The Bar Council of India (BCI) has released the official notification for the Rules of Legal Education, Moratorium (Three-Year Moratorium) with respect
to Centers of Legal Education, 2025. As per the official announcement, no new Center of Legal Education will be established or granted approval anywhere in India, during the moratorium period. Additionally, no existing law colleges will also not be allowed to introduce any new section, course, or batch without the prior written and express approval of the BCI. However, all the pending applications that have not received final approval as on the commencement date will not be affected by this notice. "During the moratorium period, no new Center of Legal Education will be established or granted approval anywhere in India. Further, no existing Center of Legal Education may introduce any new section, course, or batch without the prior written and express approval of the BCI. All such proposals, if considered at all, will be subjected to strict scrutiny and ongoing compliance reviews. Pending applications that have not received final approval as on the commencement date will not be affected and shall be processed in accordance with law," the notification stated. BCI states that this step has been taken "to arrest the decline in quality across segments of legal education, evidenced by the unchecked mushrooming of sub-standard institutions, routine issuance of NOCs by State Government and affiliations by Universities without proper inspection, and to prevent the commercialization of legal education, widespread academic malpractice, and persistent shortages of qualified faculty." The Council has also advised Universities, State Governments, Central Government entities and other institutions to not submit or forward proposals to establish new Centers of Legal Education during the moratorium.
BCI also added that the "Council will review the operation and impact of the Regulation annually and may extend, modify, or repeal it based on evolving circumstances and policy considerations, with the aim of continuously improving and safeguarding standards of legal education."
