Question : Spurt in Law Colleges

(a) whether it has come to the notice of the Government that there is spurt in law colleges in the country and some universities have become ‘factories’ to produce law graduates by giving least importance to quality of law education and if so, the details thereof, State-wise;
(b) whether the Bar Council of India is looking into the matter in Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government and Bar Council of India are planning to improve the status of law education in the country; and
(d) if so, the steps taken in this regard so far?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR LAW AND JUSTICE AND ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI P.P. CHAUDHARY)

(a) & (b) : BCI has informed that as per the data for the year 2016-17 the State Governments of Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh have given permission to higher number of new law institutions compared to other states. As far as Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh are concerned, less than 10 number of new institutions have been permitted.

(b) : The Bar Council of India has informed that the issue of mushrooming of law colleges in the country including Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh was placed before the Standing Committee of BCI in its meeting held on 27th and 28th May, 2017. After consideration the Standing Committee of BCI referred the matter to the Academic Committee of BCI.




(c) and (d) : The Bar Council of India has informed that the Bar Council of India and its Legal Education Committee (LEC) had constituted a “Curriculum Development Committee” to study and formulate a comprehensive curriculum and framework for legal education in the Country. The Curriculum Development Committee has following members:

(i) Former Supreme Court Judge
(ii) Vice Chancellors of National Law Universities in India.
(iii) Senior advocates, eminent professors and members of the Bar Council of India.

The Bar Council of India promulgated the “Bar Council of India Rules of Legal Education, 2008” on the recommendations of this Curriculum Development Committee that had drafted these Rules. These Rules are in force since the academic year 2009-10.