Question

Role of bar council of india in regulating the legal education in india

Answer 1

Answer:

Explanation:

Bar Council of India (hereafter called 'BCI') have indeed played a very important role in the development of Legal Education in India. BCI is pioneer for structuring the Legal Education System in India as it exists today. The BCI was the first to lay down the standards in terms of system, classroom teaching, practical training and skill, court visits, moot courts, legal aid work, and other practical training programmes for law students.  

It was BCI's bold and creative decision to replace the three year course with the five years integrated course and sponsor the first National Law School in Bangalore. The outstanding success of the National Law School led to the setting up more such schools similar to the Bangalore Model. Today there are 11 National Law Schools in the country. This had indeed given a special impact to Indian legal education.  

However, the pace of change towards improving the quality of Legal Education was watered down by the very same BCI. Among the many complaints they have failed to improve the quality of Legal Education in the remaining 749 law colleges in India. Further they have not been able to maintain the same standards in all the 11 National Law Schools. Most of these National Law Schools are due for second generation reforms. These National Law Schools are already on a downward spiral and it’s imperative that these institutions of excellence be preserved.

In the present age the aim of legal education has changed. BCI has failed to implement the new changes required in the Legal Education field. BCI is still fixated with the view that the sole purpose of Legal Education is to generate practicing lawyers. The aim of Legal Education should be to create lawyers who are comfortable and skilled in dealing with the differing legal systems and at the same time remaining strong in one's own national legal system.

An immediate challenge is to improve the quality of legal education in a vast majority of law schools in the country. A significant focus should be on developing the curriculum so that it meets the contemporary demands for legal services, recruitment of competent and committed faculty, establishing research and training centers, necessary financial support from the state, and creating necessary infrastructure, especially a well endowed library.