The Goa Cabinet on Wednesday (June 23, 2021) approved the setting up of an international university for legal education and research in the state.
Addressing a press conference, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who chaired the cabinet meeting on Wednesday, said that the institute will be funded and run by the Bar Council of India and that 20% seats would be reserved for Goans.
"While the location is yet to be finalized, the State will only cater free land to BCI to set up the institute", he added.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said, “We have approved a proposal to set up the International University of Legal Education and Research (run by) the Bar Council of India. All expenses are being borne by the Bar Council of India, not us. It will also be run by the Bar Council of India. We only have to give them the land free of cost.”
The University, CM Sawant said, will also operate the International Arbitration Centre. This Centre would be the second such Arbitration Centre in Asia, the first being in Singapore.
“In the same way, the International Arbitration Centre which is related to this will be also in Goa. Right now there is no International Arbitration Centre in India, there’s only one in Singapore. This International Arbitration Centre will function through the aegis of the University that will be set up here,” Chief Minister Sawant said.
Goa presently has two Law Colleges, both affiliated with Goa University. The State, so far, has no Law University or National Law School.
The State Government is likely to promulgate an ordinance regarding this University and later introduce the bill in the Assembly. A cabinet note said that the Chief Justice of India or any of his nominees (a sitting Supreme Court Judge) would be a visitor.
