The Dr Rajendra Prasad National Law University, Prayagraj (RPNLU) recently launched its flagship initiative, Project Cluster Law, along with the inauguration of its research centre, the Law and Policy Action Clinic (LAPAC).
Allahabad High Court judge, Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta, the chief guest at the inaugural event, launched the Project Cluster Law and the LAPAC.
Vice-Chancellor, RPNLUP, Prof (Dr) Usha Tandon articulated the University’s vision of nurturing future-ready advocates, researchers, and policy thinkers who combine intellectual rigor with social commitment.
The Vice-Chancellor described Project Cluster Law as an experiential pedagogy-based initiative with dual objectives: providing law students with hands-on training through fieldwork, case analysis, and legal aid activities, and extending legal awareness and assistance to historically marginalized communities.
Turning to the LAPAC, she highlighted that the clinic would serve as a hub of research and action-oriented learning, designed to generate practical solutions to contemporary legal and policy challenges, thereby bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. By integrating students into these processes, LAPAC and Cluster Law will shape a generation of lawyers who understand the practical dimensions of justice and remain deeply rooted in service to society.
Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta termed Project Cluster Law and LAPAC as “unique and novel ideas” that combine academic scholarship with real-world engagement.
Justice Gupta highlighted Cluster Law's focus on three distinct groups: rural communities, small-scale industrial sectors, and tribal groups. Each of these groups represents a unique set of socio-economic and legal challenges. Engaging with them would not only enrich the students’ learning but also contribute to the empowerment of these vulnerable communities.
Cluster Law is envisioned as a model of socially engaged legal education that trains students and uplifts marginalized societies simultaneously. Justice Gupta noted that these initiatives have been launched when there is a growing need for legal education to move beyond the classroom and into the lives of people who are most in need of justice. He added that such targeted engagement ensures that legal interventions are not generic but tailored to the lived experiences of communities. Justice Gupta emphasized that the true purpose of law is not only to adjudicate disputes but also to empower, to dignify, and to create opportunities for fairness and equality.
Cluster Law’s interventions will provide awareness, guidance, and support to help small-scale industrial sectors that are frequently caught between economic pressures and regulatory complexities.
Vice Chancellor, Dharamshastra National Law University, Jabalpur, Prof (Dr) Manoj Kumar Sinha, Vice Chancellor, Dr. BR Ambedkar National Law University, Sonepat, Prof (Dr) Devinder Singh, and Dean, Faculty of Legal Studies, South Asian University, Delhi, Prof Ravindra Pratap were also present as Guests of Honour and reflected their views on the empirical research in legal education.
The vote of thanks was delivered by Registrar, RPNLU, Satya Prakash.
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