OP Jindal Global University (India)

O.P Jindal Global University (JGU) is a non-profit global University established in 2009. JGU is established in memory of Mr. O.P. Jindal, as a philanthropic initiative of Mr. Naveen Jindal, the Founding Chancellor. The vision of JGU is to promote global programs, global curriculum, global research, and global collaborations through a global faculty. JGU is situated on a 80-acre state-of-the art residential campus in the National Capital Region of Delhi.

JGU has a distinct program focused on bringing legal services to underprivileged populations. The Legal Aid Clinic has been a part of Jindal Global Law School since its inception in 2009. The society follows the model of good governance through citizen participation, which believes that good governance will come about only when citizens at all levels of democracy effectively participate.

The Legal Aid Clinic seeks to impart practical knowledge of law to students. The aim of starting the Clinic was not only to bring future lawyers face to face with the harsh realities of law, but also by giving ourselves the opportunity to use and implement the law even before entering the professional world. Since 2009, the members of the Clinic have actively participated/organized various awareness creating events and engaged effectively with the rural communities. This process engages communities on a weekly basis, organizing conferences, conclaves, interventions within our surroundings and unique creative methods (Eg: theatre performances). Some of the key programs developed by the Legal Aid Clinic include:

• Village adoption Program: – Five villages around the campus have been adopted. Each village has a group of five to six students working in it, with a group leader. The issues which have been looked at are right to food, right to health, right to education, sanitation, and employment. Letters have been written to various Government departments, villagers have been made to attend legal literacy camps with legal literacy materials being provided and meetings have been held with the Sarpanch of the village.
• Labour Colony Project: There was a disturbing incident on campus where children from the labour colony were seen begging outside the convenience store. The Legal Aid Clinic members took it upon themselves to admit them in the nearby school at Jagdishpur village. The members of the Clinic formed a team of ten, visited the labour colony, and convinced parents about the importance of education. They agreed to get their children admitted to the nearby school. The children registered in the Jagdishpur School.
• Collaborative efforts with Navjyoti India Foundation and the Institute of Rural Research and Development (IRRAD): The ‘Good Governance through Citizen Participation’ model is being implemented in many villages of Mewat with the help of IRRAD and has been instigated in the Abhaypur and neighbouring villages, with the help of Navjyoti India Foundation. JGLS has collaborated with both these NGO’s to effectively work in the training sessions, organized for villagers on a weekly basis in all these villages.
• A Case Study of the Citizen Participation Clinic conducted jointly by Cornell International Human Rights Clinic and Jindal Good Rural Governance and Citizen Participation Clinic: This report seeks to encourage the development of robust clinical legal education programs in India. This report was a joint class taught by video conference at Jindal Global Law School in Sonipat, India and Cornell Law School in Ithaca, New York from January to April 2012. This class was called the Cross-National Rural Governance and Human Rights Clinic and was a joint project between the Citizen Participation Clinic at Jindal Global Law School and the International Human Rights Clinic at Cornell Law School.
• Najafgarh Project – We are working with Urja – one of the local NGOs in the area. We provided them backhand legal support. Awareness camps were held where students appraised people about their legal rights. Organizers got in touch with local schools and worked towards securing more admissions for the children.