Academicians welcome proposed law school, IIIT in Srirangam

The State government's budget announcement to start a new National Law School and an Indian Institute of Information Technology in Srirangam constituency has brought cheers to the academic and legal community.

Tamil Nadu is poised to join the comity of select States to have a national law school/ university in the country. The legal fraternity's desire is that there should be prompt follow up measures to ensure the start of the national institution at the earliest. Advocates are a little wary that the enormity of procedural formalities could cause delay. “The State government must take immediate steps to secure recognition of the Bar Council of India for the national law school. The institution must be more than a centre of excellence, with a good library. The standard of excellence must be kept very high,” T. Jayanthi Rani, president, Women Advocates' Association, Tiruchi, said.

Unlike in the case of conventional law schools, the National Law School will produce legal experts in vital areas like cyber law and Intellectual Property Rights. The research focus is what will make it stand apart as an institution of national excellence, Ms. Jayanthi Rani explained, adding that candidates must be equipped to compete in any forum, with knowledge of laws in other countries. The institution, according to the legal fraternity, would be instrumental in preparing law professionals with global standards for corporate requirements.

The opinion of the legal community is that law profession is not so popular in Tamil Nadu as in other States. They cite the unsatisfactory performance of candidates from Tamil Nadu in the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT).

According to N. Thiagarajan, president, Tiruchi Bar Association, the announcement for a national law school is a welcome development. The profile of the national law school will be high because such institutions in the country have established a tradition of cent percent campus placements.

The candidates are bound to have a rich exposure since they would have opportunities for visits abroad under exchange programmes.

Likewise, the decision for Indian Institute of Information Technology has also buoyed the spirits of the academic community.

Tiruchi already has two institutions of national repute: the National Institute of Technology and the Indian Institute of Management. Thanks to the interest taken by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa who represents the Srirangam Assembly segment. Academics see historical significance in the addition of two more national institutions in the district at one go. Tamil Nadu already has an Indian Institute of Information Technology Design and Manufacturing functioning from the campus of the Indian Institute of Technology - Madras since 2007.

The IIIT is envisaged as a fully autonomous institution, through the PPP model. The partners setting up IIITs will be the ministry of human resource development, the governments of respective states where each IIIT will be established and industry members. A NASSCOM (National Association of Software Services Companies) report advocates greater role for private organisations in the establishment of IIITs.

According to ELCOT sources, an IIIT in Tiruchi will add value in no small measure to the activities of the Tiruchi IT Park at Navalpattu.