Calling law one of the most impactful and socially relevant professions, Tamil Nadu Minister for Energy Resources and Law C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar urged more students to pursue higher education in law, citing the growing demand for legal professionals across the country.

Speaking at the third convocation ceremony of the Government Law College in Tiruchi, the Minister said the legal profession offers diverse career opportunities and enables advocates to play a vital role in serving society and strengthening the justice system.

Growing Demand for Lawyers Across India

Addressing graduating students, Nirmal Kumar said the need for qualified lawyers is increasing across multiple sectors, making law an attractive career option for young aspirants.

"Every day, the need for lawyers is diverse and urgent. Lawyers make their own space in society as their profession gives them a unique identity and protection," the Minister said.

He encouraged students to consider legal education not only as a professional pathway but also as a means to contribute to society through justice, advocacy, and public service.

Serve Communities Close to Home

The Minister advised newly graduated lawyers to establish their legal practice near their native places, where they can better understand local issues and provide accessible legal services.

He noted that lawyers working within their own communities are well-positioned to become trusted representatives of the people, helping improve access to justice while addressing grassroots legal challenges.

According to the Minister, practising closer to one's hometown allows advocates to build stronger relationships with clients and contribute meaningfully to community development.

Convocation Celebrates New Law Graduates

The convocation ceremony was held at the Government Law College, Tiruchi, where degrees were conferred upon graduating students in the presence of dignitaries from the legal and academic community.

The event was attended by Justice (Retd.) V. Bharathidasan, who joined the Minister in congratulating the graduates on successfully completing their legal education.

The ceremony also highlighted the achievements of students from diverse backgrounds, including transgender graduates, reflecting the increasing inclusivity of higher education institutions in Tamil Nadu.

Law Emerging as a Promising Career Choice

With expanding opportunities in litigation, corporate law, judiciary, arbitration, legal consultancy, public policy, cyber law, intellectual property rights, and legal technology, experts say the demand for skilled legal professionals continues to grow across India.

The Minister's remarks come at a time when increasing numbers of students are exploring careers beyond traditional professions, with law emerging as a preferred higher education option due to its wide career prospects and significant role in governance, business, and social justice.

Encouraging students to take up law admissions in 2026 and beyond, Nirmal Kumar said the profession offers not only career stability but also the opportunity to make a lasting contribution to society through the rule of law and public service.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement of a new law with stricter punishments for exam paper leaks has sparked debate among education experts, with several academics arguing that stronger penalties alone will not eliminate examination fraud. They have instead called for comprehensive reforms in the National Testing Agency (NTA), the coaching industry, and India's examination system.

The proposed Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 comes amid nationwide concern over the NEET 2026 paper leak and follows weeks of student protests demanding greater transparency and accountability in public examinations.

Existing Law Already Prescribes Strict Punishment

The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, enacted by Parliament ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, already provides stringent penalties for examination fraud. The law prescribes three to ten years of imprisonment and fines of up to ₹1 crore for those involved in paper leak cases.

However, despite multiple examination controversies since the Act came into force, critics point out that no convictions have yet been secured under the legislation, raising questions about enforcement rather than the absence of legal provisions.

Following the NEET paper leak in July 2024, Prime Minister Modi had assured Parliament that the government was strengthening the examination system and that those compromising students' futures would face strict action.

Addressing the issue again amid the NEET 2026 controversy, the Prime Minister announced that the government has approved a draft amendment proposing even tougher punishment, including up to 10 years' imprisonment and fines of up to ₹10 crore for organised examination fraud. He also said that fast-track courts would be established to ensure quicker disposal of such cases.

Academics Seek Structural Reforms

Education experts, however, argue that legislative changes alone cannot address the root causes of recurring paper leaks.

Professor Anita Rampal, former Dean of the Faculty of Education at Delhi University, said meaningful reform requires addressing the broader examination ecosystem rather than merely increasing punishments.

According to Rampal, preliminary investigations into paper leak cases have pointed to alleged collusion involving elements within testing centres and the coaching industry. She stressed the need for stronger regulation of coaching institutes and called for a review of the highly centralised examination model.

Rampal also criticised the heavy reliance on multiple-choice question (MCQ)-based national entrance examinations, arguing that such systems encourage organised malpractice while limiting opportunities to assess students' analytical and creative abilities. She further questioned the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA), stating that greater institutional accountability and academic autonomy are essential for restoring public confidence.

Questions Over Enforcement

Professor Rajeev Kumar, a retired faculty member from IIT Kharagpur's Department of Computer Science, questioned the necessity of introducing a tougher law when the existing legislation has not yet resulted in convictions.

Referring to recent developments in the 2024 NEET paper leak investigation, he argued that the effectiveness of any legal framework ultimately depends on successful investigation, prosecution, and punishment rather than increasing statutory penalties.

"The issue is not simply whether laws are strict enough, but whether they are effectively implemented," he observed.

Debate on Examination Reforms Intensifies

The government's proposed amendment is expected to be introduced in Parliament during the ongoing session. The legislation seeks to impose harsher penalties for organised examination fraud, including imprisonment of up to 10 years and financial penalties reaching ₹10 crore for large-scale paper leak networks.

While many education experts support stronger action against organised cheating syndicates, they argue that long-term solutions require systemic reforms, including improved governance of examination agencies, greater transparency, tighter regulation of coaching centres, secure examination processes, and stronger accountability mechanisms.

As debate over the NEET paper leak continues, the proposed legislation has reignited a broader national conversation on balancing stricter legal deterrence with comprehensive reforms needed to restore trust in India's public examination system.

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairperson Justice V. Ramasubramanian encouraged aspiring lawyers to pursue the legal profession with purpose rather than financial ambition, stating that around 80% of successful people in the legal field are first-generation professionals. Addressing the incoming batch during Deeksharambh 2026 at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Law University (DBRANLU), Sonepat, he urged students to build careers rooted in ethics, justice, and intellectual curiosity.

Justice Ramasubramanian delivered the keynote address on the fourth day of the university's induction programme, where he reflected on the broader role of legal education in shaping responsible professionals.

Law should be driven by purpose

Speaking to the newly admitted students, the NHRC Chairperson asked them to reflect on why they had chosen to study law. While acknowledging that the legal profession offers diverse career opportunities in litigation, corporate practice, academia, the judiciary, and public service, he cautioned against viewing law merely as a pathway to financial success.

Instead, he urged students to identify a larger purpose that would guide their professional journey, emphasising that conviction, integrity, and a commitment to justice are the foundations of a meaningful legal career.

Law goes beyond statutes and courtrooms

Justice Ramasubramanian explained that legal education is not confined to learning statutes or courtroom procedures but involves understanding complex questions of ethics, society, and human behaviour.

Tracing the evolution of legal systems, he observed that law developed as societies became more complex and required structured mechanisms to resolve disputes. He encouraged students to approach legal problems with objectivity, recognising that many issues involve competing perspectives rather than straightforward answers.

Mahabharata and ethics in legal education

Highlighting the enduring relevance of Indian epics, Justice Ramasubramanian described the Mahabharata as a timeless source of insights into morality, duty, justice, compassion, ambition, and conflict. He said such texts continue to offer valuable lessons for understanding ethical dilemmas faced by legal professionals.

To illustrate the complexity of legal decision-making, he referred to philosopher Michael Sandel's "trolley problem," using the thought experiment to demonstrate how questions of ethics, morality, and utilitarianism often require careful reasoning rather than absolute judgments.

University welcomes new batch

The induction programme began with addresses by Vice Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) Devinder Singh and Registrar Prof. (Dr.) Ashutosh Mishra, who welcomed the incoming students and introduced them to the university's academic vision, institutional values, and student support systems.

The session formed part of Deeksharambh 2026, the university's orientation programme designed to familiarise new students with legal education while encouraging them to pursue their studies with integrity, critical thinking, and a commitment to public service.

Parul University has opened registrations for Samvidhan Pe Charcha 4.0, the 4th Inter-University Moot Court Competition 2026, inviting law students from across the country to participate in one of its flagship constitutional law competitions. The event offers a total prize pool of ₹5 lakh, with registrations open until August 25, 2026.

The competition will be held from September 24 to 27, 2026, bringing together aspiring legal professionals to showcase their advocacy, legal research, and courtroom skills.

Important dates

• Registration opens: June 15, 2026
• Last date to register: August 25, 2026
• Last date for memorial submission: September 15, 2026
• September 24: Reporting, exchange of memorials, casting of lots and Researcher Test
• September 25: Preliminary rounds and Octa Finals
• September 26: Quarter-finals and Semi-finals
• September 27: Final round, prize distribution and valedictory ceremony

Registration process

Participants must complete the online registration by:

1. Making the registration fee payment through the designated portal.
2. Filling out the registration form.
3. Emailing the completed registration form along with payment proof to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
4. Registration will be confirmed upon receiving an official acceptance email from the organisers.

Registration fee

• ₹3,000 (Non-refundable, without accommodation)
• ₹6,000 (Non-refundable, with accommodation)

Prize details

The competition offers cash prizes worth ₹5,00,000, including:

• Winner: Ever-Rolling Trophy, Winner's Trophy, ₹1,75,000, and Certificate of Merit
• Runner-up: Trophy, ₹1,25,000, and Certificate of Merit
• Second Runner-up: Trophy, ₹80,000, and Certificate of Merit
• Best Mooter: Trophy, ₹40,000, and Certificate of Merit
• Best Memorial: Trophy, ₹40,000, and Certificate of Merit
• Best Researcher: Trophy, ₹40,000, and Certificate of Merit

All participants will receive participation certificates.

The moot court competition aims to strengthen advocacy, constitutional interpretation, legal drafting, and courtroom advocacy skills among law students while providing a platform for inter-university academic engagement. Interested participants are advised to complete their registration before the August 25, 2026 deadline.

The Supreme Court's draft Regulations for Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Courts, 2026 could mark a turning point for legal education in India, prompting law schools to strengthen courses on artificial intelligence, judicial ethics, technology law, and AI governance. The draft regulations, released by the Supreme Court's AI Committee, lay down the country's first formal framework for the responsible use of AI in judicial processes, signalling new competencies that future legal professionals may need.

The preliminary draft makes it clear that AI can only assist judicial processes and cannot replace human decision-making. It states that AI systems must function "solely in an assistive capacity" and remain "strictly subservient to human judgment and judicial authority."

Draft rules define AI's role in courts

The proposed regulations prohibit AI-assisted sentencing without mandatory human oversight, ban AI systems from profiling litigants, accused persons, witnesses or other parties, and disallow the use of "opaque" or "unexplainable" AI systems in any stage of court proceedings.

The framework represents the first official attempt by the Supreme Court to codify how artificial intelligence may be deployed within India's judicial system while safeguarding fairness, transparency and accountability.

Implications for legal education

Although the regulations are still in draft form, they are expected to influence how law schools prepare future lawyers, judges and legal researchers.

Experts believe legal education may increasingly incorporate subjects such as:

• Artificial Intelligence and Law
• AI ethics and responsible use
• Algorithmic accountability
• Explainable AI in judicial systems
• Data privacy and digital rights
• Cyber law and technology regulation
• Legal analytics and AI-assisted legal research

The emphasis is likely to shift from simply understanding legal doctrine to equipping students with the skills to evaluate AI-generated outputs, identify risks, and ensure compliance with ethical and constitutional principles.

Human judgment remains central

A key principle of the draft regulations is that AI cannot replace judicial discretion. While AI tools may assist in legal research, document management or case analysis, final decisions must always remain with judges.

The proposed prohibition on opaque or unexplainable AI also highlights the growing importance of explainable AI (XAI)—systems whose reasoning can be understood and scrutinised by human users. This could become an important area of study in future law curricula as courts increasingly adopt digital technologies.

Preparing future legal professionals

The Supreme Court's draft regulations underscore the need for legal professionals who understand both technology and law. As AI becomes more common in litigation support, legal research and court administration, law graduates will require not only technical awareness but also a strong grounding in ethics, constitutional values and procedural fairness.

If adopted, the regulations could encourage universities and law schools to revise their curricula, ensuring graduates are equipped to work in a judicial system where AI serves as a tool to assist—but never replace—human judgment.

In a significant ruling on student privacy and data protection, the Supreme Court of India has directed the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to amend its APAAR (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry) ID consent forms to provide parents with a clear option to refuse consent or opt out of the scheme. The direction seeks to reinforce the voluntary nature of APAAR and follows an earlier judgment of the Orissa High Court, which held that parents must be given an explicit choice before their children's data is enrolled in the academic identity system.

The order comes amid growing concerns over the collection, storage and processing of children's personal data and the linkage of APAAR IDs with Aadhaar, raising important questions about privacy, informed consent and digital governance in education.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohan was hearing a petition filed by parents of four students challenging the constitutional validity of the APAAR scheme.

Parents raise privacy concerns over APAAR and Aadhaar linkage

The petitioners argued that although the government describes APAAR as a voluntary initiative, it functions as a mandatory requirement in practice because it is linked to Aadhaar and is increasingly associated with various academic processes.

Appearing for the petitioners, Senior Advocate Indira Jaising contended that compelling children to obtain Aadhaar-linked academic identities violates their constitutional right to privacy. Referring to the Supreme Court's landmark K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India (2019) judgment, she argued that children cannot be forced to obtain Aadhaar numbers for accessing educational services.

The petition further questioned the legality of collecting and processing children's personal information without ensuring meaningful and informed parental consent.

Supreme Court to implement Orissa High Court ruling nationwide

During the hearing, the Bench noted that the Orissa High Court, in a judgment delivered in December 2025, had already addressed the issue of consent.

The High Court had ruled that if APAAR is genuinely voluntary, the consent form must explicitly allow parents to decline participation at the very beginning instead of assuming consent. It directed authorities to revise the consent form by incorporating a clear opt-out option.

After being informed that the Orissa High Court's decision had not been challenged, the Supreme Court observed that the ruling should be implemented across the country.

According to the Bench, CBSE will be directed to implement the High Court's directions on a pan-India basis, ensuring that parents nationwide receive the option to either consent to or refuse the generation of an APAAR ID for their children.

CBSE circulars subject to Data Protection Act

While discussing the larger objectives of the APAAR initiative, the Chief Justice observed that the scheme aims to create a unique academic identity for students, maintain lifelong academic records, improve curriculum implementation and help authorities monitor educational indicators such as teacher-student ratios.

However, the Court also acknowledged the petitioners' contention that even legitimate policy objectives must be pursued through lawful, proportionate and constitutionally compliant mechanisms.

The Bench clarified that CBSE's implementation of APAAR will remain subject to all applicable laws, including the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, which governs the collection, storage and processing of personal data.

What the ruling means for parents and schools

The Supreme Court's direction reinforces that participation in the APAAR scheme cannot be presumed through a one-sided consent process. Schools affiliated with CBSE are expected to revise their consent forms to provide parents with an explicit choice to opt out, ensuring that consent is informed and voluntary.

The detailed order is expected to be uploaded by the Court, after which CBSE will be required to implement the revised consent mechanism across the country.

The ruling is likely to have significant implications for student data governance, digital identity initiatives in education and the implementation of privacy safeguards in schools, while reaffirming the importance of parental consent in matters involving children's personal information.