Calling for a deeper engagement with India’s civilisational knowledge systems in legal education, Madras High Court Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari recently urged law institutions to rethink the intellectual direction of legal training and move beyond what he described as lingering colonial influences on the country’s judicial framework.

While speaking at an event recently, Justice Dharmadhikari recently commented that the National Law Universities (NLUs) in the country were producing prodigies who were way ahead of their contemporaries, but whose ultimate aim was to become millionaires at the fastest pace.

Justice Dharmadhikari added that these graduates were often disconnected from their cultural and ideological roots. The judge stressed that the principles of Jainism, Buddhism, Manusmriti and Arthashastra and the correlation between the texts must be taught to law students to not only bring stability and maturity in their thinking but also to make them enlightened about the greatest organic Indian culture of being extra conscious of our duties and karma, Live Law reported.

"We are increasingly witnessing that though NLUs are producing prodigies who are way ahead of their contemporaries, the drawback is that they are graduating with the ultimate aim of becoming millionaires at the fastest pace. Majority of them have a complete disconnect from their cultural and ideological roots. Be it the principles of Jainism, Buddhism, Manusrimiti or Arathashastra. The correlation of all these texts and rich literature must be necessarily known to all the law students. They will not only bring stability and maturity in their thinking but also make them enlightened about the great organic Indian culture of being extra conscious of our duties and karma for which we are born in this great country as a human being," the judge said.

The judge also suggested that the indian history and texts, which have been mirrored in many parts of the Constitution, be incorporated into the curriculum and taught to young law students, especially those studying in premier national law universities in the country.

"It is necessary that a separate dedicated course on Indic sciences, Indian culture, long enduring values and traditions of thousands of years which have sustained the spine of Indian civilization against any and every onslaught allowing it to attain permanence, must be incorporated mandatorily in the curriculum of all the law schools. Stories of pancha tantras, jataka tales, lectures of Chanakyan and discussions and preachings which Ashoka received under adopting buddhi buddhism which have mirrored in various parts of our Indian constitution all need to be taught necessarily to the young law students especially in premier NLUs of the country," he said.

The judge said that it was important for law students to have a connect to the core values systems of the society and comprehend the very purpose for which they have chosen law.