- Incorporation of Emerging Legal Subjects in University Curricula.
New Delhi, August 2, 2024 — The Bar Council of India has issued a circular to all Universities and Centres of Legal Education, requesting the inclusion of new subjects such as blockchains, electronic discovery, cybersecurity, robotics, artificial intelligence, and bioethics in their curricula.
The Bar Council of India (BCI) is mandated to advance and establish the standards of legal education in the nation. The Legal Education Rules, 2008 stipulate the essential minimum standards and prerequisites for legal education in India. The BCI regularly revises and enhances the curriculum to ensure its contemporary and comprehensive nature, effectively catering to the evolving requirements of the legal profession. The BCI encourages law schools to integrate burgeoning legal domains such as Intellectual Property Law, Cyber Law, and Environmental Law into their program. Furthermore, the BCI has introduced clinical legal education to enhance the practical aspects of law courses, encompassing internships, moot courts, and legal aid clinics, facilitating students’ acquisition of sensible expertise and skills in a real-world context. Aligning with the vision of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, the BCI has issued a directive to all Universities and Centers of Legal Education, stipulating the inclusion of subjects like blockchain, electronic discovery, cybersecurity, robotics, Artificial Intelligence, bioethics, in addition to the newly enacted criminal laws: Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023; Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023; and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023, in their educational framework. The BCI remains mindful that the curriculum of law courses in India retains its comprehensiveness, practicality, and relevance to the legal profession, ensuring that graduates are adeptly equipped to confront contemporary legal challenges.
The Bar Council of India (BCI) plays a pivotal role as the regulatory authority responsible for upholding the standards of legal education. It has issued multiple circulars to State Governments and Universities, emphasizing the meticulous scrutiny of applications from new law colleges prior to the granting of NOCs and affiliations. Colleges found to have deficiencies in meeting the standards of legal education are not approved for affiliation. Additionally, the BCI has established a High-Level Committee, chaired by a former Chief Justice of a High Court, to identify any Centers of Legal Education (CLEs) that fail to comply with the prescribed infrastructural, faculty, library, and other requirements outlined in the Rules of Legal Education. Surprise inspections of these CLEs, conducted without their knowledge, are employed for this purpose. Subsequently, the BCI conducts rigorous inspections based on the findings of the High-Powered Surprise Inspection Committee.
Source: Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India
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