Supreme Court launches online mediation training web portal

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has launched an online mediation training web-portal, developed by NALSA in collaboration with the top court's Mediation and Conciliation Project Committee over a span of five months.

This initiative introduced a comprehensive 40+ hour online training module, combining theoretical knowledge with practical skills, covered by 50+ lectures on 20 topics pertaining to mediation and 10+ hours of online/ interactive practical sessions.

Commending NALSA for conceptualising and developing this online mediation training course by bringing together the stalwarts in the field, Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud stated that this training programme will help make mediation the first and default mode of dispute resolution by training lawyers, judges, law students etc in the art of mediation.

The curated content would centralise dissemination of knowledge on mediation, he said.

Justice Sanjiv Khanna, executive chairman NALSA, in his address, explained how this training module was conceptualised and developed over a span of 05 months after extensive deliberations with experts in the field of mediation.

In India’s growing litigation environment where courts are inundated with cases, it was felt that there is a pressing need for alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.

This joint initiative by NALSA and MCPC addresses this critical need by drawing on India's rich tradition of collaborative and amicable dispute resolution. By equipping individuals with the skills needed for facilitating effective communication, negotiation, and dispute resolution, this programme aims to better navigate complex situations and achieve more amicable outcomes, Santosh Snehi Mann, Member Secretary, NALSA said.

Initially as a pilot project only judicial officers and lawyers, with at least 10 years of experience, are eligible to apply through the web-portal from September 23, 2024 to October 6, 2024 for the training, she said.

"As this initiative evolves, NALSA and MCPC are committed to continuously refining the program based on participant feedback and emerging best practices in the field of mediation. This adaptive approach ensures that the training remains at the forefront of mediation education, responding to the dynamic needs of legal professionals and the broader justice system," Mann said.

NALSA has been constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 to provide free legal services to weaker sections of society and to encourage the settlement of disputes through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.

MCPC has been constituted by the Supreme Court of India to oversee the effective implementation of mediation and conciliation in the country, in furtherance of the legislative mandate and the spirit of Section 89 of Code of Civil Procedure, 1908.

The web portal has been developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC), India.