Jahanvi Agarwal
Conrad K. Sangma, Meghalaya’s Chief Minister, inaugurated the National Law University (NLU) on Saturday at its temporary campus in Shillong’s Mayurbhanj Complex.
In his speech, Chief Minister Sangma emphasized the necessity of documenting and codifying tribal and customary laws. Not only this but he also expressed his vision of NLU being a centre in the entire Northeast area, an excellence for the study of customary laws and practices.
The Chief Minister highlighted that Meghalaya’s legal study and research will undergo a radical transformation as a result of the foundation of NLU. The founding of NLU in Shillong will help modify legal education as well as cover a bigger ambit of education.
He pointed out how much trouble the state’s legal system has experienced over the past 50 years as a result of the absence of appropriate training, exposure, and knowledge-building institutions. Furthermore, Sangma gave certainty that the foundation of NLU will guarantee the delivery of high-quality legal education and other services.
Chief Minister Sangma also stated the government is determined to implement the new Education Policy. And the said commitment includes elements of the National Education Policy in all new courses while acknowledging that the change will take time and money.
It was further highlighted by Chief Minister Sangma his desire for NLU to promote research, innovation, and critical thinking. And expressed how the institution’s unique courses in Business Administration, Policy Research, and Data Science courses paired with the law will prepare students to meet new problems.
The need of tackling climate change and the related legal systems was further pointed out by him. According to the Chief Minister, NLU’s data science and law program is the first of its type in the nation. Such innovative courses aim to prepare the youth with the necessary skills and solutions required in the ever-evolving landscape.
Chief Minister Sangma addressed the role of innovation in education by saying that an institution’s worth is determined by its new ideas, whether in output or procedure.
The founding of NLU in Shillong will help modify legal education as well as cover a larger ambit of education.
The temporary campus’s infrastructure has been given a total budget of Rs. 25 crore by the Meghalayan government, of which Rs. 19 crore has already been used.
The said occasion was attended by:
- Sanjib Banerjee, the Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court;
- Rakkam A. Sangma, the Education Minister;
- Indrajit Dube, the Vice Chancellor of the University;
The Chief Justice stressed that by including advanced courses in its curriculum such as Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (AI), NLU hopes to remain at the forefront of legal education. The institution’s mission is to adopt a revolutionary and non-conformist approach, inspiring its students to pursue knowledge and learning with a passion.