Regional Languages in Indian Legal Higher Education: A Comprehensive Empirical Analysis

Abstract

This empirical study examines the implementation of regional languages in Indian legal higher education by analyzing both challenges and potential solutions through a comprehensive mixed-methods approach. The study employed a mixed-methods design with a sample of 500 participants across 10 states, including 100 faculty members and 400 students from 25 law colleges. The data collection utilized validated questionnaires, achieving a response rate of 94.4%. This study tested four hypotheses using both descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. The research confirmed all the hypotheses, revealing a significant positive correlation between regional language support and academic performance (χ² = 15.82, p = 0.003). Students receiving bilingual instruction demonstrated 23% better comprehension and 15% higher retention rates. Resource availability emerged as the primary implementation factor, accounting for 38% of the variance. Faculty support was strongly correlated with institutional readiness (r = 0.68, p < 0.01). The findings support the implementation of a flexible, bilingual approach to legal education, emphasizing the need for substantial resource development, faculty training, and institutional support. This study bridges a crucial gap in the existing literature by providing robust empirical evidence on the effectiveness of regional language implementation in legal education and offering concrete recommendations for policy development and implementation strategies.