On 28-6-2025, the Bar Council of India (‘BCI’) issued Notice on LL.M. Programmes via Online/Distance, compliance directive, addressed to all Law Universities/Departments targeting LL.M. programmes offered through online, distance, hybrid, or blended modes, declared unauthorised by BCI.
Key Points:
- This Directive follows an urgent communication, dated 25-6-2025 between Hon’ble Mr. Justice Rajendra Menon, Co-chairman, Standing Committee on Legal Education of the BCI and Registrar General of all High Courts.
- Based on statutory power to regulate legal education, BCI issued a notice to clearly state that no Law University/institution is permitted to offer LL.M. degrees through online-only, distance, or hybrid learning modes.
- Offering LL.M. degrees by Universities through non-traditional means, is in strict contravention of S. 7(1)(h) and S. 49(1)(af) of Advocates Act, 1961.
- These courses were reportedly launched by Universities/Institutions without any prior approvals from the Legal Education committee or BCI, thereby violating Article 141 of the Constitution of India.
- BCI reaffirmed its role as the exclusive authority in regulating both LL.B. and LL.M. programmes and termed these unauthorised offerings a serious breach of the legal education framework.
- The directive draws on key Supreme Court decisions, specifically in Vinit Garg v. UGC (2021) 12 SCC 416 and Odisha Lift Irrigation Corp ltd. v. Rabi Sankar Patro (2018) 1 SCC 468, prohibiting professional programmes through online means without prior regulatory approval.
- Following the issuance of the notice, several Universities have withdrawn such programmes, while many have justified their programmes under National Educational Policy (‘NEP’) 2020.
- BCI has firmly stated that institutional autonomy or course-level innovation cannot supersede the regulatory framework laid down by statutory authorities.
- It has also prohibited the use of misleading nomenclature such as ‘LL.M. (Professional)’, ‘Executive LL.M.’, or equivalents like ‘M.Sc. in Cyber Law’, unless explicitly approved.
- The Council has expressed its concern that many executive programmes are being marketed to non-law students, undermining the fundamental purpose legal education.
- The notice mandates that all law institutions strictly comply with the directive and submit a formal compliance report to the BCI.
- As part of enforcement, BCI has issued show-cause notices and initiated proceedings against several leading institutions found in breach of the Legal Education Rules, including:
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NLIU Bhopal
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IIT Kharagpur
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O.P. Jindal Global University
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NLU Delhi
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- To reinforce regulatory discipline, all High Courts have been requested to uphold BCI’s stance by ensuring that no judicial appointment, promotion, or academic decision relies on LL.M. degrees lacking BCI approval.
- Courts have been advised to require candidates to present official compliance verification from BCI in accordance with the Legal Education Rules (2008 and 2020).
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The BCI, following its communication on 25-6-2025, intends to take strict regulatory actions against any violations of this directive.
