Legal Education as Transformation: iProbono’s Collaboration with Universiti...

Legal education is evolving to not only foster an understanding of laws but also to encourage critical thinking among students. In keeping with this progressive approach, iProbono has devised a certificate course on ‘Laws Relating to Children:  In Theory and Practice’. The course is one of the pillars of our legal education program, and has been conducted at three prominent law universities in India in 2023. 

The genesis of the course lies in our consistent engagement with law universities, and the realization that these campuses are uniquely placed to shape students into future ambassadors of justice. What’s more, we realized that there is an effort from academic institutions to  integrate a social justice lens to their curricula. Our course supports these efforts by introducing specific child protection laws to students. It also provides them with a unique opportunity to understand the needs and realities of the children in the justice system. 

Within a few months of its launch, the course has been offered to students at CHRIST (Deemed to be University) in Bengaluru, Vinayaka Mission’s Law School in Chennai and the National University of Study and Research in Law in Ranchi. 

Lecture being conducted at CHRIST (Deemed to be University) in Bengaluru with 44 students.

Lecture being conducted at National University of Study and Research in Law, Ranchi with 80 law students.

iProbono team with students after completing the certificate course at CHRIST (Deemed to be University) in Bengaluru.

Lecture being conducted at Vinayaka Mission’s Law School in Chennai with over 33 students.

“The course gave a fantastic educational base and it prepared students to carry out skills in the real world. The approach and entire coordination with iProbono was excellent, the instructors did a good job by sharing real life experiences and it was a tremendous learning experience for our students. We look forward to working further with iProbono on child related issues.” said Dr. Valarmathi, Professor and Dr. Chaitra RB, Assistant Professor and Coordinators, Gender Studies Committee, School of Law at CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru.

The student feedback to the course was also positive, with one participant from CHRIST University noting,“I got to know about different provisions of POCSO Act along with the trial procedure and also when the accused is a child in conflict with law, how POCSO and JJ Act intersect each other”. 

Key highlights of the course

The course includes lectures by expert lawyers from the iProbono team on laws relating to child sexual abuse, juvenile justice, medical termination of pregnancy, child marriage, child labour, bonded labour and child trafficking. 

These lectures have been designed to include discussions on the evolution of these laws, diverse case experiences and nuanced viewpoints, thereby broadening students’ understanding of the complexities surrounding their implementation. For instance, we draw attention to the criminalisation of consensual relationships among adolescents, and the inherent conflict between mandatory reporting under the POCSO laws and the right to privacy as per the medical termination of pregnancy laws. We also highlight procedural issues that arise during juvenile justice inquiries, like age determination and bail. This includes implementation challenges, such as the violation of child friendly safeguards and the responsibilities of various stakeholders. 

Each lecture concludes with a brief evaluation designed to gauge the students’ grasp of the material. Completing the course entitles students to receive a certificate jointly issued by their university and iProbono.

“I have only good things to say about the iProbono certificate course on ‘Laws Relating to Children: In Theory and Practice’. The instructors were not only interactive and engaging but also demonstrated a remarkable ability to connect theoretical concepts with their own practical experiences in court. This unique blend made the program immensely valuable for both faculty and students alike” said Samudyata Sreenath, Assistant Professor at the Vinayaka Mission’s Law School, Chennai.

Reflections and way forward

While conducting the course with such diverse groups of students, we realized that these engagements were more than just academic interactions. They were also platforms for meaningful exchange. Law students are keen to develop their skills needed to advance child rights, whether as litigators, academicians, or development professionals. The curiosity among them reinforced our conviction about the importance of linking legal theory with its practical execution.

The feedback from students of all three universities also revealed that the course generated a deep interest in these topics. Students were unanimous in their willingness to recommend the course to their peers. 

Envisioning university partnerships as avenues for transformation, we are working to strengthen them by building on existing engagements as well as advancing collaborations with additional universities every year. If your university is interested in hosting this course, or if you would like to learn more about the program, please reach out to us at trainings@i-probono.com or communications@i-probono.com.