Chanakya National Law University Embarks On Progressive Academic Reforms, Introduces Academic & Research Incentive Policy For Teachers

In a significant step towards enhancing its academic standing and commitment to providing quality legal education, Chanakya National Law University (CNLU) has undertaken a series of transformative measures under the leadership of the new Vice-Chancellor, Prof. (Dr.) Faizan Mustafa. Prof. Mustafa assumed office on August 3, 2023, with a pledge to shift the university's focus from being Vice-Chancellor-centric to student-centric.To ensure that the students' voices were heard, Prof. Mustafa conducted open house sessions, engaging with students for up to two hours on the very first day of his tenure. This interactive approach allowed students to express their concerns openly. Subsequently, the issues raised in these sessions were included in the agendas of the Academic Council and Executive Council meetings, marking a historic first for the university.Acknowledging the importance of student satisfaction, CNLU introduced a Student Satisfaction Survey. This survey, for the first time, provided the university's governing bodies with a comprehensive view of student concerns. As a result, the Executive Council identified specific faculty positions as subject-specific and directed the recruitment of specialists for specialized courses.The CNLU Executive Council introduced several new positions to advance research and education. These include full-time Research Professors, Associate Professors, and Assistant Professors, along with Post-Doctoral fellowships. The university is also incentivizing faculty members to bring research projects and consultancies by allowing them to retain a significant portion of project fees.In line with new UGC guidelines, CNLU has introduced Professors of Practice positions to engage industry specialists in teaching specialized courses. Moreover, CNLU is dedicated to reducing academic stress by implementing a policy of academic flexibility, enabling students to learn at their own pace. To support visually challenged students, an accessibility lab is under development.The university has revamped the project system, reducing the requirement for research papers from six per semester to just one. Additionally, Moot Court memorials and student-published papers will be accepted as research projects.To embrace the digital age, CNLU is converting all its classrooms into digital classrooms. It will also grant students credits for online courses from the SWAYAM platform. The university is breaking the hierarchy of batches by offering visiting/elective/seminar courses to both LL.M and LL.B students and students of different years of LL.B.Under the academic flexibility scheme, B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) students can now take courses from Management, while B.B.A. LL.B. students can explore Social Sciences and Humanities courses, reflecting CNLU's commitment to knowledge integration.To ensure these reforms align with the New Education Policy, CNLU incorporated feedback from students, alumni, and teachers regarding the curriculum.The Advocate-General, State of Bihar, and former Education Minister of the State, praised CNLU's initiatives. He expressed hope that the proposed Cyber Security and Digital Forensics Centre would provide essential training for the state's police force, as mandated by the Nagrik Suraksha Bill, 2023.In a student-friendly move, Prof. Mustafa has ordered the replacement of uncomfortable iron chairs with cushioned office chairs in classrooms and the library, along with improvements in IT infrastructure.In a bid to increase accessibility, Prof. Mustafa has pledged to meet students daily without requiring an appointment. So far, 211 students have availed themselves of this opportunity in the two months since he assumed office.Click Here To Read / Download Press Release

Chanakya National Law University Embarks On Progressive Academic Reforms, Introduces Academic & Research Incentive Policy For Teachers

Bhavya Singh

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