On 24-9-2024, the Bar Council of India (‘BCI’) mandated implementation of criminal background checks, declaration regarding simultaneous degree or regular academic programs, disclosure of employment status, attendance compliance and biometric attendance and installation of CCTV cameras in all centers of legal education (‘CLE’).
Key Points:
-
Need:
-
To monitor the antecedents and backgrounds of law students;
-
To ensure transparency and accountability in attendance.
-
-
Criminal Background Check:
-
Law students should have clean criminal records to uphold the ethical standards of the legal profession.
-
Such information has to be reported to BCI via email at bciinfo21@gmail.com with subject line- Criminal Background Check Report at (Name of CLE).
-
CLE will have to wait for the BCI’s decision before issuing the final marksheet and degree.
-
Law students need to disclose the following before the issuance of their final marksheets and degrees:
-
Ongoing FIR;
-
Criminal case;
-
Conviction;
-
Acquittal.
-
-
-
Simultaneous Degree and/or regular academic programs:
-
Students are prohibited from pursuing more than 1 regular degree program simultaneously as per Rules of Legal Education;
-
Any student who violates this rule will not be issued the final marksheet and degree;
-
Exceptions- students can pursue short-term, part-time certificate courses in areas such language/ computer applications/ programs offered through distance learning.
-
-
Employment Status and Attendance Compliance:
-
Students cannot get engaged in any job unless they had obtained a valid No Objection Certificate (‘NOC’);
-
Such information has to be reported to BCI via email at bciinfo21@gmail.com with subject line- Student of (CLE) Employment/ Vocation Status During LL.B. Degree Course.
-
In case, the law student fails to get NOC and fails to inform BCI, he will be not enrolled in BCI.
-
-
Biometric Attendance and CCTV Surveillance:
-
It will ensure accurate monitoring of student attendance.
-
The recordings from these cameras must be preserved for 1 year.
-
-
Duties of CLEs:
-
To conduct a thorough criminal background check before issuing the final marksheets and degrees.
-
Every CLE is expected to comply with these directions immediately.
-
In case of failure of enforcing these mandates, institutions will face disciplinary actions, including derecognition or disapproval of affiliation by BCI.
-
-
Students who fail to disclose/ comply with the above-mentioned directions will experience academic and legal consequences.
-
An undertaking must be submitted by the students, before issuance of final marksheets and degrees, that confirms compliance with criminal background disclosure, simultaneous degree rules, employment status and attendance norms.
