The Bar Council of India (BCI) has decided to derecognise the law course run by Delhi University (DU) at its three centres, namely Campus Law Centre, Law Centre-1 and Law Centre-2. According to the decision by the the apex regulatory body for law education and the legal profession in India, students admitted in these centres from 2011-12 onwards won’t be eligible to be enrolled as advocates and can’t practice.
On Monday, BCI announced its decision through a letter sent to the vice chancellor of DU and to all state bar councils, including that of Delhi. Law graduates from Delhi University (DU) have now been left in the lurch in wake of this unprecedented decision.
“In absence of extension of approval of affiliation of these law centres, the students who were admitted in the sessions 2011-12 onward and passed out from the academic year 2013-14 are not eligible for enrollment as advocates. You are therefore advised to take appropriate action with regard to these law centres and inform BCI about steps taken in this regard immediately,” the BCI letter to DU says.
Sources said that BCI was forced to act after DU failed to respond to repeated reminders on extension of affiliation beyond the academic year 2010-11. A communication on behalf of the BCI was sent to the three centres in July 2010 for the first time that DU must seek approval and throw open its centres for BCI’s inspection.
“In spite of the said communication the law centres have not applied to the council for extension of approval of affiliation,” BCI has added saying Legal Education Rules 2008 have not been followed by DU, inviting de-recognition.
As per the Rules, a law college/law school/institution that has not been inspected for a continuous period of 5 years shall have to apply afresh to the BCI and seek approval of affiliation on or before July 31, 2010. Those colleges which fail to apply lose the right to impart legal degree.
