BCI against Centre's Higher Education and Research Bill

Updated on: Wednesday, May 02, 2012

The Bar Council of India (BCI) opposed the Centre's proposed law for regulating legal education saying the HRD Ministry wants to usurp the power of the apex body of lawyers to make entry of foreign institutions and law firms easier.
  
The BCI threatened to launch a nation-wide protest against the Higher Education and Research Bill, which seeks to establish the National Commission on Higher Education and Research (NCHER), an overarching body to regulate university education including legal eduction.
  
"The BCI has convened its emergent meeting on May 4 to discuss the future course of action and if need be, the lawyers all over the country would organise protests in Delhi and all state headquarters to show their solidarity on this issue," newly elected BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra said in a statement.
  
He said the "legal fraternity is not at all going to tolerate these anti-people and anti-lawyer bills" and "the BCI and the State Bar Councils shall not allow the HRD Ministry to usurp any of the functions of these bodies, provided under the Advocates Act 1961."
  
The legal education and profession is currently being regulated by the BCI.
  
The BCI has also opposed the Bill on the ground that it is against the federal structure of the Constitution and gives a complete monopoly to the HRD Ministry in the matters of education.

More Education news