Intending to increase transparency the Bar Council of India (BCI) has published full minutes to its three last meetings, which primarily deal with the de-recognition of more than 50 law schools but also timetable issues such as whether foreign lawyers should be allowed to practice foreign law in India.
The BCI considered more than 160 cases of law colleges seeking recognition at three meetings on 30 April, 21 August and 4 September 2010 and published more than 100 pages of minutes.
Discussion of legal education took up so much of the BCI’s time at the meetings that other topics could not be addressed. However, it is understood that at the next meeting the agenda will include whether foreign lawyers are allowed to practice foreign law, arbitration and mediation in India, and whether plagiarism software can be made mandatory for law schools.
Good, bad & slightly ugly
Of law schools that had been inspected or had replied to the BCI’s requests for information, 37 law colleges’ applications for accreditation for the 2010-11 academic year were outright rejected (see list below). Those colleges were told to stop taking further admissions in the 2010-11 academic year and many were served with show cause notices why they should not be closed.
Around 17 colleges’ applications were only partially accepted, with the BCI having rejected permissions to hold a five-year LLB degree or other course.
At the BCI’s first meeting on 30 April 2010, 42 colleges inspection reports were considered and seven colleges were outright rejected accreditation.
At the 21 August hearing out of 71 colleges that were considered, 12 colleges faced outright rejections and 11 had their recognition to hold five-year LLB courses revoked.
On 4 September a total of 53 colleges were considered. Of those 18 were rejected outright and three were rejected a second time after responding to earlier show cause notices.
A total of seven schools were partially derecognised for holding five-year courses, while four responses to previous show cause notices to previous partial derecognitions yielded no change in the decision.
In the case of one college, Maa Jinwani College of Legal Studies (Pushpgiri, Treeth Sonkatch, Madhya Pradesh), the BCI allowed the appeal and the college was permitted to hold the three year course.
Almost all acceptances attached stringent conditions, with the most frequent being the stipulation of a minimum expenditure on books, an increase in the number or qualification of faculty or the conforming to the UGC minimum pay guidelines for teaching staff. Only Jindal Global Law School (JGLS) in Haryana and Dr Ambedkar Government Law College Pune had their accreditation unequivocally approved without any conditions.
Unusually School of Law, SASTRA University, Tanjavur was granted full accreditation subject to a “dress code of law students [being] implemented” and that it would institute a legal aid programme.
But not all got away lightly.
In the case of the Institute of Law & Management Studies, Maharishi Dayanand University (Gurgaon, Haryana) not just the college itself but also all promoters of the college would be blacklisted from ever running another law school, stated the BCI minutes, after the in-charge of institution allegedly “attempted to offer allurements to the Office of Chairman, Bar Council of India” Gopal Subramanium.
Another college that was slammed as “completely unfit to impart legal education” was the Hutama Rajguru Shikshan Prasarak Mandal’s (HRSPM) Law College, Rajgurununagar, Pune, which is affiliated to the University of Pune.
Occasionally leniency was granted. From the inspection report of R.K. Law College, the BCI said it was not satisfied that the college was “maintaining the standards which are expected”. “However, having regard to the fact that the said institution is an existing institution, we consider it appropriate that the affiliation/approval be extended.”
Symbiosis Pune’s off-campus centre in Noida was also given leeway due to Symbiosis’ status as a reputed institution, curriculum and Noida infrastructure, although evidence would have to be shown that the law school had sufficient faculty in Noida. Leniency was also granted in cases of some colleges catering to scheduled tribes and castes (SC/STs) or those based in rural areas such as Sikkim’s Faculty of Law at The Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India University, or close to the army-controlled Chinese border, such as Assam’s S. I. P. E. Law College, Dibrugarh.
Special status was also accorded to Himachal Pradesh University despite criticism. “We are deeply disappointed at the way in which the Himachal Pradesh University has looked after its law faculty,” stated the minutes. “Ordinarily, we would not have granted affiliation to the said law school, but, considering the fact that this is a faculty of law of the Himachal Pradesh University from which eminent lawyers and judges have passed out, there is a public duty cast on the State Government of Himachal Pradesh as well as the Himachal Pradesh University to remedy the situation.”
Chanakya National Law University (CNLU) Patna was found by the BCI to not have "minimum standards required under the rules" and would be derecognised pending its response. The BCI added: "It is made clear that shortcomings pointed out by the inspection team has to be rectified within two months. By and before that date, inspection team will again examine whether the shortcomings have been removed or not. In case shortcomings are not removed, University authorities are directed that they should not admit any student during the session 2010-2011. The university must file the compliance report within two months from the date of receipt of the communication. If University fails to do so serious steps is likely to be taken which they have to bear." CNLU's response was scheduled to be considered at the August hearing but was deferred due to lack of time. [Update: CNLU has not been derecognised after a response was later furnished by the college]
Law colleges: Rejections of 2010-11 accreditation and student admissions
- Ram Kumari Ayodhya Law College, Begusarai, Bihar
- Bihar Institute of Law, Patna (show cause response rec'd but not yet considered)
- Chanakya National Law University, Patna (derecognition subject to unsatisfactory response, show cause response rec'd but not yet considered)
- Ram Kumari Ayodhya Law College, Begusarai, Bihar
- Anugrah Memorial Law College, Gaya, Bodh Gaya, Bihar
- Agra College, Agra, UP (approval for three-year course already withdrawn)
- Utrakhand Technical University, Uttrakhand
- S. S. S. Mata Ramabai Ambedkar Women’s Law College, CIDCO, Aurangabad
- S. S. S. Devjibhai Hariya Law College, Kalyan, Distt- Thane, Maharashtra
- Namdevraoji Parjane Patil Law College, Kopargaon, Distt-Ahmednagar, Maharashtra.
- Hutama Rajguru Shikshan Prasarak Mandal’s (HRSPM) Law College, Rajgurununagar, Pune
- Hurakadli Ajja Law College, Dharwad, Karnataka
- B. M. Law College, Muzaffarnagar
- P. S. Raju Law College, Kakinada, A.P.
- Prasunna College of Law, Kurnool
- Department of Law, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University, Srikakulam, Etcherla, A. P.
- Maa Jinwani College of Legal Studies, Pushpgiri Treeth, Sonkatch, Madhya Pradesh
- DAV PG College, Lucknow, U.P.
- Jorhat Law College, M.G. Road, Jorhat.
- Shri V. P. K. Mandal’s Pravin Gandhi College of Law, Vile Parle, Mumbai, Maharashtra
- M. S. College of Law, Kausa, Thane, Maharashtra
- Smt. Sonia Gandhi Law College, Gulbarga, Karnataka
- Jawahar Law College, Yadgir
- Karnataka Law College, Gulbarga
- H. C. E. S. Law College, Gadag
- Shri B. R. Mirdha Govt. College, Nagaur, Rajasthan (STBC)
- Government Law College, Sirohi, Rajasthan
- Government P.G. College, Datia, Madhya Pradesh
- Centre for Juridical Studies, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh
- Maharani Laxmi Bai Govt. College of Excellence, Gwalior
- D. H. S. K. Law College, Dibrugarh
- Dr. R. K. Baruah Law College, Dibrugarh
- Institute of Law & Magmt. Studies, Maharishi Dayanand University, Gurgaon, Haryana
- Saraswati Law College, Chitrdurga, Karnataka
- Virendra Kumar Singhal Law College, Moradabad, U.P.
- Visakha Law College, Visakhapatnam
- Veeravali College of Law, Prakash Nagar, Rajamundry
Five year LLB courses derecognised (or other if specified)
- R. K. Law College, Bangalore, Karnataka (LLM course recognition withdrawn)
- Bharti Vidyapeeth’s New Law College, Kolhapur
- Bharathi Vidyapeeth’s New Law College, Sangli.
- Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Law, Kakinada
- Yashwantrao Chavan Law College, Karad.
- P. E. S. Modern Law College, Pune
- College of Law, D. N. R. College Association, Bhimavaram, A.P
- S. I. P. E. Law College, Dibrugarh, Assam
- Sridhar University, Pilani, Rajasthan
- University Institute of Legal Studies, H.P. University, Shimla, H. P.
- Govt. New Law College, A. B. Road, Indore
- Manjra Charitable Trust’s College of Law, Navi Mumbai
- Sridhar University, Pilani, Rajasthan
- M.P.R. Law College, Srikakulam, A. P.
Special cases: Show cause notices for 2011-12 recognition
- Seth Shankarlal Lahoti Law College, Gulbarga, Karnataka
- Siddharth Law College, Gulbarga, Karnataka
- Sagar Gangotri College of Law, Sagar, Karnataka
- Marwadi Siksha Samithi Law College, Hyderabad, A.P. - no more admissions but can be cured for three year course if additional faculty members appointed.
Download and read the full minutes for the April meeting, August meeting and September meeting
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LOL...since when was symbi a reputed insitution? and what is so great about noida infrastructure? this decision smacks of bias. symbi and amity should both be shut down. at least the symbi noida campus should be closed. it is shocking that chanakya is derecognised but not symbi. from what i hear chanakya is much better than symbi.
if chanakya is shut down only because it is in patna then HNLU should also be closed because it is also in a rubbish city.
BCI hai hai !!
"After consideration Committee found that Chanakya National Law University, Patna is not having minimum standards required under the rules. It is made clear that shortcomings pointed out by the inspection team has to be rectified within two months. By and before that date, inspection team will again examine whether the shortcomings have been removed or not. In case shortcomings are not removed, University authorities are directed that they should not admit any student during the session 2010-2011. The university must file the compliance report within two months from the date of receipt of the communication. If University fails to do so serious steps is likely to be taken which they have to bear." (see page 5 of the minutes of 30 April)
Its high time they started looking at the quality of the law colleges. They will soon find that even the ones highly ranked have serious problems
anyway, CNLU can still escape. if nitish decides to join the congress after the elections he will ask sonia to give it recognition. the BCI is a puppet in the hands of politicians. why do you think foreign law firms are not being allowed?
In some seminar national law universities were described as 'islands of excellence' in a sea of mediocrity. I hope that the sea of mediocrity doesn't engulf these tectonically edgy newer islands.
one cannot make dumb an intelligent merely putting infrastructure like building, one cannot make intelligent person admitted through entrance test dumb by not providing good building and modern infrastructure...so my humble suggestion to the BCI is that look into entrance criteria and quality of students also before giving recognition or de recognising any institute
still well done BCI, thumbs up
I believe CNLU is a "new" law school - and a cursory look at their website tells me they are trying really hard. And have got able sincere students. Same can't be said for the education shops set up by Symbiosis and Amity.
Since BCI has been empowered by statute, it would be acting as one of the agencies of the state. Am I right?
even though these notices have been issued admission's have been taken place in most of the universities...
New Batch for 2010-11 have already been filled in CNLU...
btw CNLU is an NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY...is dis the reputation of an National Law University?? What is the Goverment doing..???
what will happen now..
And why are these Notices so late..
I cant see any future...
are they trying to play with the life of thousand's of Law Students..??
if they are taking affiliation of so many colleges will they recruit the students ??
don't worry,cnlu has not been derecognised,if u read the minutes carefully,BCI has only asked them not take admissions for the next acad. session.even this is subject to the fact that if they rectify their mistakes(to the best of my knowledge,problems are related to library & visiting faculty,something that can be improved in 2 months),they will be given recog. after the inspection bound to happen in two months.....
as for amity,it is affiliated to IP university & not amity univ.,plus has some really top of the class faculty.
my point is before defaming any college,give some valid reasons,& plz do not resort to conspiracy theories
hate to compare colleges,but will like to add last year amity& symbi individually won more moots(refer MPL1) than CLNU
disclaimer-i don't mean that any law school is better than other,all i have to say is study hard,get into a good law school,have a good life & plz refrain from defaming colleges based on conspiracy theories or hollow facts
but GLC will be untouched bcoz of its powerful alumni. our "honourable" president (whose name has come up in numerous scams) is also a former student of GLC so i doubt whether GLC will be derecognised!! amity and symbi have will also be untouched.
i feel sorry for CNLU. perhaps they should have offered free admission to the children of politicians.
etc and add the word "national". the guy who claims that CNLU can fix its problems in only 2 months reminds
me of suresh kalmadi and the CWG jokers.
CNLU never was and never will be an NLU. what next...bundelkhand national law university??
#16 - you are right. I thought "national" had to do with some kind of govt.(state or central) support.
But I do not understand your antipathy for obscure small towns in the back of beyond.
BTW do you recall IIT Kharagpur, IIT Roorkee, IIT Kanpur, XLRI Jamshedpur, CMC Vellore, BITS Pilani....? None of them are "mahanagars" by any means.
hey i donno wat u r male/female but whoever u r i donno were u r brought up.. wat if u were born in a tribal place..??
man u r sick..
get a life...
problems are already fixed here in CNLU nd i guess u hvnt seen d infra structure...
i really wish dat u should visit CNLU sumtime nd clear ur misconception...
I am frm Delhi but never abused our collg bcoz i dont think dat for studing places matter... y m i giving u all dese good lectures... mayb i should tell dese to an illeterate nd i bet he will understand..
there is a mistake nd dere will be correction soon...
but plz do tell me abt urslf man.. i really want to noe..
u from america? lol
why is moily not taking action against the ppl who took bribes and gave recognition to these colleges?
And whereas the name of VC is concerned...Mr. A.Lakshminath has got more than 100 articles registered on his name...one of the most prestigious academicians in India...SC has based many of its decisions on the writings of that person....he got that much knowledge that need not be said to people who dont have any of it!!!
And wait and watch GNLU, SYMBI, ILS will give all these top law schools a run for their money soon. As it is name the organisation in India and a few abroad, and you will definitely find the presence of the erstwhile fringe colleges there. And all the above have been really doing good in moots as well as sports,and other extra-curicullar activities which give them a much more competitive environment than book worms whose social status is guided by their cgpa's.
Grow up guys, a forum for speaking your mind- necessarily implies a little application of mind too and not baseless rattling!! All the best to CNLU, I am sure they will pull through really well. Check out the growth of AIL Mohali, RMNUL Lucknow before disregarding the non national law colleges!!
And everyone else, please get your facts right, we haven’t been derecognized or anything like that, this is a temporary aberration owing to infrastructure requirements which have been addressed owing to the fact we shifted to our own campus two months ago.
Lastly, this university has got everything one expects from a NLU and this too shall pass. btw m a final year CNLU student, so m sure i know better than you all about my university and what its capable of.
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