The Christ College of Law starts courses today with its first 80 students. At the inauguration, state high court chief justice urges future lawyers to work with honesty and commitment to improve the legal system.

Bangalore (AsiaNews/SAR) – Indian society needs lawyers it can trust, i.e. new and well prepared forces who, faced with the problems that burden the nation's legal system, do not lose heart but do everything possible to improve it. With these goals in mind, India's newest and first Catholic Law School, the Christ College of Law, was inaugurated on Wednesday in the southern state of Karnataka.

The president of the state High Court, Chief Justice Joseph Cyriac, attended the ceremony. In his address he said: "It is a process of learning and young lawyers should exhibit patience, perseverance and headwork to be successful."

Currently, there are sixteen law colleges affiliated with Bangalore University. This is the first time that a Catholic institution offers legal training.

"Students aspiring to be lawyers should not be discouraged by the present judicial system," the Chief Justice said. "Instead, they should strive to better the situation. The country needs truthful and unbiased lawyers and this college should produce efficient lawyers who can make the college and country proud."

Former Karnataka Chief Justice Michael Saldahna, who was the inspiration behind the new institution, added that the country's judicial system had a bad reputation and people did not trust lawyers.

But Christ School of Law's new principal, Fr John Thaliath, stressed that "the purpose of the law college is to create a value-based society, sharpening the analytical and reasoning skills acquired through legal education."

This year 80 students have enrolled in the college's first course, which begins today.

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