The Bar Council of India (BCI) issued a circular on September 25 to all State Bar Councils (SBCs) requiring strict adherence to its directives.

These directives include conducting criminal background checks, requiring declarations of simultaneous degrees or employment, and ensuring compliance with attendance norms before candidates are enrolled for legal practice.

Students are required to disclose any ongoing FIRs or criminal cases against them. Moreover, if a student fails to disclose facts, their mark sheets and degrees will be withheld.

Anil Kella, the former chairperson of the Gujarat Bar Council and finance committee, stated that as per directive from the BCI, the state bar council of each state must ensure that candidates wishing to register have strictly adhered to the prescribed instructions.

Candidates will be required to declare any concurrent degree programmes, regular educational programmes, or employment status during their legal education.

The bar council must also verify that candidates have met all the requirements of the BCI’'s rules and regulations, including mandatory attendance.

Approval for dual degree

All state bar councils across the country must also ensure that candidates have complied with the instructions before registration.

Strict directives have been issued to all state bar councils to refrain from registering any candidates until complete adherence to these measures, which have been established to maintain the quality and integrity of legal education and ensure candidates meet the high standards expected of legal professionals. 

Additionally, institutions providing dual degrees with foreign universities must obtain prior approval from the BCI.

A dual degree programme refers to an arrangement where a student obtains two distinct degrees from two different institutions, typically in two different jurisdictions, while a joint degree programme includes a degree offered jointly by two or more institutions.

The BCI has mandated that prior approval is necessary for any such dual or joint degree programmes between Indian law institutions and foreign universities.

Law colleges will be required to ensure all these responsibilities are met, including retaining CCTV footage and recordings for one year. Directives have also been issued to implement a biometric system to ensure the mandatory attendance requirements for law students are fulfilled.

No more fake lawyers

Previously, the Supreme Court expressed serious concerns regarding the infiltration of fake lawyers in the legal field.

The Supreme Court has strongly advocated for the establishment of high standards of quality and excellence in legal education, as well as the legal profession. It has also directed the implementation of processes, including verification. As part of this initiative, a verification process for all lawyers since 1990 is currently being carried out across the country, including in Gujarat.

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