The Bar Council of India (BCI) has announced a three-year freeze on the establishment of new law colleges across the country. The decision aims to tackle the rapid proliferation of substandard institutions and protect the quality of legal education.
In its August 13 press release, the BCI stated that the moratorium is necessary to stop the decline in educational standards — a problem driven by the unchecked opening of low-quality colleges, indiscriminate issuance of NOCs by state governments, and university affiliations granted without proper inspections. The Council also cited concerns over the commercialization of legal education, widespread academic malpractices, and an acute shortage of qualified faculty.
Under the ban, no existing law college or Centre of Legal Education can add new sections, batches, or courses during the three-year period without prior approval from the BCI.