HPNLU hosts national moot court contest

The fifth moot court competition, organised by Himachal Pradesh National Law University (HPNLU), Shimla, commenced here yesterday. Fifteen teams from leading law schools and universities across the country are participating in the event.

The competition began with an inaugural ceremony.

Dr Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow, Vice-Chancellor Amar Pal Singh was the chief guest at the event.

In his inaugural address, Singh delivered an insightful analogy, stating that learning to swim by reading a book was fundamentally different from actually immersing oneself in water, experiencing the process.

He used this analogy to underscore the importance of experiential learning in the legal profession, asserting that the ability to practise law was nurtured not only through theoretical study but by real-world application, such as mooting.

HPNLU Vice-Chancellor Priti Saxena highlighted the shifting landscape of legal education in her address.

She said while traditional lecture-based pedagogy dominated legal education for decades, the introduction of mooting as a core component had significantly expanded and enriched educational experience. Clinical education and experiential learning, represented by moots and other practical exercises, were now central to the curriculum, offering students invaluable opportunities to refine their skills in advocacy, research and critical thinking, she added.

“The Fifth National Moot Court Competition promises to be a rigorous test of legal knowledge and advocacy skills, bringing together bright young minds from across the country to engage in an intellectually stimulating experience,” she said.