NEW DELHI : Threatened with takeover by the National Commission for Higher Education and Research Bill, the Bar Council of India has told over 930 law colleges in the country to either conform to the educational standards laid down by it or be barred from admitting students after 2011.

The warning was sounded by BCI chairman and Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam, who expressed serious concern on June 1 over
the manner in which the standards of legal education have fallen in many law collges, especially those in the hinterland.

The first and foremost task of BCI was to improve the faculty situation in a majority of the colleges. Talent could only be attracted to law colleges if they start paying the University Grants Commission approved pay-scale, Subramaniam said.

Secondly, all colleges must revise their educational curriculum and conform to the modern standards defined and laid down by BCI, he said. “All must conform to these standards by 2011 and those who do not will be barred from admitting students,” the BCI chairman said.

Speaking on the innovative idea of making law graduates clear an entrance test before being permitted to practise in courts, Subramaniam said the idea had received support from the rural students who were upbeat that it will allow them to compete with their counterparts from national law schools.
“This entrance test is going to be a great homogenising effect. If a student from a rural law college passes this entrance test and qualifies to become an advocate along with a graduate from a prestigeous national law school, it will have a great balancing effect and remove disparity in attitude,” he said.

Most of the law firms have also welcomed the entrance test, he said, adding the BCI was considering a proposal to conduct this examination two or three times a year so as to give people adequate number of chances to become an advocate.