Why in news
- Ministry of Law and Justice mobilized 19 National Law Universities to conduct data-driven research targeting criminal case backlogs across 100 high-pendency hotspot judicial districts.
Key terms
Plea Bargaining
Pre-trial agreement where a defendant pleads guilty to a lesser charge for a lighter sentence.
Summary Trial
Speedy judicial procedure for minor offenses without full formal trial proceedings.
Infructuous Cases
Litigation that has lost practical relevance or purpose due to changing circumstances.
Case Profiling
Systematic categorisation of pending court cases based on age, offense type, and procedural status.
What is the problem?
- Over 5.8 crore legal cases remain pending across Indian courts, with the vast majority concentrated in district and subordinate courts.
- A concentration of pendency exists where just 100 judicial districts account for over 50% of all subordinate court backlogs.
Key operational elements
- Department of Justice partnered with 19 National Law Universities (NLUs) across 16 states to deploy researchers for empirical case-profiling.
- Focuses on identifying infructuous cases, improving adjournment management, expanding plea bargaining, and facilitating summary trials.
Why it matters
- Shifts judicial reform strategies from uniform national mandates to hyper-targeted, district-specific micro-interventions.
- Leverages legal academic capacity and pro bono clinical infrastructure for court management.
Mains discussion
- Targeted administrative interventions versus structural judicial vacancies in clearing backlog.
- Role of clinical legal education and NLUs in empirical legal research and court reform.
Source: PIB
Same topic · past papers
UPSC has asked this before
These previous-year questions sit on the same topic. Open one to practise the earlier ask.
-
2015 · Q85 · General Studies · 2 marks
The fundamental object of Panchayati Raj system is to ensure which among the following? 1. People's participation in development 2. Political accountability 3. Democratic decentralization 4. Financial mobilization Select the correct answer using the code given below -
2026 · Q77 · General Studies · 2 marks
Which of the following statements in relation to NIRANTAR (National Institute for Research and Application of Natural Resources to Transform, Adapt and Build Resilience), a platform of institutions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, is/are correct? 1. Ecosystem Survey and Analysis is a vertical under this platform, the lead institute of which is Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata. 2. Research and Management of Ecosystem Service is a vertical under this platform, the lead institute of which is Central Zoo Authority, New Delhi. 3. Capacity Development Support is a vertical under this platform, the lead institute of which is Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal. Select the answer using the code given below: -
2026 · Q80 · General Studies · 2 marks
The Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) recently introduced a national standard to test and assess bomb disposal system. Which of the following statements with regard to this system is/are correct? 1. The new standard is known as IS 19445 : 2025. 2. It will improve interoperability of equipment across agencies. 3. It was developed by TBRL, DRDO in collaboration with the 30th Central Scientific Research Institute, Russia. Select the answer using the code given below: -
2025 · Q83 · General Studies · 2 marks
Consider the following pace missions : I. Axiom-4 II. SpaDeX III. Gaganyaan How many of the space missions given above encourage and support micro-gravity research? -
2021 · Q15 · GS III · 15 marks
What are the research and developmental achievements in applied biotechnology/? How will these achievements help to uplift the poorer sections of the society?