In a significant move towards ensuring the quality of legal education in India, the Bar Council of India (BCI) has intervened to address the issue of substandard law colleges. The BCI has sent a circular to Vice-Chancellors and Higher Education Departments across the Nation, seeking cooperation in maintaining the quality standards of law institutes.
The circular, issued by the Secretary of BCI, Srimanto Sen, highlighted a resolution passed by the BCI's general council in June 2015. This resolution urged all state governments and universities to refrain from issuing No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for new law institutes and affiliations for a period of three years.
Despite this resolution and subsequent circulars issued by the BCI, the circular expressed concern over the issuance of over 300 NOCs by state governments and affiliations granted by universities. Dated April 15, the circular emphasized the urgent need for stricter regulatory measures to control the proliferation of substandard law colleges.
The circular outlined guidelines for granting NOCs and emphasized the shared responsibility of the BCI, universities, and government bodies in maintaining the quality of legal education. It emphasized that the responsibility for curbing the mushroom growth of substandard law colleges does not solely lie with the BCI.
The circular delineated the three essential steps to establish a law college: obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the state government, securing affiliation from the relevant university, and gaining approval from the BCI.
In its appeal, the BCI called upon Universities and State Education Ministries to collaborate in upholding the sanctity and quality of legal education in India. This proactive intervention by the BCI underscores its commitment to ensuring excellence in legal education and maintaining the integrity of the legal profession.
