Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud Launches NALSA’s Online Mediation Training Web-Portal to Promote Alternative Dispute Resolution

Keywords: Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, Online Mediation Training, NALSA, Mediation and Conciliation Project Committee, MCPC, alternative dispute resolution, Supreme Court of India, mediation training web-portal, legal education

In a landmark initiative to promote alternative dispute resolution, Chief Justice of India, Hon’ble Dr. Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, along with Hon’ble Justice Sanjiv Khanna, launched the Online Mediation Training Web-Portal today at the Supreme Court of India. This digital platform is the result of a collaborative effort between the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and the Mediation and Conciliation Project Committee (MCPC). It offers a 40+ hour comprehensive training module designed to equip legal professionals with the skills necessary to facilitate effective communication, negotiation, and dispute resolution.

Speaking at the launch, Justice Chandrachud, who also serves as Patron-in-Chief of NALSA, emphasized the importance of mediation as a default mode of dispute resolution in India’s increasingly litigious society. He noted that courts are overburdened with cases, and there is a pressing need for alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms to ease the judicial load.

The Online Mediation Training Programme introduces a blend of 50+ lectures covering 20 topics related to mediation, along with 10+ hours of interactive practical sessions. Developed over five months, the program features expert-curated content aimed at training lawyers, judges, and law students in the art of mediation. This digital training platform ensures that high-quality mediation education is accessible remotely across India.

Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Executive Chairman of NALSA and Chairman of MCPC, described the extensive consultations with national and international experts that led to the development of the curriculum. He highlighted the transformative potential of the training module in empowering legal professionals to handle disputes more amicably and efficiently.

In its initial phase, the program will be available to judicial officers and lawyers with at least 10 years of experience. Applications for the pilot project can be submitted through the Web-Portal from September 23 to October 6, 2024. According to Ms. Santosh Snehi Mann, Member Secretary of NALSA, this pilot project marks a significant step in promoting mediation as a mainstream practice in the Indian legal system.

This initiative reflects NALSA and MCPC’s commitment to ensuring that mediation education remains at the forefront of legal training. As the program evolves, it will be refined based on participant feedback and emerging best practices in the field of mediation, ensuring its relevance to the dynamic needs of legal professionals and the broader justice system.

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For more information or to apply for the training, please visit https://nalsamediation.nic.in.