities but are geared to bridge the gaps between have and have-nots which is possible only if the core values respected and observed by all.
The globalization has in particular opened up many opportunities to people from legal profession in as much as with the growth of modern technology, higher attainment in medical sciences, bio sciences, business activities and industrial growth, the role of law has been phenomenal and all encompassing. This in turn has posed greater challenges to the policy makers, education institutions in general and the universities and law schools, in particular. Law schools have to discharge their responsibilities of high order emanating from vast expectation from them to produce global lawyers, quality Judges and great thinkers and academics. Therefore, those law schools and universities which cannot meet these challenges will wither away in due course but those which can muster courage and have wherewithal to face and overcome such challenges will emerge as institutions of 21st century.
Therefore, time has come when the law schools and universities have not only to keep in mind the challenges in training of lawyers, judges, academia in national law but also in trans-national and International law of the emerging areas of importance. The students have to be exposed to the learning of laws of various jurisdictions and develop capacities to analyze them and develop comparative acumen in the areas of contemporary importance. The comparative acumen so developed will help the younger generation of law students to advise policymakers and recommend the best models suitable for the society from time to time. The exposure to the International Law will teach them how to bring harmony between national, trans-national and international laws so as to promote peace and justice everywhere which is the goal of every civilized movement all over the world.
Further, the need of the day is to develop interdisciplinary approach so as to have realistic view of the society and its needs by studying social behavior, economic policies of the Governments and the overall developments that take place in the society and the responses that need to be offered to the challenges by the policymakers, legislators, administrators and the judiciary with a view to build a society having national and international perspectives to the emerging challenges and offer solution thereto.
We at VIPS are committed to impart quality legal education in consonance with national and international values and promote them in the globalized world for advancing sustainable development and equitable distribution of income and resources nationally and internationally. The legal education will further be geared to promote constitutional goals and make legal education socially relevant which is possible by making it interdisciplinary. VIPS has the unique distinction of having more than six disciplines being taught and researched in the different schools on the same campus of the Institute and these disciplines are intertwined and can be studied a researched for better understanding of the social and economic issues. VIPS is committed to promote inter-se sharing of knowledge amongst all the schools to make teaching of law and legal research socially relevant and meaningful.
Besides promoting teaching and research in traditional subjects VIPS is committed to embark in a big way in opening opportunities for students to be trained in the emerging business laws both at national and international, laws relating to technology and cyber space and environmental law. We at VIPS are determined to start programmes on scientific investigations and appreciation of evidence. Today, intangible property is of much higher worth than the tangible property and therefore, the programmes in this area have to be intense and advanced but must be taught with social perspective as we have to balance between private and social interest.