The Higher Education Review

Global higher education is at an imperative juncture today with the rapid change taking place in the world and the need for a curriculum that is dynamic and responds to the industry is the need of the hour. Acknowledging the prevalent industry academia gap, ABBS School of Law was established with a vision to make legal education the preferred course of learning for the discerning intellect in South India.

The institute operates with a mission to ensure all students are manifested to as many facets of human endeavour as possible. ABBS builds a sense of moral, ethical and social responsibility in the discharge of their duty in the profession of their choice among their students. The Law School strives to inculcate in students the universal nature of law and the need to understand its application for the overall well-being of humankind.

At ABBS, students have access to the best learning resources at all times and the institute tracks student progress throughout their course duration with the help of 360-degree assessment which is key to understanding and evaluating the student life cycle.

The Perfect Learning Environment
Faculty are the heart and soul of an institutions and any program for that matter and they are responsible for imparting the right knowledge and enhancing the skillsets of the students. “At ABBS, faculty standards are maintained mainly by three markers, i.e. experience, qualification and research contribution. So, we do look into all the above parameters when we select our teachers; but above all, the zeal to teach is what we look at. Since the beginning, the ABBS brand has always focused on quality teaching, and this happens when you have the best teachers with you.

Students are usually inspired by practitioners and their extensive interactions with legal luminaries, practicing lawyers and judges always seem to keep them driven and passionate about the profession. Additionally, we believe that mentoring is something that brings in personalised attention to a student, and students have the opportunity to interact with a lot of mentors in their final semesters for a better perspective on the different paths available at ABBS”, speaks Venkat Ajitesh Reddy Basani, Executive Director, ABBS institutes.

ABBS School of Law offers a 5-year integrated BBA, LL. B program and this program is affiliated to the Karnataka State Law University (KSLU). The curriculum is designed and structured by the university, and is one that has proven to be relevant and stimulating. Adding about the uniqueness of their teaching pedagogies, Basani says, “In today’s hyper-digital world, I think attention spans have diminished greatly and it has become essential to really engage students in creative ways.

The emphasis has to be more on application based learning and we ensure students are interning and working on relevant projects that bring out the practical aspects of the curriculum. Students attend regular Moot Court sessions and visit courts-in-session. Our approach is to make learning more holistic, practical and applicable to the real world and this is done through Moot court sessions, MOOC courses, debating, case-based pedagogy and live projects.

We put a lot of emphasis on experiential learning and our program curriculum is designed keeping in mind India’s rapid economic growth and the requirement for quality lawyers who can adapt to the changing legal landscape. We also believe that to impart quality education, a low student-faculty ratio (ideally less than 20:1) is crucial for fostering a good learning environment”.

Striving for Perfection
At ABBS, the whole program is handson and the students are required to do 4 weeks of

internship in an academic year with Trial or Appellate Advocates. Every student at ABBS has completed a minimum of 20 weeks of internship during the entire period of legal studies under NGO, Trial/ Appellate Advocates, Judiciary, Legal Regulatory authorities, Legislatures/Parliament, other Legal Functionaries, Market Institutions, Law Firms, Companies and Local Self Government.

Legal Aid Clinic at ABBS is an important facet in the life and learning of law students and the Law school offers the students an opportunity to interact with the general public and provide deserving members of the community legal guidance to their problems. Also, Placement Cell at ABBS has several corporates associated with the institute and every year more than a hundred corporates visit the campus. To increase their students’ employability, students at ABBS undergo training and development programs throughout the course and there is a strong emphasis on personality development to ensure students are industry-ready.

When it comes to the future, ABBS is planning to bring in more Artificial Intelligence integrated programs that focus on cyber-security, internet laws and IoT. The institute believes law technology holds a lot of potential and is an unexplored area in India, so having AI would create an effectual way of connecting lawyers to their potential clients, whilst reducing the redundant processes. ABBS is also aiming to be an Autonomous Law Institution in the future which is capable of producing top-notch law professionals that can impact the society in a positive way.

Venkat Ajitesh Reddy Basani, Executive Director
Basani drives the strategic front of ABBS and he also runs the digital engine of ABBS, spearheading myriad initiatives across platforms. Alongside the digital portfolio, he also catalyses collaborations with foreign universities and he has also orchestrated several long-standing student and faculty exchanges, as well as international conferences and research alliances.