Chief Justice of India flags gaps in legal research, urges young lawyers to reclaim India’s intellectual space

Hyderabad: Chief Justice of India BR Gavai on Saturday raised serious concerns about the state of postgraduate legal education and research in India, urging young lawyers to question why so many are compelled to go abroad for academic excellence, mentorship, and research opportunities.Delivering the 22nd convocation address at Nalsar University of Law, Justice Gavai pointed out that this growing trend reflects a deeper structural issue. “You must ask why so many feel that they have to cross the oceans to find intellectual stimulation, academic mentorship, or a meaningful platform for their research,” he said.The CJI lamented that Indian institutions are often unwelcoming and under-resourced, with lopsided hiring systems, limited fellowships, and few structured pathways for postdoctoral research.

“Even talented graduates who return with global exposure and fresh perspectives find our institutions closed to new ideas. This must change,” he said.

Calling for merit-based, transparent academic systems, Justice Gavai said India must invest in building nurturing environments that allow legal researchers, early career scholars, and faculty to thrive. “It is not enough to celebrate our legal legacy—we must invest in its future,” he urged.

He also advised students against burdening their families with expensive study loans for foreign degrees, often costing ₹50 lakh to ₹70 lakh. “A foreign degree alone is not a stamp of your worth,” he said, encouraging students to seek purpose, not prestige.Shifting focus to the emotional demands of the legal profession, the CJI emphasised the importance of mental health, self-care, and mentorship. “Self-care is not a luxury but a strategy.

Structural inequalities hide in silence—in missed internships, closed doors, and subtle biases. Confront them. Don’t accept them,” he said.Addressing inequalities within the legal field, the CJI said the perception bias that often favours graduates from elite institutions over those from smaller or remote law schools. “People assume a law graduate from a premier institution is better. But what matters is being strong in the fundamentals—constitutional law, contracts, criminal and civil law,” he said.Justice Gavai urged young advocates to stay grounded, focus on core legal skills, and learn from seniors. “You don’t need to be everywhere. Stay strong in your area. Mentorship can be a game-changer,” he said.Encouraging a balanced life, he advised students to spend their time meaningfully and not be consumed by pressure. “The legal profession is not a dry craft—it’s an evolving space of ideas and emotions. Don’t suppress your dreams, but don’t let them consume you.

It’s okay to take a pause in life,” he added.Later, Justice Gavai, along with chief minister A Revanth Reddy, Supreme Court judge Justice PS Narasimha, Nalsar varsity chancellor and Telangana high court acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul, and vice-chancellor Professor Srikrishna Deva Rao, presented degrees and gold medals to graduates of LLB, LLM, and MBA courses.