Indian Institute of Paralegal Studies (IIPS)
The Indian Institute for Paralegal Studies (IIPLS) is a virtual system of organisations across India committed to improving the quality of paralegal training and legitimizing the role of a paralegal within the justice delivery system in the country. The IIPLS was established in June 2002 based on pioneering work done by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) in the methodology of alternate legal education.
The IIPLS seeks to meet the need for trained, value-driven paralegals, in pursuit of realizing the human rights of vulnerable groups. It believes in reinforcing the inherent capacity of people to uphold their dignity. It is rooted in ground realities and is engaged in bridging the gaps between people and justice.
IIPLS works to:
- Continuously produce professional paralegal trainers and workers
- Facilitate the sharing of resources for paralegal training
- Ensure the top quality of paralegal training through standardization and accreditation
- Identify and build the capacities of effective uses of paralegal activities
- Expand the access to justice delivery mechanisms
- Legitimize the role of paralegals in formal and informal justice delivery mechanisms
- Improve the efficiency of the legal system
- Challenge the policies, laws and mechanisms of legal implementation which impede justice
- Demystify the law and legal process
The CSJ is also involved in setting up facilitation centres of the IIPLS. The role of the facilitation centres is to Define and legitimize the role of paralegals at the grassroots level, ensuring focus on issues within a particular constituency of at least one taluka in a district, maintain a taluka centre advocacy fund, ensuring access to lawyers, mobilize local contribution, and ensure accountability to community.