Higher education bill will not impact Bar councils power

Updated on: Wednesday, March 28, 2012

HRD Ministry made it clear that present powers and functions of the  Bar council with respect to legal education will not be affected by the proposed legislation, amid opposition from BCI to the Higher Education and Research Bill,

The Ministry said the Bar Council of India (BCI) shall have the powers to lay down minimum standards for grant of degrees leading to professional practices.
 
Ministry officials said an overall consensus was arrived on these issues following a meeting between the bar council and HRD Ministry chaired by Kapil Sibal.

Certain provisions of the proposed bill were contended by BCI to have an adverse effect on the autonomous functioning of the body as well as of the universities providing legal education.
 
The bill proposes to create an overarching body in the higher education sector subsuming several other bodies including the UGC and AICTE.
 
Officials said BCI shall be the designated accredited agency with respect to evaluation of minimum standards and also have the powers to determine fees to be charged from institutes for the purpose of accreditation.
 
There was also a consensus that the council shall follow norms and process of accreditation as set out by the government or by appropriate statutory authority.
 
BCI, the apex body representing 1.7 million lawyers in India, had earlier submitted a memorandum to Sibal drawing his attention towards certain provisions of the draft Bill which are not acceptable to them.

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