The Bar Council of India Presses Government and Universities to Preserve the Integrity of Legal Education

In a recent circular, the Bar Council of India (BCI) called on vice-chancellors and higher education departments across the country to support efforts to maintain the integrity and caliber of legal education. The April 15 circular highlights the necessity for more stringent controls on the expansion of law schools.

The BCI voiced dissatisfaction about state governments issuing over 300 No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and universities subsequently awarding affiliations, in violation of prior resolutions and circulars intended to limit the issuance of NOCs for new law institutes.

The circular emphasizes how crucial cooperation is in upholding the best standards of legal education between the BCI, state governments, and academic institutions. It describes the three steps involved in starting a law college—obtaining a NOC, affiliating with a university, and receiving BCI approval—and emphasizes the critical role that state governments and universities play in overseeing educational standards.

The BCI, state governments, and universities can lessen the number of inferior law colleges by following these stages and cooperating. In an effort to maintain the standard of legal education throughout the nation, the BCI makes a plea to colleges and state education departments to work together with them.