University Grants Commission (UGC) pushes forensic-focused legal education under BNS reforms

To strengthen forensicbased justice delivery the University Grants Commission UGC has directed universities and colleges offering law programmes to examine the transformative impact of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita BNS and integrate forensicfocused reforms into legal educationIn a letter dated May 12 the UGC secretary called for systematic academic engagement with Indiarsquos new criminal justice framework and its scientific investigation components urging all lawteaching institutions to initiate academic studies incorporate findings into programmes and submit compliance reports on implementation measuresThe directive follows recommendations made at the Director Generals of PoliceInspector Generals of Police DGsPIGsP Conference held in November 2025 which called for a paradigm shift towards greater reliance on scientific evidence forensic investigation and structured casestudy documentation for academic useScientific frameworkForensic science is increasingly being recognised as a core pillar of modern justice systems enabling objective and sciencebased investigation through disciplines such as DNA analysis toxicology and digital forensics The BNS along with the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita BNSS and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam BSA collectively reshape Indiarsquos criminal justice ecosystem by embedding scientific investigation at its coreKey legal changesMandatory crime scene investigationUnder Section 1763 of the BNSS forensic experts must visit crime scenes in serious offences punishable with over seven years imprisonment to collect and document evidenceStronger digital evidence frameworkThe BSA enhances the admissibility of electronic evidence and aligns forensic protocols with global standards for cybercrime and digital investigationsExpanded scientific sampling powersSection 349 of the BNSS allows authorities to collect voice samples fingerprints and handwriting samples even prior to arrest in certain casesHuge gapProf P Madhava Soma Sundaram chairperson of the Indian Society of Criminology said India currently has only about 3000 to 4000 active forensic scientists against a projected requirement of nearly 90000 professionalsldquoThis gap can only be addressed if universities adopt structured internshiporiented forensic education backed by qualified faculty and wellequipped laboratoriesrdquo Prof Sundaram saidHe further cautioned that ldquosome institutions risk turning forensic education into a jobcapturing exercise which may produce illinformed pseudoexperts ultimately weakening the justice systemrdquoTwo sides of a coinEmphasising the foundational role of science in criminal justice Amol Deshmukh professor and head Institute of Forensic Science Mumbai said the reform marks a positive shift towards evidencebased justice ldquoForensic science and forensic medicine are two sides of the same coin and Indiarsquos forensic infrastructure must be strengthened Universities must train professionals who understand both law and scientific crime detectionrdquo he addedScientific shiftAccording to Dr Aditi Suresh Mane assistant professor Symbiosis Law School Pune the UGC directive reflects a broader constitutional and structural transformation in Indiarsquos justice system ldquoLaw schools must now train students in cyber forensics DNA jurisprudence chain of custody standards and medicolegal documentation to improve investigative accuracy and conviction outcomesrdquo she saidImplementation challengesWelcoming the reform Dr Sonali Kusum assistant professor School of Law TISS Mumbai pointed to key challenges in implementation ldquoThough the UGC guidelines are a progressive step India still faces a shortage of forensic science laboratories and trained infrastructurerdquo she saidShe highlighted that rising caseloads including under the POCSO Act are increasing demand for forensic examinations while BNSS provisions have made forensic involvement more critical than ever ldquoForensic education must go beyond criminal law and integrate disciplines such as gender studies cybercrime and organised crime supported by experiential pedagogy as envisioned in the National Education Policy 2020rdquo she added