Induction Training Programme for Student Volunteers
The Legal Services Clinic of Ramaiah College of Law in association with the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA) organised the Induction Training Programme for Student Volunteers on March 31 & April 1, 2022. The main object of the programme was to sensitise the volunteers on the importance of the legal aid; to equip the volunteers with the basic understanding of various laws and eventually empower them to deal with the situation as expected of them; and to upskill the volunteers in drafting applications, affidavit and PIL.
The training programme was inaugurated by Hon'ble Mr. Justice R. Gururajan, Former Judge, High Court of Karnataka and Shri. Shashidhara Shetty, Hon'ble Member Secretary, KSLSA. Dr. Omprakash, Principal, welcomed the Guests. Hon'ble Mr. Justice R. Gururajan called upon the students to get involved with the spirit in the noble vision of providing legal assistance to the needy and incidentally shared his personal experiences to motivate the students. Shri. Shashidhara Shetty, Hon'ble Member Secretary, KSLSA emphasised on the significance of legal aid and assured to provide the required assistance in setting up of the Off-Campus Legal Services Clinic in the proposed adopted village. Prof. (Dr.) Rose Varghese, Director (Academics) expressed her gratitude to the KSLSA for collaborating with us in organising the programme and urged the student volunteers to actively get involved in the activities of the Clinic. Dr. Nikhila S. Tigadi, Faculty Coordinator, proposed the vote of thanks.
The Two Days training programme involved the deliberations on various laws by the officials of KSLSA, academician and leading advocates. The first day of the programme had the sessions on, The Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 & Role of Para Legal Volunteers; Legal Aid vis-à-vis Constitution of India; The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 being addressed by Shri Shashidhar Shetty, Hon'ble Member Secretary, KSLSA, Smt. Kaveri, Deputy Secretary, KSLSA and Dr. Anuja S., Associate Professor, RCL, respectively.
The day two involved the sessions on, Child Rights vis- a- vis The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015; Law relating to Hindu Succession; Drafting of Applications and Affidavits and Significance of Public Interest Litigation and Techniques of Drafting of PIL being deliberated by Shri. Vignesh Kumar, Public Relation Officer, KSLSA, Prof. Sarasu Esther Thomas, Professor of Law, NLSIU, Bengaluru, Shri. Nagaraj Damodaran and Shri. Amruthesh N.P., leading advocates, respectively.
The Guest speakers captured the attention of the students by narrating the real-life experiences to sensitize them on the importance of legal aid, who are entitled to seek legal aid, the means through which the legal aid can be provided, and the role the students can play as a volunteer in providing the necessary assistance to the needy and marginalised sections of society. The distinguished speakers further emphasised on the need to implement the schemes of NALSA, the key point of concern while providing the legal assistance on the matters relating to Succession, Domestic Violence, Child rights and drafting of the applications, affidavits and PIL. The programme also saw the constructive deliberations on various laws, which enabled the volunteers to comprehend the challenges and limitations, followed by brief interaction after each session.
The training programme was followed by the closing ceremony, where Shri. Amruthesh N.P., Chief Guest, oriented the students about providing the free legal services to the needy. He added that providing the free legal service to needy is the noble services that one can extend to the mankind, where the student volunteers have a huge role to play and remarked that doing so would provide them the greatest satisfaction. Prof. (Dr.) Rose Varghese, Director (Academics) and Dr. Omprakash, Principal congratulated the team in organising the programme, which was followed by the vote of thanks, being proposed by the Mr. Sudheesh, Convenor, LSC.
The Clinic would like to place on record the kind cooperation of Dr. Rheya, Ms. Sangeetha and the other faculty member’s viz., Dr. Anita Patil, Mr. Abhijit, Mr. Pavan, Mr. Sanjeeb Kumar Mishra, Ms. Somalatha for chairing the session with the guest speakers and all the volunteers for their active involvement in organising the programme.