BCI Imposes Three-Year Moratorium on New Law Colleges in India

In a significant move aimed at improving legal education standards, the Bar Council of India (BCI) has declared a three-year moratorium, effective upon publication, halting the establishment of new law colleges until 2025.

The embargo emerges as a response to apprehensions of educational decline precipitated by the unchecked proliferation of subpar institutions, lax approval processes, commercialization, academic malpractice, and inadequate faculty. With around 2,000 law colleges already functional, the BCI emphasizes enhancing educational quality over expansion.

While certain exceptions for educational proposals targeting disadvantaged sections are considered, they are contingent on stringent compliance with infrastructure and faculty prerequisites. Violations during this period may lead to severe consequences, including withdrawal of BCI recognition and legal repercussions. The policy, hinging on the Advocates Act, 1961, and authorized by past measures, will undergo annual reviews to ascertain its efficacy and future applicability.

(With inputs from agencies.)