NLU Students Aspire To Be Lawyers Like In 'Suits' Than As Lawyers Ought To Be In 'Mamla Legal Hain' : Justice Karol
In reality of legal profession is much different from the over-glamourised depiction in series like 'Suits', he said.
Justice Sanjay Karol of the Supreme Court cautioned against the evolving pedagogy in National Law Universities, observing that they are increasingly viewed as gateways to high-paying corporate careers rather than institutions that nurture a commitment to serving the marginalized. He urged law students to look beyond corporate corridors and focus on the human dimension of justice.
Speaking as a Chief Guest at an event organised by the National Law Institute University, Bhopal, Justice Karol expressed concern over the current trajectory of legal education, which he suggested is increasingly geared toward producing corporate lawyers modelled on the famous Netflix series "Suits", rather than lawyers equipped to handle the grassroots struggles of the Indian populace, as depicted in the Indian series 'Mamla Legal Hain'.
"We often see on Netflix the show Suits," Justice Karol observed. "But in reality, when it comes to the justice delivery system in India, things are totally different at the ground level. A large number of students from prestigious institutions are aspiring to become lawyers as we see in Suits, and not lawyers as ought to be in Mamla Legal Hain.", he added, also praising the web series Panchayat and the film Mamla Legal Hai for their authentic portrayal of a confused, delay-ridden system that no textbook prepares students for.
He said that glamorized litigation disconnects legal professionals from the constitutional needs of the nation's 1.4 billion citizens.
"For us lawyers, each one of us who are students of law, our duty is to see that we transform the lives of the 140 crore Indians regardless of their stature, their economic or social position," he emphasized.
He cautioned against the over-glamorized risks associated with the tendency of young lawyers to show their skills to grab attention or seek validation, which he told is not the objective of the legal profession and drew a sharp contrast between the stylized world of television litigation and the raw, complex reality of Indian courts.
Live The Constitution Every Day
Justice Karol said the Constitution is not an abstract proposition, rather it is a living document which needs to be reflected in citizens' everyday life. He urged students to embody the values of Part III (Fundamental Rights), Part IV (Directive Principles), and Part IV-A (Fundamental Duties) as their "holy scripture."
"Be it at a marketplace, be it in a student's hostel, be it at your campus, be it at your home—Part III, Part IV, and Part IV-A of the Constitution must be read as our holy scripture every single day," he said.
'My Doors Are Open For Law Students'
Justice Karol revealed that over the past three years, more than 250 law students from across India have interned in his Supreme Court chamber. "My doors are open," he told the NLIU students. "You must spread your wings. Do judicial internships whenever you get the opportunity.", he said.
He credited students with shaping his own judicial philosophy. "You have given me an insight into what 'We, the People of India' are. You have given me ideas. Your energy is something I have absorbed because you transmit so much exuberance, modern thought that I have implemented in the last three years in the Supreme Court."