BCI Orders Mandatory Physical Inspections of All Law Colleges, Cracks Down on Illegal Courses
The Bar Council of India has issued a directive requiring all universities to conduct mandatory physical inspections of affiliated and constituent law colleges before granting, renewing or continuing affiliation. The regulator has also ordered universities to identify and discontinue impermissible weekend, evening, compressed and shift-based law programmes running in violation of the Rules of Legal Education, 2008.
The directions, issued through a communication dated August 4, 2026, were addressed to Vice-Chancellors, Registrars, Deans and Heads of Law Faculties. The decision follows the Andhra Pradesh High Court's judgment in All Saints Christian Education Society v. State of Andhra Pradesh, which reaffirmed that minimum standards under the rules are mandatory and must be enforced by universities.
The BCI has directed universities not to rely solely on affidavits, self-declarations or online documents. Instead, institution-specific physical verification covering every course, section, campus and premises must be undertaken, including verification of ownership, title deeds, building plans, occupancy certificates and separate classrooms for each section.
