“‘Law’, a word if looked up in the dictionary, says the set of official rules and if used by someone is a protector.”
Society has always needed rules and morals to function effectively and efficiently. Ever since the beginning of civilisation, these rules were not called laws but rather ethics and morals. However, with lots of changes, a fleet of centuries, and different rules, India came on the constitutional pages of the British Empire. This era introduced the courtroom of justice and words of the Law to Indians, forming the basis of the modern-day court and judicial system.
Today, Law is seen as a protective layer to guard the rights and to ensure that there are ‘The Lawyers’. They could be seen as ones who stand for individuals and protect their rights. As easy as it might sound, the actual job requires a lot of studies, knowledge, analysing power, and perspective, qualities that could only be developed.
As one of the largest legal professions in the world, Indian Law is one of the most pursued careers in the nation, with numerous law schools. However, it is a responsibility to create a responsible future for the judicial system.
One of the schools that tried to shoulder the responsibilities is ‘The School of Law and Legal Affairs (SLLA)’ with the aim of creating an individual leading to the betterment of society. The school has flourished under the guidance of Prof. Dr Manu Singh, the Director of the school and has created a place for itself.
Let us have an insightful look at this amazing law school and learn more about it.
Journey Since Inspection
The School of Law and Legal Affairs (SLLA) was established in 2010 and has been approved by the Bar Council of India (BCI) and UGC MOOCs. It is a constituent unit of Noida International University, founded by Maruti Educational Trust. The university is approved by University Grants Commission (UGC) and consists of a total of 11 schools in different fields.
SLLA was established with the aim of offering legal education by providing an environment for all law aspirants to improve in the stream of legal studies and the legal system for the betterment of society. It offers varied integrated programs such as Bachelor of Business Administration- Bachelor of Law (BBA LLB) and Bachelor of ArtsBachelor of Law (BA LLB) as Honors programs. Additionally, the institute also offers LLB and Master of Law (LLM) at the PG level.
SLLA has highly qualified and experienced faculty with advanced degrees in Law from renowned Central and State Universities. This creates an opportunity for students to be guided by experts. The students are further refined by the inclusion of various activities preparing them to stand in the real court.
Located within the premises of the NIU, the institute has access to a state-of-the-art campus, a Wi-fi facility, well-maintained hostels, a library, and an ultra-modern Yamuna Express Educational Hub (YEEH), making the environment just perfect for students.
Mission: Learning to Abide
The institution believes in disseminating legal knowledge in a resourceful way to help the nation’s development. To achieve this objective, the SLLA strives to evolve and impart comprehensive legal education and achieve excellence, along with promoting advanced studies and research in all branches of Law.
It sensitises the students of Law regarding the various socio-legal issues of the country and inculcates cultural, legal, and ethical values in students with a view to foster the Rule of Law and the objectives enshrined in the Constitution of India.
Apart from this, the school looks forward to raising legal awareness in the community for greater social and economic justice, combining quality education with the necessary input of practical training, and preparing students for a variety of legal and law-related careers.
Vision of Responsibilities
SLLA works towards the growth, development, and formation of a generation of students who possess the intellectual genius, moral consciousness, and social responsibility to ensure the Rule of Law. The intention is to develop this not just locally but also propagate the same globally.
Being an institution for legal studies, it believes that the onus to show the way to integrate the Rule of Law within the society and remove any discrimination with respect to person, property, or community in the society rests with it.
With such a vision, SLLA is the perfect ground for Judges, Legislators, and Public Servants in the making who would form part of the governing system in the future. “We endeavour to make them best in whatever constructive they do and polish them into professionals who would make a mark in the legal area,” says Prof. Manu Singh.
The Featured Person
Prof. Dr Manu Singh, the Dean of SLLA, has been a faculty of some of the most recognised law schools in the country, including Gitarattan International Business School, Amity University, and Swami Vivekanand Subharti University.
She has contributed immensely to imparting quality legal education and has been conferred with Academic Excellence Award by Droit Penal: Indian Law Journal on Crime and Criminology. She has attended, participated in, and chaired both National as well as International Seminars numerous times.
Dr Singh has also looked after the legal aid clinics and camps organised under the guidance and supervision of the Uttar Pradesh State Legal Services Authority for spreading socio-legal awareness. She has conducted many workshops to spread awareness about the fundamental rights of oppressed and downtrodden sections of society.
Apart from these achievements, she has authored ‘Lectures Notes on Constitutional Law,’ published in 2019 and ‘The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973’ published in 2020. Her research paper, ‘The Right to Elementary Education in India: Connotations and Reflections,’ is a knowledgeable document for the members of the law community.
Dr Singh commands exceptional research skills and has been a great orator. She continuously inspires students to expand their horizons and has been very successful in enabling young minds to utilise their full potential.
From Coal to Diamond
The course frame of SLLA is built to acquaint the student with understanding the legal terms and concepts which are routinely used in the legal profession. It also enables the students to develop a sense of professionalism.
The course enables the student to understand the various theories and concepts which deal with the sources of Law; an in-depth understanding of the concept of neither legal practice nor legal education can be a purposive activity.
The introduction of the course has provided students with a fundamental base of the concepts relating to Law. An initial understanding of the legal system will help students in acquiring the ability to think rationally.
Understanding Law Globally
The Centre for Juridical Studies was established at SLLA in 2002 to impart training in special Law Papers the BA.LL.B. along with assimilation, creation, and dissemination of knowledge in the field of legal education. It aims at contributing toward social development and the nation-building process by inculcating the values of good citizenship, national unity, and integrity. It also looks toward the training and development of human resources, thereby providing employment opportunities and scope for social development.
Preparing the Lawyers
Law as a field requires a lot more than education within books. SLLA suffices this demand of the field and creates a strong base for its students to stand in the field. The school organises Moot Courts exercises to offer students an opportunity to hone their oratory, analytical, and research skills, building up their confidence and teaching them basic etiquette required in a real court. Moot Court Competitions provide law students with a practical and realistic way of learning and acquiring skills for a better future as proficient lawyers.
With the aim to spread legal awareness among students and people at large, the Legal Aid & Services Clinic at SLLA inducts students to use their knowledge of the Law to provide free legal aid to those who are most in need of it through various media. The Legal Aid functions that it performs are preventive, remedial, activist, and reformative.
Apart from this, legal literacy camps, debates, seminars, legal counselling, public speaking, poster making, street plays, and liaison with Legal Services Authorities are organised.
The institution supports its students in writing papers and publishing articles in journals, which stands of special importance to the students.
Preparing the Base
To provide appropriate guidance and insight into the field, SLLA arranges monthly guest lectures by renowned Advocates, Retired Judges, Eminent Jurists, and Legal Luminaries from the Legal fraternity on a mandatory basis to share their wisdom and practical skills with students. Apart from these, Career Counselling Sessions and Placement Sessions are conducted for students on a regular basis.
Achievements Through Years
The institution has seen success numerous times; however, it takes most of its pride in the success of its students and vice versa.
The students at the school represented it at the National Environmental Youth Parliament 2022, which was held in the Parliament of India on the 16th of April 2022. Along with this, the university backed the Consolation award by holding the immediate 4th position amongst the 24 Universities across the states of Uttar Pradesh & Uttarakhand on the basis of quite satisfactory performances by the speakers.
Envisioning the Future
SLLA, as a Law School, invests in imparting knowledge and skills that are relevant to legal practice and is interested in understanding the current state of legal practice and the skills required of young lawyers.
The institution plays an integral role in realising the mission of the university. The students are taught the practical aspects of the Law, with practitioners addressing the students on various aspects of the Law. Further, the law subjects are integrated with other subjects helping students to obtain a multi-disciplinary perspective in their research, writing, and analysis.
SLLA looks forward to partnering with the engineering school and offering niche courses in cybersecurity for law students.
