Bar council calls on universities for help to uphold quality

The Bar Council of India (BCI) has issued a circular to the vice-chancellors and departments of higher education across the country to help the top lawyers’ body in its “endeavour to uphold the sanctity and quality” of legal education, reports the Press Trust of India.

The representation issued by BCI Secretary Srimanto Sen said the general council of the top lawyers’ body passed a resolution in June 2015 urging all state governments and universities to impose restrictions on the issuance of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for opening new law institutes and affiliations to them for three years. “Despite this resolute decision and the subsequent issuance of circulars to the effect, it is regrettable to note that over 300 NOCs were issued by state governments, and affiliations were granted by universities,” the circular dated 15 April said.

“This concerning trend highlights the urgent need for stricter adherence to regulatory measures to curb the unchecked proliferation of law colleges across the country,” it added. Listing the “suggested guidelines” for the grant of NOCs, including the financial viability of the proposed law institution and its compliance with all regulatory standards, the circular said: “The responsibility for curbing the mushroom growth and proliferation of substandard law colleges does not rest solely on the shoulders of the BCI.”
Full report on the NDTV site