Bar Council of India to digitise accreditation process

The law colleges may have to upload information required for renewal of recognition or any change in the intake, online henceforth. The colleges will have to upload videos so as to enable the Council to evaluate the institution on satisfying the minimum criteria. The move will ease the work load for the Council as hundreds of colleges apply for accreditation.

A senior member of the BCI told Deccan Herald that the Council is planning to set up a separate portal for colleges to upload requisite information. The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has also introduced online application system this year.

However, several discrepancies have cropped up in the new online mode. Unlike AICTE, the Bar Council will not implement the online process at one go. Initially, the colleges will have to upload both a hard copy of the documents as well as furnish documents online to get familiar with the new system.

Earlier this year, the BCI had announced a series of reforms for law schools across the country. From using technology in legal education to standardisation of academic calendar, the Council enlisted a series of reforms for 900 odd law colleges in the country.

The Council had published a revised list of requirements for law schools emphasising minimum requirements of infrastructure, teaching and other basic facilities of learning. Periodical inspections of law schools are also one of the core elements of the reforms mooted by BCI.  

The first ever All India Bar Examination will be held on December 5. The test will assess an advocate's ability to practice law in the country. Further, the Legal Education Committee of the Council has asked all the law schools/colleges to submit report on their compliance with Legal Education Rules, 2008.

Registration date extended

The Bar Council of India has extended the registration of All India Bar Examination till October 31, this year. The decision is an outcome of requests from law students across the country, the Council stated. The move will enable students, who are yet to receive certificates from law schools or awaiting enrolment at a State Bar Council, greater time to register for the examination.

Log on to www.barcouncilofindia.org for updates. The first ever All India Bar Examination will be held on December 5.