[Exclusive]: MNLU Nagpur to kick-off this year; Prof BP Panda appointed acting VC

Professor Bhavani Prasad Panda, current Vice-Chancellor of Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), Mumbai, has been appointed acting Vice-Chancellor of MNLU, Nagpur. He has been appointed for a period of 3 months with effect from January 11, 2016..Prof Panda will perform the duties of both posts concurrently, as Maharashtra’s second NLU prepares to begin its first academic session this year..Bar & Bench’s Aditya AK caught up with Prof Panda for a brief interview. Here are the excerpts:.B&B: Could you give us more details about the appointment? .PP: Following the direction of Hon’ble Chancellor of Maharashtra National Law University Nagpur, the Government of Maharashtra appointed the Vice-Chancellor of MNLU Mumbai to also act as the Vice-Chancellor of MNLU Nagpur with effect from January 11, 2016. The assignment is for a period of three months or till the regular Vice-Chancellor at Nagpur is appointed, whichever is earlier. This is an additional charge. Both responsibilities will be discharged concurrently..The process for appointment of the Vice-Chancellor for Maharashtra National Law University Nagpur has been initiated and the Search Committee is already in place..B&B: What are the challenges you face?.PP: The critical posers are primarily with logistics viz., to identify the appropriate temporary premises to house the University befittingly, along with residential facilities of students and staff; to identify persons with commitment and dedication ready to work 24X7 etc. We need to create a team of faculty, plan reading material, teaching models, and to conduct admissions through a national admission test..The major task will be to carefully draw the most appropriate road map for sustainable growth of the University, and to build a consensus among all stakeholders..B&B: When do operations at MNLU Nagpur start?.PP: With the appointment of Vice-Chancellor, the University is deemed to have been in operation. With abundant encouragement of the Hon’ble Chancellor and active support of Government of Maharashtra, the Maharashtra National Law University Nagpur is poised to begin its academic journey in 2016 itself..B&B: Could you elaborate on the infrastructure and the faculty MNLU Nagpur is likely to have?.PP: It is too early to predict what these are going to be. Senior functionaries of the Government are in serious look-out for basic infrastructure to start with; simultaneously planning to build a state-of-the-art University campus for which land has already been earmarked..Nagpur, being located central to India, has many logistical advantages. The city is slated to be a smart city, and it has a Bench of the [Bombay] High Court. It also has the advantage of reaching a vast range of reserved category students from the rural vicinity and supplement to the legal educational needs of those who deserve them most; and thus contribute to the needs social justice, too..Organizing faculty in a law school is a challenge anywhere in the world and Nagpur cannot be expected to be an exception. However, with multiple law universities coming up under a single Act, there will be better scope for faculty exchange programmes and synchronized curricular design..B&B: A lot has been said about Maharashtra now having 3 NLUs. Do you think this fact, in any way, dilutes the brand of an ‘NLU’?.PP: In terms of Section 3 of the MNLU Act 2014, the State Government may constitute any number of universities at any place within the state. To begin with, it has constituted three. There is every expectation that the number will continue to rise as the demand for quality legal services grows. Contrary to diluting the essence of NLU movement, this pioneering legislation, in fact, seeks to boost the prospect of legal education within the state and the country..Time will explain the efficacy of opting for multiple NLUs in Maharashtra. There is no denying the fact that the dynamics and demands of each of the place presently chosen are different; each having the prospect of sustainable growth in legal pedagogy and research..Expansion in quantitative terms does not mean compromise in quality. One important feature of the MNLU Act is that it limits the intake of each university to 120. Thus, at any point of time, the student strength in one campus will not exceed 600 in fullest operation, which is ideal to manage academically..This also means that the presently constituted three law Universities of the state together will contribute to the legal fraternity about 360 lawyers annually. Considering the market demand of national law university graduates, this number is far not adequate..There is huge competition for pursuing law at a national law university in India, as is reflective from the CLAT statistics.