A three month Legal Assistants Course for the to be retiring Defence personnels started at Amity Law School Noida, Sector – 125 to help them pursue a second career in judiciary after their superannuation from the services. Dr. Ashok K. Chauhan, Founder President, Amity Group is of the opinion that with disciplined Forces background its officials would be very competent to join the Legal system after successfully completing this course of Legal Assistants. During this course the Defence Services personnel will be trained to become efficient legal assistants to advocates, wherein they will be practically exposed to the Indian Legal System, Court Procedures, Fundamentals of Clerkship, Documentation and Professional Ethics.
Delivering his inaugural address Hon’ble Mr. Justice Pradeep Nandrajog, Judge Delhi High Court “It is indeed a thoughtful initiative on Amity’s part to have started this Legal Assistants Course as it is a genuine step towards securing the future of those who have sacrificed their youth for the security of the Nation.” Justice Nandrajog added that there is a rift between fundamental rights being written in constitutional documents and its facilitation in practical life and education is the only key to bridge the gap between the two. “The Legal Assistants Course will not only provide a second profession to the ex Defence Personnels but will also spread legal awareness far and wide in the society via these trained administrative legal experts in future”, he stressed.
Addressing the gathering during the inaugural ceremony Mr. Sanjeeva Kumar, IAS, Jt. Secretary (ESW) Ministry of Defence informed “there are around 60, 000 Defence professionals retiring every year and The Department of Ex Service Men Welfare established in 2004 is set up to look after the future needs of these Defence Personnels post retirement. Although there have been various training courses in the past but most of them have been more metro centric unlike this Legal Assistants course started by Amity which will be greatly useful for the ex service men as it will help them resettle in civil life and also generate steady re-employment benefits for them in the areas closer to their homes since Amity has branches all across the country.”
During his address Mr. H.S Yadav, District judge, Gautam Buddh Nagar said “The profile of a Para-legal Assistant is an extremely important one in the functioning of the judiciary. Apart from addressing the court these legal Assistants are expected to execute all the legal functions at the clerical level ranging from filing of petitions, affidavits, documents etc to the extent of identifying clients for the advocates. The advocates greatly depend on the role of his clerical assistant. However previously there has never been a proper training programme in this direction despite it being a vital profile in the judiciary. Appreciating the endeavour of Amity to assist the Justice dispensation of the country he added “Amity has taken a very constructive step towards Nation’s progress as introducing of this programme will mutually cater to the needs of the ex-Defence personnel as well as the Judiciary of the country.”
Welcoming the participants of the course Maj. Gen K. Jai Singh, Vice Chancellor, Amity University Uttar Pradesh (AUUP) informed that this course has been sponsored by Director General Resettlement (DGR) and its syllabus is tailored with an objective to develop practical know how of legal functioning including outdoor visits to Supreme Courts, High courts, Notary Public, Juvenile Courts, Consumer Forum etc”.
Mr. P.H. Parekh, Senior Advocate and President, Supreme Court Bar Association congratulated Amity for having started this programme of imparting Legal training and said “It is a unique vision as well as a great step towards the holistic progress of the Nation because it is only through quality education and awareness that a Nation can experience overall development and empowerment”
“Amity aims to churn out competent Legal Assistants through this programme. A total of 35 Defence personnnels from the three forces (Navy, Air Force, Army) of junior rank will participate in this unique programme and this will make a great learning opportunity for the sentinels of the country” said Maj. Gen Nilendra Kumar, Director, Amity Law School, Noida while delivering the opening address.
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Subedar P.P Chaturvedi, Defence Personnel from U.P, Participant said “This programme of Legal Assistants started by Amity will open us to a new scope of employment and will thereby enhance our legal awareness and future security.”
Also present during the inaugural ceremony of the Legal Assistants Course were other eminent legal veterans, Heads of Institutions, senior faculty members and students from various institutions of Amity.