SONIPAT:In a first, the O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) launched here on Thursday a three-year B.A. (honours) programme in legal studies which is interdisciplinary in nature with a focus on the social, economic and political context of law in society.
The programme at Jindal Global Law School has been rolled out in a bid to democratise the study of law and make it accessible to all students regardless of whichever academic stream they have been part of in their high school, said the university.
"This new undergraduate programme in law will fulfil a much needed gap in Indian higher education. It builds on the efforts of the Indian high school education system, which has introduced 'legal studies' as a course in recent years, " JGU Vice Chancellor C. Raj Kumar, said in a statement.
After the undergraduate degree in legal studies, students may choose to pursue the three-year LLB, which will empower them to become a lawyer.
"The students of BA Legal Studies being part of the Jindal Global Law School will have the opportunities to experience short term study abroad programmes in law that are held at Harvard University, University of Oxford, Fletcher School-Tufts University and also exchange programmes at many universities around the world including at the University of Arizona, " the JGU Vice-Chancellor said.
"This programme enables students to have a deep and substantive introduction to legal studies within the context of humanities and social sciences, " he said.
The programme is designed to familiarise students with major legal and political discourses, while imparting skills essential for the performance of pre-legal and paralegal work as well as preparing them for careers in law, judiciary, academia, research and public service.
Its holistic training seeks to develop, in students, a strong legal and social sciences research foundation, the university said.
The launch of the first multi-disciplinary undergraduate programme in legal studies was preceded by a lecture on "Changing the World Through Law" by Stephen P. Marks, Professor at Harvard University.