Chandigarh, 08 November 2023: To mark the occasion of National Legal Services Day, the Chandigarh State Legal Services Authority conducted the ‘Legal Awareness and Capacity Building Program’ in association with the State Legal Services Authority (SLSA) of Chandigarh Union Territory (U.T.) to create awareness about access to justice and introduce students to the realm of Para Legal Services. NMIMS Chandigarh School of Law was the only private institution in the region to have been selected for the important activity.

The program was graced by eminent dignitaries like Justice Surender Kumar, Additional District and Sessions Judge and Member Secretary, SLSA, U.T, Chandigarh; Justice NavjeetKlair, Chief Judicial Magistrate and Secretary, District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), U.T, Chandigarh; and other dignitaries from the legal realm Sh. Lalit, PLV, DLSA, U.T. Chandigarh, Sh. Gopal Attri, PLV, DLSA, U.T.,Chandigarh, as well as esteemed members of the NMIMS Chandigarh leadership and eager students from NMIMS School of Law Chandigarh.

Two distinct programs were organized on the occasion. The first was the ‘Legal Awareness Program’ where dignitaries from the SLSA Chandigarh and DLSA Chandigarh addressed avid students and enlightened them about access to justice. The event was open to all the NMIMS School of Law Chandigarh students.

The next program was the ‘Capacity Building Program’ organised by the State Legal Services Authority (SLSA), Chandigarh U.T. For the program, NMIMS School of Law Chandigarh identified a team of 50 dedicated students aspiring to serve as Para Legal Volunteers. Prominent dignitaries from the DLSA and SLSA as well as luminaries from the legal realm addressed a workshop on the scope and the deep societal impact of Para Legal Volunteering.

The distinguished speakers shared rich insights about their personal experiences of serving as Para Legal Volunteers and creating legal awareness in society. The speakers touched upon the importance of laws such as the POCSO Act, Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act and the POSH Act in their addresses. Students were enriched about the functioning of public legal aid organisations such as the District Legal Service Authority, State Legal Service Authority and Lok Adalat (Public Utility Services) and provided an overview of the Criminal Justice System. Moreover, they were made aware of the various Social Welfare Schemes initiated by the Chandigarh administration for the upliftment of the society.

The program was aimed at creating awareness about the justice system among students and motivating them to practice as Para Legal Volunteers. It was in line with NMIMS Chandigarh SOL’s efforts to deepen the learning horizons of aspiring lawyers and provide them exposure to the practicalities of the legal realm.

Speaking at the program, Justice Surender Kumar, said, “The Preamble to the Constitution of India guarantees social, economic and political justice to all citizens of India without any discrimination. With the introduction of the 47th Amendment of the Constitution in 1976, citizens were guaranteed equal justice and free legal aid based on equal opportunity.”

In her enlightening speech, Justice NavjeetKlair, said, “No profession is more honorable than the legal profession. Lawyers are the defenders of the Constitution, guardians of democracy, advocates of just causes, protectors of the powerless and the wise counsellors of society. The earlier idea of legal aid was confined to the courtrooms. Today, it has expanded out of the realms of a courtroom with the setting up of legal aid clinics at school and college levels.”

Addressing the students on the special occasion, Dr. Jaskiran Kaur, Campus Director, NMIMS Chandigarh, said, “Students must take the lead in Para Legal Volunteering at Legal Aid Clinics and spread legal awareness among the masses. This will prove to be a great learning curve for them and an opportunity to bring a positive change in society through legal activism.”