NEW DELHI: A parliamentary panel has taken a critical view of the Indian Law Institute (ILI) for not filling its vacant posts and being a “drag on public funds”. Though the panel has appreciated the institute’s “quality legal research”, it has raised concerns over ILI’s decision to “reduce its courses” and its “reluctance to become fully self-sustainable even after six decades of its establishment and more than a decade after being granted deemed university status.”
The panel has recommended immediate filling up of vacant posts at ILI “so that it is able to expand its activities and move in the direction of becoming a self-sustaining institute, and avoid being a permanent drag on public funds”.
The standing committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice made the observations in its 96th report, which was recently submitted to Parliament.
“The committee feels that the institute will not be deviating from its objective of promoting and conducting legal research by expanding its academic activities... It will be fulfilling its objective, which is also to promote the improvement of legal education and to impart instruction in law and allied fields,” the report states.
“As regards the request of the institute that it may be accorded the status of an institute of national importance, the committee recommends that the department of legal affairs should examine the issue and share its opinion with the committee,” it added. Institutes of national importance include reputed engineering institutes.