Why Are the Good Law Schools Expensive?

A host of factors add to the cost of a five-year B.LLB programme.But is it proportionate to students’ progression?

- Nimesh Chandra

When a group of artisans from handicraft export hub Moradabad get involved in online trade or a local farmer sells his organic produce in the European market, we recognize that much of the world’s business has expanded significantly. While the Americans and Dutch eat chocolates imported from Ivory Coast, the Indians are buying licensing rights to Doraemon characters from Japan. Further, while the International Court of Justice at The Hague, is trying to settle the dispute over the status and use of the waters of the Silala that involves Chile and Bolivia; the World Trade Organization is handling the grievance of Morocco against Turkey over Anti-Dumping Measures on Hot-Rolled Steel. The bottom-line is that all these exchanges require intermediaries which would ensure that justice is done. And, in a global community of varied traditions, cultures, and religions; people need a go-between on whom they can rely. In this polyglot world, that intermediary can best be law. Creating such an ecosystem requires funds.

The cost factor

Maintaining a renowned centre for learning law does not come without a price. Many lawschools have invested in recruiting faculty in new and growing areas of legal studies. Both, good private and government institutes, in the recent years, have hired people in domains like: business law, intellectual property (IP), law and sexuality, international law, energy law, and civil litigation. “Professors with rich experience are crucial but getting them on board, is a big challenge”, says Dr. PS Jaswal, the Vice Chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law at Patiala.