BCI writes Center for Legal Education in India to conduct online classes to cover syllabus

A letter is issued to All the Vice- Chancellors’, Deans’, Principals’, Centre of legal Education by Bar council of India , clarifying that its General Council in consultation with its Legal Education Committee has resolved unanimously that online classes should be hold on every legal institutions for covering the entire syllabus and academic discipline as far as practicable during the lockdown period.

Secretary of Bar Council of India Srimanto Sen said that it is in everyone’s knowledge that Covid-19 pandemic has overtaken the whole world and normal routine in every field of life. All educational institutions are closed after imposition of lockdown in the country, . Centres of Legal Education are no exception where all activities associated with holding of class room lectures, clinical education protocol, practical training programs and all ancillary activities have taken a big hit and brought to a grinding halt.

Therefore, with regard to certain queries by some of the Vice-Chancellors/ Principals/Deans of some Institutions BCI would like to clarify that the General Council of Bar Council of India in consultation with its Legal Education Committee has resolved that keeping in view the overall interest of legal education and students, all Centres of Legal Educations shall hold online classes covering the entire syllabus and academic discipline as far as practicable.

Since computer education is a compulsory protocol as per Rule-9(a)(b) of Schedule-III of Rules of Legal Education-2008, each student should be supposed fit to comprehend and follow the system of online classes.

Therefore, everyone should note that decision of Bar Council of India for online classes is now the decision through a unanimous resolution passed by meeting of the Council through Video Conferencing/Social Media. Bar Council of India shall take into consideration the implication of loss of class room lectures and practical training and clinical legal education programs at an appropriate time and issue necessary instructions in this regard.

It also said that all Centres of Legal Educations shall hold special extra classes and undertake desired activities once the lockdown is lifted to make-up for the loss of normal classes and clinical education activities. Also, it has further been resolved that all Centre of Legal Education shall submit a detailed action taken report in compliance of this circular, preferably, before the 10th May, 2020.

Bar Council expressed its earnest hope in the circular that the directions contained in this circular shall be followed in letter and spirit. Bar Council of India also acknowledged with great degree of appreciation the fact that all NLUs and many Centres of Legal Education are taking online classes in their pursuit to maintain and achieve high level and standard of legal education and put forward their expectation that the same spirit will be shown from all Centres of Legal Educations