HC Chief Justice calls for modernising legal education on WBNUJS silver jubilee

Kolkata: Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court, TS Sivagnanam, on Thursday, stressed the urgent need to modernise legal education in light of new laws and global challenges.

He was speaking at the release of a special India Post stamp commemorating the silver jubilee of the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS) at Calcutta Town Hall.

The event was attended by dignitaries, including Calcutta High Court judges Tapabrata Chakraborty, Apurba Sinha Ray, and Soumen Sen, State Law Minister Moloy Ghatak, and Ashok Kumar, Chief Postmaster General of the West Bengal Circle.

Delivering the keynote address, the Chief Justice said tribunalisation, which merges judicial and executive functions, has shifted jurisdiction away from superior courts, reducing traditional fields of specialisation. “Specialisation gets knocked off,” he noted, citing how banking law experts migrated to the National Company Law Tribunal following the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. He cautioned students against limiting their aspirations to High Courts or the Supreme Court, emphasising that law has evolved significantly. “Law has changed. Too many challenges. A sea change is apparent now. Trajectory is so powerful. Law is now part of every man’s life,” he said, urging continuous training and

global competitiveness.

The Chief Justice also highlighted Sports Law as a lucrative emerging field, pointing to the high demand for professionals in global football clubs for franchise rights, endorsements, and consultancy. On artificial intelligence, he said technology can assist but never replace lawyers, as legal disputes concern human lives.

Law Minister Ghatak underlined the state’s strong support for WBNUJS, noting allocations of Rs 2.66 crore in 2021–22, Rs 1.74 crore in 2022–23, Rs 3.27 crore in 2023–24, and Rs 18.82 lakh so far in 2024–25.

Vice-Chancellor Nirmal Kanti Chakrabarti called the stamp release a “historic moment,” honouring NUJS’s legacy under founder Prof. N.R. Madhava Menon.

The university holds NAAC A+ accreditation, ranks fourth in NIRF 2025, and will celebrate its silver jubilee through academic, cultural, and

outreach events.