The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee attended the 12th Convocation of NALSAR University of Law today (August 2, 2014) at Shameerpet, Telangana.

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that lawyers play a vital role in ensuring the public access to justice and making our Constitution a living reality. He stated that legal education has undergone a paradigm shift in the last two decades. Yet there are many areas that require further strengthening. Our educational institutions imparting law education have to bridge the gap between theoretical concepts and practical application. They have to ignite inquiry and encourage curiosity. The study of legal system cannot be pursued in isolation from the wider socio-economic realities. Legal education should be seen by students and practitioners much beyond than a means of livelihood. It must encourage them to constantly think about how their actions will affect the common man.

The President said that it is his hope that our leading law schools are encouraging their students to not merely learn the content of laws but to also assess their rationale, the consequences of their implementation and constructive suggestions for their reform. He is happy to learn that NALSAR in the last two years has made conscious efforts to diversify its curriculum by offering more elective courses, giving students greater academic flexibility. He stated that NALSAR is a one-of-its-kind law university in the country which has choice-based credit policy in the true sense.

This release issued at 1725 hrs.