Speaking at a recent legal conclave, Justice SA Dharmadhikari of the Madras High Court raised concerns over the direction of legal education in India, stating that premier National Law Universities (NLUs) were producing highly capable graduates whose primary ambition was increasingly focused on rapid wealth accumulation rather than public service, as reported in LiveLaw.
Addressing the 2nd NLIU SBA Law Conclave at the National Law Institute University Bhopal, the Chief Justice remarked: “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.
He emphasized the need to integrate Indic knowledge systems into legal education, calling for a mandatory course on Indian traditions, sciences, and cultural values.
“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 Chief Justice warned that without grounding in societal values, legal education risked producing technically sound but emotionally disconnected professionals.
“The time is not far when premier law schools may be successful in producing intelligent graduates but thinking like robots and not like human beings with the sensitivity they ought to nurture and develop for serving the common man of the society. All of us have consciously chosen this noble intellectual profession not for becoming rich but respecting the promise that rule of law always acts as the sentinel for every common citizen of the country,” the judge said.
Call for ‘Indianisation’ of Legal System
Speaking on the theme “Beyond Colonial Hangovers: Rethinking and Reforming The Western Influence On India’s Legal System,” Justice Dharmadhikari argued that Indianisation was essential to restoring the country’s legal identity and improving accessibility.
He stated that colonial-era influence continued to shape legal procedures and thinking even after independence, adding that such legacy functioned “like a fog” obstructing clarity. He urged students to critically examine existing legal frameworks and reshape them to suit India’s needs rather than merely adopting inherited systems.
The judge pointed out that legal complexity and language barriers remained major concerns. He observed that many laws were written in “anarchic English” that ordinary litigants could not understand, effectively restricting access to justice.
He also criticized colonial-era courtroom practices, including addressing judges as “lordships” or “ladyship,” stating that such conventions reflected a system where citizens pleaded for justice rather than asserting it as a right.
On New Criminal Laws and Language Accessibility
Justice Dharmadhikari described the replacement of colonial criminal laws with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam as a significant step toward reform. He said the shift reflected a move from a punishment-centric approach to a justice-oriented framework.
He also praised the Supreme Court’s translation initiative, the SUVAS (Supreme Court Vidhik Anuvaad Software), calling it a concrete measure to enhance accessibility by promoting regional languages in judicial processes.
Remarks on Lady Justice Statue
Referring to developments at the Supreme Court of India, the Chief Justice highlighted symbolic changes in the representation of Lady Justice.
“The Supreme Court of India has unveiled a designed statue of Lady Justice. Though traditionally Lady Justice is depicted wearing a blindfold symbolising impartiality and the idea that the law is blind to wealth, power and status. In the new design, the blindfold has been removed emphasising that the law is not blind. It sees everyone equally. The removal of the blindfold signifies a shift of judiciary’s evolving identity. One that acknowledges the need for awareness and sensitivity to inequalities in society rather than blind impartiality,” the judge said.
He further explained that the removal of the sword symbolized a transition away from force-based justice toward constitutional values.
“With her eyes open and the constitution in hand, the new statue stands as a symbol of a justice system focused on fairness, equality, and transparency. The removal of the colonial era blindfold and sword reflects a judiciary committed to upholding constitutional values and addressing the social and legal inequalities that persist in modern society,” he said.
Justice Dharmadhikari concluded that reforming India’s legal system required both structural changes and a shift in mindset. He stressed that decolonisation did not mean discarding the past but reinterpreting it in a way that aligns with India’s cultural and societal realities while strengthening access to justice for ordinary citizens.
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