- (1.) THESE matters were directed to be posted before this Court for final disposal by the orders of the Honourable Chief Justice dated 10.7.2008.
(2.) HEARD the arguments of the learned counsel for the parties and perused the records. The short question that arises for consideration in these writ petitions is whether the State of Tamil Nadu was correct in omitting to notify that the candidates who had applied for the post of Lecturer (Senior Scale) must have their Post Graduate Degree in the relevant subject. The answer to this question will have a great bearing on the future legal education in the State of Tamil Nadu.
(3.) THE Law Commission headed by the doyen of the Indian Bar Shri M.C. Setalvad in the report on "Reform of Judicial Administration" described the situation then prevailing as 'chaotic' and the law graduates churned out as 'half baked lawyers who do not know even the elements of law' and went on to describe them as 'drones' and 'parasites' let loose on society. Speaking at the All India Conference of Lawyers on Legal Education and Training held at New Delhi on 18.11.1994, the then Chief Justice of India A.M. Ahmadi, after referring to the Report of the Law Commission, observed as follows:-"If the standard of legal education in law schools is poor and if enrolment of such 'half-baked' untrained graduates is automatic, as is the position today, the burden has to be borne by the judiciary at all levels since they are, to use the expression of Shri Setalved, 'let loose' on the Judiciary. The unbecoming scenes which are witnessed in courts are largely on account of lack of proper training in law and ethical values and the desire to make a fast buck. The justice delivery system depends on the quality of the Bar and, therefore, the Judiciary is vitally interested in the improvement of legal education in the country. I am, therefore, of the opinion that the Bar, the Judiciary and the UGC must join hands to raise the standard of legal education in the country.".;