CJI urges NLUs to lead tech-driven legal system overhaul

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Sunday told national law universities to stop merely adapting to technology and instead take the lead in reshaping the legal system around it. Speaking at the Vice Chancellors’ Conclave 2.0 at NLU Jodhpur, the CJI said the legal profession must shed its reputation as a late adopter of technology.

The CJI rejected outright bans on generative AI in legal education, advocating supervised classroom use instead. He said universities must teach students to question AI outputs, verify conclusions and exercise independent judgment, warning that those who only understand a tool’s output become dependent on it. The Hindu reports he called for curriculum changes making academic integrity and responsible AI use core components.

The CJI urged NLUs to collaborate on research into algorithmic accountability, data protection and digital access to justice. “Let technology make legal institutions more capable, but let our values determine the direction,” he said, adding that innovation must speed up justice without making it less fair.