Law faculty a sad case

It ranks amongst the top five law colleges in India. The entrance exam is competitive, the faculty excellent. But the good news from Delhi University’s Faculty of Law ends there.

It ranks amongst the top five law colleges in India. The entrance exam is competitive, the faculty excellent. But the good news from Delhi University’s Faculty of Law ends there.

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The 85-year-old faculty is packed to capacity — 4,800 students attend classes in North Campus. Classrooms are few, the small library is inadequate and there are hardly 15 computers for the use of students.

“The entrance exam was very competitive and the faculty is excellent. But the facilities and infrastructure are a big disappointment for us,” said Swati Sharma, first-year student of Campus Law Centre.

Ironically, after the current Dean SN Singh moved court, University Grants Commission sanctioned Rs 74 crore to the faculty in 2008. Land measuring 17 acres was also allotted in Dwarka and Surajmal Vihar. But one year later, nothing has moved.

On different sides
The law faculty is at loggerheads with the university administration.
While the teachers want the existing infrastructure in North campus to be renovated, the university is planning to integrate the three law centres into one faculty to be shifted to the Dhaka campus soon.

No action plan
“The university has not come up with any plans to either construct a new building or renovate and expand the existing infrastructure,” said Singh. “The classrooms are dark and dingy. The library is too small and we don’t have decent rooms for foreign visiting faculty to deliver special lectures,” said Singh.

Vice-chancellor Deepak Pental maintained that planning was underway to integrate the law centres and move them to Dhaka. “Hopefully, by 2011, the law faculty will have its own building in Dhaka,” said Pental.

Basics missing
The drinking water at the faculty is unhygienic and the toilets stink. “The water purifier does not work and the toilets are not cleaned regularly,” said Nikhil Aggarwal, first-year LLB student. “We also don’t have any electricity backup although so many eminent guest faculty come to teach,” said Aggarwal.

Teachers, in fact, bring their own equipment. “I have to bring my own projector from home, whereas in National Law School, Dwarka, there is a projector in each classroom,” said Raina.

Caught in red tape
Raina added that changing syllabus was also a major problem. “Even the change of title of a paper has to pass through the academic and executive councils. It can take up to three years and by that time the change is outdated,” he said.
“We need market-oriented courses like construction law and international trade law, which we are unable to introduce,” Raina said. Students, however, said they deserved the facilities they got.

“The fee we pay is minimal and we cannot get better facilities than this. So, either the fees should increase or the government funding should be used,” said Niharika Aluwali, a first-year student.