NUSRL Ranchi welcomed its new batch with dignitaries including the Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court. Speakers encouraged students to find joy in their work and highlighted plans for digitization and industry collaboration, linking legal education to Jharkhand’s emerging business initiatives such as mining tourism.
The National University of Study and Research in Law (NUSRL), Ranchi thrummed with anticipation this weekend as the institution welcomed its latest cohort. The orientation, presided over by Jharkhand High Court Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan, gave incoming students the customary pep talk about hard work and ethics. Yet beyond the ceremonial lamp‑lighting and national anthem, the programme hinted at an emerging alignment between legal education and Jharkhand’s business aspirations.
With more than 250 new students enrolling in B.A., LL.B., B.B.A., LL.B. and LL.M. courses, NUSRL’s vice‑chancellor, Prof. Ashok R. Patil, stressed that the university was stepping away from its ivory‑tower image. He announced plans for complete digitization of attendance and academic progress, allowing parents and industry mentors to monitor students’ performance. The university, he said, was actively “seeking collaboration with the Jharkhand government and industry partners to enhance student facilities.” To underline that point, the dais included Alka Tiwari, the state’s chief secretary, Advocate General Rajiv Ranjan and Nilendu Kumar Singh, Chairman and Managing Director of Central Coalfields Limited (CCL).
CCL CMD Urged NUSRL Freshers to Master Law with Strategy, Agility and Joy
CCL, a public‑sector mining giant headquartered in Ranchi, has recently found itself at the center of Jharkhand’s economic pivot. In July the State Government announced India’s first mining tourism initiative, signing a five‑year memorandum of understanding with CCL to convert working mines into guided tourism circuits. The plan draws inspiration from international mining museums and aims to allow visitors to observe live mining operations, explore local waterfalls and valleys and learn about environmental protocols. Officials say the project is “not just a tourism project, it’s a pioneering model of eco‑industrial tourism” that will boost local employment and strengthen the state’s cultural identity. The same official announcement reminds investors that Jharkhand accounts for nearly 40 % of India’s mineral wealth. That statistic explains why CCL’s chairman took time out of corporate affairs to advise first‑year law students on the importance of “mastery, strategic thinking, agility and finding joy” in their work.
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Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan, who hails from rural Himachal Pradesh, brought a personal dimension to the event. He spoke about completing his matriculation in a village that did not have electricity and about choosing law over engineering or medicine. “Success lies in finding joy in your work,” he told the students, adding that the law is “essentially applied common sense” that must be interpreted from the perspective of ordinary people. Even in a digital age awash with online resources, he urged the budding lawyers to value classroom teaching and maintain respect for their faculty.
Chief Secretary Said, Law Students Are National Assets
Advocate General Rajiv Ranjan reminded students that the Constitution enshrines the hopes of millions, urging them to “protect these hopes” when they walk into a courtroom. For a state seeking to woo investors into mining, manufacturing, renewable energy and tourism, good lawyering is also about ensuring transparent contracts, swift dispute resolution and ethical corporate conduct. Chief Secretary Alka Tiwari, a bureaucrat who oversees the state’s investment drive, told students that they are “national assets” and asked them to keep themselves updated on evolving business laws. Her counsel to “avoid social media distractions” and work diligently yet joyfully had a hint of old‑school discipline, but she also acknowledged the multicultural environment that modern campuses offer.
Nilendu Kumar Singh’s presence underscored the growing relationship between NUSRL and the industries that dominate Jharkhand’s economy. Besides mining tourism, CCL is exploring partnerships in environmental law, corporate governance and community development. For a sector often criticized for displacing communities and degrading the environment, engaging with law students could help create frameworks for responsible mining. CCL’s chairman reminded students that the judiciary’s role in delivering impartial verdicts after hearing both sides remains “society’s most challenging yet vital function.” His remark resonated with Ranchi’s business leaders, many of whom see legal certainty as the bedrock of investment.
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