The Higher Education Review

Although the legal education domain is on an upward trajectory in India, lamentably, equitable access to education has always been a far-fetched dream for students from underprivileged communities.

Most often, aspirants in such strata have to either give up on their dreams or relocate to other cities or states seeking feasible law colleges. However, for most people, those ordeals seem like a roadblock to realizing their dream, but to law scholars like Aluru Rami Reddy, they were the foundation for challenging the status quo.

Having endured similar hardships while pursuing his education, he was successful in rewriting the paradigm by establishing the Vijayanagara Educational Society (VJES) and Sri Vijayanagar College of Law (VJNL) in 1990 in the draught-prone district of Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh (AP).

Powered by his legal acumen, ethical approach, and unwavering commitment to education, VJNL has grown to be a one-of-a-kind law college by bridging the long-standing divide be¬tween standard legal education and rural students, specifically in the Ray¬alaseema region.

"A student of an elite group who majors in law and graduates from any other expensive college might not fully comprehend the fundamental issues of society. Hence, we, at VJNL, focus more on creating people’s advocates who understand social issues, strive to strengthen the judicial system, and support the needy", explains Rami Reddy, the Founder & Secretary of VJNL. Managed by VJES and affiliated with Sri Krishnadevarya University, AP, the college is widely known for its knowledge-oriented curricula, diverse campus, and amenities.

Recognized by the Bar Council of India (BCI), New Delhi, VJNL offers both UG and PG law courses and streams of LL.B. and LL.M. Additionally, the college is also one of the only five colleges in AP to offer a 5-year integrated course in B.B.A. LL.B.

The skilled faculty, driven by the Principal, Dr. H. Raghavendrachar, and the Vice Principal, M. Mahesh, and Harikrishna Namaseva, a practicing advocate and a mediator, exert equal emphasis on imparting conceptual and practical learning, with regular internal assessments to evaluate students.

The activities, such as advocacy skill development programs, seminars, workshops, and the participation of High Court Judges and legal luminaries, occur annually to enrich knowledge.

Prof. S. Surya Prakash, the former Vice- Chancellor of Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University (A.P) who is currently serving as the Vice- Chancellor of NLIU Bhopal, and Prof. GB Reddy, a renowned advocate, lead special orientation programs for teaching staff.

“We follow a distinctive pedagogy, wherein we explain how to interpret small acts like bare acts. We also have beautiful books written by illustrious personalities like Maxwell,” informs Rami Reddy.

Apart from its state-of-the-art classrooms, computer lab, practice area, and seminar halls, the institute boasts of possessing one of the biggest libraries in AP. Named in honor of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the library is spread over an area of 3000 sq.ft and is well-stocked with more than 20,000 diverse books and a digital library. The college also drives students to learn through various academic excursions to the Supreme Court, forensic laboratories, and open or district jails.

Reinforcing Practicality
As mandated by the BCI, students at VJNL must complete a 120-day internship during their five-year degree or 90 days during their three-year degree. In addition, the college is also distinguished by one of its core programs, LIFE (Law Internship For Excellence).

“This internship gives them life, and hence the name,” Rami Reddy adds. Designed to hone the professional attitude, ethic values, personal aptitude, and practical approach of an individual, LIFE, led by Harikrishna, hosts a multitude of research-driven activities, including workshops, symposiums, the intricacies of client interviews, and, best of all, mock trials.

As part of these trials, the students enact the already decided cases, like the great trials of Mahatma Gandhi and the Merchant of Venice. These trials, in turn, inculcate the legal elements into a student’s mind to change their perspective on history as well as analyze their applications in the present. Additionally, the college has a moot court bearing the name of a former senior advocate, Dr. Padmanabha Reddy, which has enthralled not just students but several eminent personalities from its realistic court ambience.

“Besides, as a part of a symposium hosted at the college on the occasion of 50 years of the landmark case of Kesavanada Bharati, our students were endowed with an opportunity to present their papers before district judges”, proclaims Rami Reddy.

The students are also endowed with multiple activities, including mediation by simulation, role-playing, and the Gen Next Class rooms (free online classes) by e-mediation writings (EMW), conducted by mediators across India steered by its chief coordinators, Pusshp Gupta (New Delhi) and Thankanchan (Kerala), Harikrishna representing the state.

Through the Legal Aid Clinic of the college, the students further receive first-hand demonstrations of mediation and conciliation. The students are also exhorted to register as paralegal volunteers with the Legal Service Authorities to participate in awareness campaigns and other social activities as needed.

”We, at VJNL, focus more on creating people’s advocates who understand social issues, strive to strengthen the judicial system & support the needy”

VJNL enables students to afford the finest education by not only offering a low fee structure but also different government-sponsored scholarships, which include the Jagananna Vidya Deevena program, EBC, and minority programs. With such attributes, the institute is currently in the process of expanding its facilities and recently reaped the spotlight when the AP state governor, Justice S.Abdul Nazeer, visited and participated in laying the foundation of the additional building on the campus, thereby fueling the goal of the college to transform the administration of justice and reinforce society's growth.