The Bar Council of India (BCI) has issued a public advisory warning universities across the country against conducting LL.M. (Master of Laws) and similar postgraduate law programmes through online, hybrid, blended, or distance learning modes without its prior approval. The BCI has directed an immediate suspension of such programmes, calling them unauthorised and misleading.
In a strongly worded letter addressed to the Vice-Chancellors of all universities, the BCI expressed grave concern over the growing trend of legal education being offered under varied nomenclatures such as LL.M. (Professional), Executive LL.M., and M.Sc. in Cyber Law, without requisite regulatory sanction. The Council stated that such practices are in violation of the Legal Education Rules, 2008 and 2020.
“All universities and law institutions are, therefore, advised not to advertise or conduct any LL.M. or equivalent programme through online, hybrid, blended, or part-time modes without express written approval from the BCI. Any such programme currently operational must be suspended immediately, and a compliance report must be submitted to the BCI,” the advisory said.
The advisory is based on a detailed report submitted by Justice (Retired) Rajendra Menon, Co-Chairperson of the BCI’s Legal Education Committee. The report highlighted that the use of terms like Executive LL.M. or LL.M. (Professional) is a deliberate attempt to circumvent the established statutory framework governing legal education in India.
Justice Menon’s report further revealed that several prestigious institutions had initiated such programmes without securing BCI approval. The Council has already issued show-cause notices to many national law universities, some of whom have since discontinued the courses. Notices are also being sent to the National Law Institute University (NLIU), Bhopal; IIT Kharagpur; OP Jindal Global University, Sonipat; and National Law University (NLU), Delhi for offering such unauthorised programmes.
Responding to claims by some institutions that ‘Executive’ LL.M. programmes do not fall under BCI regulation, the report firmly stated:
“These claims were found to be untenable, particularly where the protected nomenclature ‘LL.M.’ was prominently used in advertisements, brochures, and academic communications. The use of ‘LL.M.’… without parameter approval/recognition from the Bar Council of India constitutes a deliberate attempt to mislead prospective students and misappropriate the statutory and academic status associated with this qualification.”
Justice Menon has also written to the Registrar Generals of all High Courts, requesting them to ensure that no appointments, promotions, or academic decisions are made on the basis of legal qualifications not recognised by the BCI.
“The Courts may further be pleased to direct that any candidate seeking appointment or advancement on the basis of an LL.M. or related qualification must furnish confirmation from BCI that the programme was conducted in compliance with the Legal Education Rules,” the letter stated.
The BCI has clarified that unless express approval is granted under its legal education rules, any postgraduate legal degree offered in non-traditional formats will not be recognised for any academic or professional purpose.
