Indian legal system badly in need of fixing: CJI

Hyderabad, July 12 (IANS) Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai on Saturday said that the Indian legal system has been facing unique challenges and is badly in need of fixing.

Delivering the convocation address at Nalsar University of Law in Hyderabad, he said that the country and legal system are facing unique challenges.

"Delays in trials can sometimes go for decades. We have seen cases where someone has been found innocent after spending years in jail as an undertrial. Our best talent can help us resolve the problems that we are facing," he said.

"Even though I conclude that our legal system is badly in need of fixing, I remain cautiously optimistic that my fellow citizens will rise to the challenges,” the CJI said.

He said that the country needs to invest not only in institutions but also in imagination, in mentorship programmes, research fellowships, policy labs, local innovation ecosystems, and ethical workplaces that make the best minds want to stay or return after studies abroad.

He advised students to go abroad for studies on scholarships, not to put pressure on family finances.

He also told students that a foreign degree alone is not a stamp of their worth. "Don’t take this decision in a reflex of thought or under your peer pressure. What happens next? Years are in debt, anxiety, and career decisions made under a financial burden. Do not mistake urgency for progress… There is no age bar to learn,” the CJI said.

He mentioned that many who study abroad come back with renewed passion and fresh perspectives, but when they return, they often find our institutions unwelcoming, under-resourced or closed to new ideas. “This must change if you want to keep our best minds or bring them back; we must build nurturing academic environments, offer transparent and merit-based opportunities, and, most importantly, restore dignity and purpose to Legal Research and Training in India,” the CJI stated.

He advised the passing out graduates to seek mentors not for their power, but for integrity. CJI Gavai told the graduates to become mentors themselves one day.

“That is how we build not just careers, but a community of care within the profession, one that uplifts, not one that intimidates," he said.

He emphasised the need to learn from the experience of others. “Let me say this with honesty. I am here today, not just because I worked hard. Yes, efforts mattered, but so did the fact that someone opened a door for me, someone who saw something in me before I could see it in myself. That act of belief, of support, of sharing wisdom changed my life,” he said.

The CJI said the legal profession is noble, important, but never easy and that there is no straight path or guaranteed returns. "The profession demands that you constantly prove yourself, to the court, to your clients, to your peers, and often to yourself," he said.

"Two things could keep young students on a forward path in this struggle. The first is being grounded in the basics of law and being consistent in learning. There is no shortcut to knowing the law. There is no alternative to knowing the basics as well,” he said.

Justice Gavai also warned the graduating lawyers that the profession can be isolating and emotionally taxing.

"The hours are long, the expectations high, the culture sometimes ruthless. You will feel pressure not just to succeed, but also to appear to be successful. Many hide their struggles. I urge you not to. Find your community."

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Supreme Court Judge Justice PS Narasimha also participated in the convocation. Acting Chief Justice of Telangana High Court Justice Sujoy Paul presided over the event.

--IANS

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