The IT Act is in place. Now there’s an Asian School for decoding the mumbo jumbo governing the cyberspace, reports Karina Sudarsan.

First came the IT revolution, then came the inevitable IT laws and now enters the Asian School of Cyber Laws (ASCL), a non-profit organisation headquartered in Pune. The School, first of its kind in India, imparts legal education online, especially relating to the internet, computers, information technology and other related fields.

With the enforcement of the IT Act, contracts can be entered into using the electronic media. Prior to the Act, contracts could be enforced only if the records were in written form. Also a contract in the pre-IT laws period could be enforced only if the document was signed. But now the law recognizes digital signatures.

In this era of specialization, cyber law is gaining prominence as a highly specialized field.

With the rise of cyber crimes like hacking into a computer networks, transmitting viruses and other obscene material, an in-depth understanding of these laws is on the way to becoming a necessity.

ASCL’s core activities concentrate on providing training and education in the cyber laws to students, IT professionals and lawyers.

Started in July 2000 by a group of lawyers and IT professionals, ASCL conducts diploma and certificate courses in Indian IT law and will be launching such courses in other countries as well. The diploma course is offered both online and offline for law students and lawyers while the certificate course is online targeting IT students and professionals.

To make things easier for those of you racing against time, the diploma course is flexible but the offline course it for 10 months. The fees is Rs 2,500. The certificate course is completed in three months and costs Rs 2,000. The course material has been prepared in consultation with William W. Fisher III, Professor of Law, Harvard Law School. M Somarajiah, Professor of Law, National University of Singapore; Lance B Williams, Director of Information Technology and Entrepreneurship Clinic, Chicago-Kent College of Law; and Michael L Rustad, Director of High Technology Law Program, Suffolk University Law School, Boston are among ASCL’s consultant members.

ASCL facilitates internships and placements for law students and professionals through Lawjobline.com.

With all aspects of life going the cyber way, can mock courts be far behind? ASCL has also launched mockadalat.com, an online mock court for law students. “It will be adjudged by none other than Shri Ranganath Misra ex-chief Justice of Supreme Court, ex-NHRC (National Human Rights Commission) Chairman and present Rajya Sabha member”, says Business Development Manager ASCL Abhinav Bhatt.

The school also facilitates online buying and selling of books through Prayaas.com, a virtual library. Prayaas gives an opportunity to the legal eagles to post and view articles, memorials and legal research.

ASCL is currently developing www.itlaws.net, a site detailing laws enacted by different countries with numerous cases. Another 23 law oriented sites are also in the offing.

You can visit the ASCL website at www.asianlaws.org