3 min readMar 21, 2026 06:52 AM IST First published on: Mar 21, 2026 at 06:52 AM ISTLaw schools in India are on the brink of disruptive change. These shifts emanate from two powerful developments. First, the number of students in classrooms has dipped to almost half due to the removal of the attendance requirement stipulated in a recent Delhi HC judgment. Second, AI’s use has impacted teaching-learning environments in schools across the country. It is bound to shake conventional methods of learning and practising law. It has already begun to make things easier for students in many ways. Teachers in law schools will soon find themselves on edge, as AI will perform certain tasks in a more structured manner. Students can now generate content on topics that a teacher is likely to cover in class. They find this output meaningful as it saves time.AI began by taking over some preliminary stages of teaching (explanations, examples, summarisation, and practice questions). In the second stage, AI has begun to impact the value chain (learning design, verification, feedback, professional identity, ethics). The third phase could involve replacing roles that teachers ordinarily play. Critics argue that AI may attenuate the teacher’s role in mediating knowledge. Students’ reliance on the sharp, subject-specific outputs produced by AI tools has reduced their engagement in class and in collecting classroom material, which they now obtain through AI. This has affected traditional classroom interactions. A complete withdrawal of teachers is not yet visible, as all stakeholders are in a state of transition and confusion while exploring new roles and avenues.AdvertisementThe nuanced case analysis of combining dozens of cases to map single or multiple doctrines and jurisprudence in one exercise is now possible with advanced AI tools. In a recent workshop, we demonstrated that a deeper constitutional analysis of multiple Supreme Court decisions on a single issue can not only be done, but can also be presented through a remarkable display of data in tabular form, with both qualitative and quantitative mapping. The oft-cited concern about AI “hallucinating” case citations will diminish as these systems train on structured Indian case law and verified legal databases. Tasks such as contract drafting, pleadings, and standard notices are now generated quickly by AI tools. In many corporate legal departments and law firms, AI systems are no longer experimental. Law schools need to respond with urgency by integrating AI into academics.Law libraries are losing prominence. Digitally adept students now rely on online platforms and engage with notes produced through targeted searches. While this improves efficiency, it raises concerns about depth of engagement, sustained reading, and the development of critical analysis skills. This is not entirely gloomy for the teaching profession. While the teacher’s “lecturer” function may shrink, their roles as editor, verifier, coach, and ethics supervisor will grow. Teachers need to learn AI methodologies within their subject domains and deploy them as new teaching methods. They may now pitch from level two — presuming the content is already in students’ hands — to encourage deeper and more comprehensive engagement with the subject matter.The author is vice-chancellor, NLU Delhi. Views are personal