In an endeavour to foster socioeconomic equality, human society has embraced many transitions. From integrating the global community with peace treaties like Versailles, Armistice, and Saint German-en-Laye to empowering human society with Paris Conventions, political systems have always been re-discovering their idealogues and social practices with parley to reach the armistice of social cohesion.
Being aware of the aggressive wars that triggered power relations between various power blocks throughout human history, one might think— “What translated the un-imaginary peaceful living into the reality of today?”
Sounds Mind Boggling! Right?
The answers to the above puzzle can be found by judiciously understanding the causality of Christianism.
Rising out of the barbaric times of the Roman Empire, Jesus of Nazareth began preaching a message of love and forgiveness. His life and teachings led to the rise of Christianity. This religion had a great influence on people throughout the world. Leaving behind the socio-political ideals of Christianism and holding on to the cohesive social intent of a peaceful society, the global fraternity came up with a one-stop solution—jus gentium (law of all nations).
Transgressing these lessons of social equity, the legal institutions reshaped the world with Peace, Love, and Happiness. To keep this flame ignited and to ensure that the key lessons obtained from Indian constitutional values are inculcated in mainstream society, the CHRIST ACADEMY INSTITUTE OF LAW was established in 2017.
The institute found its inspiration from Jesus Christ and the Supreme Guru and St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara, the founder of Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI). It envisions being a leading-edge centre of global excellence in legal education, research, and policy analysis, catalysing through its graduates and its innovative ideas the legal reforms necessary to effectively serve the needs of the common people in India.
Guiding this transformative change in Indian Law education is Fr. Dr. Davis Panadan CMI, Principal of Christ Academy Institute of Law (CAIL). With the enriching experience of being a director of DVK Research Centre, he is unleashing the true potential of academic excellence and simultaneously inculcating educational ethics in the law community
We at The Knowledge Review crossed paths with Fr. Dr. Davis Panadan CMI to learn the inspiring story and more about the college, its mission, and its contribution to enhancing the educational quality in the Indian Law space.
CAIL- The Centre of Excellence
The institute has the mandate to deliver socially engaged legal education, meeting the highest global academic and professional standards. Sharing insights about the college facility. Dr. Davis Panadan, CMI, says, “Our classroom represents diversity and national character, with students and faculty hailing from 26 states across the nation.”
Since its inception, it has been the endeavour of the CAIL faculty to bring out books on various law and non-law subjects according to the Karnataka State Law University syllabus. CAIL has already made a mark in the publication by bringing out 47 books within a short span of 4 years. Two of these books are translated into Kannada.
Being resilient to its mission, the college has been re-discovering its education standards and walks on its futuristic roadmap in order to bring Indian Directive Principles of State Policies to life.
Steering the Wheel of Transformation
Standing at the helm of this transformation through CAIL’s educational objective is Fr. Dr. Davis Panadan Varghese, CMI.
His educational qualifications include a Bachelor of Theology, Philosophy, Economics, and Law. His post-graduate qualifications include LL.M. He also has an M.Phil., Licentiate in Canon Law from PIO Rome, and a PhD degree from NLSIU Bangalore. Fr. Dr. Davis is the Academic Council Member of Karnataka State Law University for the academic year 2021-22. He served as a Director of the Post Graduate Centre at DVK during the year 2009 to 2012 and as a Director of the DVK Research Centre during the year 2012-2017.
He has served as a finance administrator of DVK, Bangalore, during the year 2012-15. He possesses teaching experience at the National University of Juridical Sciences, Calcutta, in the subjects of Public International Law, Jurisprudence, Constitutional Law, and Family Law. Fr. Dr. Davis was the recipient of the ‘Kempegowda Award’ for a social worker from Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike in 2011.
Christ Academy, Group of Institutions, is indeed proud of Fr. Dr. Davis Panadan, who is the author of 13 law books (Publisher: MPPHouse).
“All the written books are very good comprehensive Textbooks and Guides for the students and faculty fraternity,” says the Principal of CAIL.
Enabling Students for a Bright Future
Being an affiliated college to KSLU, Karnataka, CAIL has to follow the syllabus prescribed by the University. In order to bridge the gaps in the curriculum, CAIL has introduced ‘Add Courses’ on new and emerging areas.
This helps the students to get benefit from innovation at CAIL. The Add-on courses help the students to get the benefit of studying in a premier law school.
Judicial Services Training is another innovation at CAIL. Training is given from 1st year onwards to prepare students to write the Judicial Services examination without any additional cost. CAIL is the only law school in India that has made training for judicial service examination a part of its curriculum, making it unique of its own kind.
Facilitating Unique Features
CAIL library houses a large collection of books, journals, and periodicals. Students can refer to laws that deal with a wide range of subjects, both national and international. Apart from this, the library has a good stock of all prescribed and reference books on major and minor courses offered in the curriculum.
Students have easy access to books, periodicals, and online journals around the clock through its digital library services. Other unique services include Scholarships, Village Sustainable Development Programme, Mentorship Programme, and Internships and Placements.
The unique- ‘Happiness Lab’ at CAIL aims to facilitate students’ mental health by conducting programs that help them overcome difficult situations. Professional counsellors are available on campus to address the concerns of the student community.
Academic Programs
Course:
- 5 years Integrated B.A., LL.B
- 5 years Integrated B.B.A., LL.B
- 5 years Integrated B.Com., LL.B
Salient Features:
- An Integrated course with Political Science (Major), Sociology (Minor), Economics (Minor) and other related subjects to enable an efficient understanding of the law and its social implications.
- An Integrated course that includes Commerce and Business Administration along with the in-depth study of law & legislature.
- An Integrated course that aligns students’ interest in the fields of Accounting, Management, Finance, Human Resource Management or Information systems.
Achievements, Accolades, Accreditations, and Awards
CAIL is only in its 5th year of existence. Within this short span, its students have won prizes at National Level Moot Court Competitions, International Mediation Competition, and Model Parliament.
“One of our students is selected as the Campus Ambassador by Bar and Bench to represent CAIL,” says Fr. Dr. Davis.
CAIL has already made a mark in the publication by bringing out 47 books on law and non-law subjects within a short span of 4 years.
Adding more feathers of achievements to the Christ Academy Institute of Law Hall of fame, three students of the law Institute has won the third prize in the Asia-Pacific Moot Court Brief Writing Competition.
Envisioning the Future
CAIL is guided by India’s core constitutional values to deliver socially engaged legal education meeting the highest global academic and professional standards and directly engages with social challenges, evaluating and responding, in particular, to the legal dimensions of globalization.
The institute emphasizes its impact on fostering a legal / justice system that effectively meets the needs of the common people in India. The institution stands by its core values. The prominent ones are enlisted below:
- FAITH IN GOD
- INTEGRITY OF CHARACTER
- RESPECT FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL
- PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE
- COMMITMENT TO THE COUNTRY
Being one of its own kind, CAIL has been appreciated by a wide variety of student pools and academic communities. There are multiple academic and co-curricular activities implemented in college that help students and teachers with a real-time understanding of the Indian Law system and, at the same time, empower students and faculty with intercultural cohesion.
