NEW DELHI: The onset of COVID-19 pandemic has led to a paradigm shift in the functioning of courts and everyone has to become digitally literate to adapt to the changed scenario, else survival would be difficult, Supreme Court Judge Justice L Nageswara Rao said Wednesday.
Justice Rao, however, flagged the issue of digital divide, and said professionals have to shun their reluctance to adapt to use of new technology.
"We have heard from lawyers arguing sitting in their cars or homes. No one has a problem. You have to adapt. This is a paradigm shift and everyone has to become digitally literate else survival is difficult," Justice Rao said.
Justice Rao was speaking at a webinar on topic "Redefining Legal Profession and Legal Education, Contextually With Pandemic COVID-19."
He said there are several lawyers who have problem in survival as they have been badly hit by loss of their employment.
Justice Rao referred to the Bar Council of India's initiative to create a welfare fund for lawyers where each one is given 20,000 per month, not as a loan but as a grant.
Talking about legal education, the apex court judge said computer science should be introduced and they should be trained how to use computers.
He said every law student should adapt themselves to changing circumstances.
"Everybody whether its a lawyer or a law student should adapt himself to changing times and work to the maximum and do justice to the profession," he said.