News
On 13 August 2026, the Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairman briefly barred all 2026-batch graduates of NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, from enrolling as advocates, after a student campaign opposed Chief Justice of India Surya Kant's invitation to their convocation. The BCI's full council withdrew the order within hours the same day, allowing all graduates to enrol, and has asked NALSAR's Vice-Chancellor for an inquiry report on who organised the campaign, with further action due by 19 August 2026.
About the Bar Council of India (BCI)
- The BCI is the apex statutory body regulating the legal profession and legal education in India, set up under the Advocates Act, 1961.
- Composition: one elected member from each State Bar Council, plus the Attorney General and Solicitor General of India as ex-officio members.
- Functions: sets standards of professional conduct, accredits law universities, conducts the All India Bar Examination (AIBE), and hears disciplinary appeals from State Bar Councils.
- Significance: because enrolment requires BCI-recognised qualifications, the BCI effectively controls entry into legal practice across India — which is why even a brief enrolment bar draws scrutiny.
About NALSAR University of Law
- What It Is: A National Law University at Shamirpet, Hyderabad, established in 1998 as one of India's premier institutions for legal education, admitting students nationally through CLAT.
- Standing: Ranked 3rd among Indian law schools in the NIRF 2025 rankings, among the country's most prestigious National Law Universities.
- Why It Matters Here: With only around 132 seats a year, its graduating batch is small enough that a single enrolment order — even a brief one — affects nearly every student in that year's cohort at once.