One year LLM Law honchos say yes

The HRD Ministry has decided to cut the two-year LLM course by half after the Round Table on Legal Education held yesterday. The proposal met with the unanimous consent of the legal luminaries present. They said that the two-year programme served no purpose and the final decision rested upon that of all the stake-holders..After a Round Table on Legal Education held yesterday, the Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry has decided to shorten the two-year LLM course by half..The proposalmet with unanimous consent on the part of the legal luminaries present. They said that the two-year programme served no purpose and the final decision rested upon that of all the stake-holders. Globally, the LLM program is for a period of one year and only part time students enroll for a two year program. The proposal, initially mooted by National Knowledge Commission (NKC) is awaiting approval by the Planning Commission..The other mandate of the Round Table was to build a model research institution, allowing a comprehensive study in the emerging area of legal jurisprudence and subjects which need research like environment law, patent law and competition law..Dr. R. Venkata Rao, Director of NLSIU, told Bar & Bench that there was nothing new about the 1 year post-graduate programme idea that has been mooted. “This idea has been in discussion for a long time. The reasons as to why our country had a two year programme is because the LLM degree was a taught program and seen as a gateway to the academic world. But now, with the advent of globalization, the opportunities for LLM students are manifold. Also there were complaints by students that a two year programme is too long and were pursuing similar programmes in western countries where the LLM program was for a year. Therefore NKC has rightfully thought that one year made be in everyone’s interest,” he added..On board are Senior Counsels Lalit Bhasin and Joseph Vellapally, Former law secretary and Law Advisor T K Vishwanathan, Founder of National Law School of India University and National University of Juridical Sciences, Madhav Menon, Education Secretary, Anshu Vaish, Managing Partner of Luthra & Luthra, Rajiv Luthra and Legal scholar BS Chimni..The members of the Round Table, are also planning to introduce a new one year course for paralegals. A seven member committee including two experts from foreign universities will be set up to identify challenges in legal education.