The Bar Council of India (BCI) has instructed law colleges and universities to promote all law students, except those in final year, based on their previous year’s marks and the marks scored in internal examination of the current year.
The BCI is a statutory body that regulates legal practice and legal education in India. This decision was taken in its general council meeting held on May 24.
Letter Sent to Vice-chancellors and Registrars
In a letter sent to vice-chancellors, registrars, principals, deans and head of departments of all institutions of legal education of the country, BCI secretary Srimanto Sen laid down the fresh guidelines for promotion of law students to the next year and the criteria for law exams amid the Covid-19 crisis.
BCI has instructed that the final year students of 3 year and 5 years law courses may be allowed to appear for online examinations. However, it has instructed the universities to adopt an alternative strategy for conducting exams for those students who would be unable to avail the online exams for any reasons.
End Semester Exams Within a month of Reopening
The BCI has instructed institutions to promote the intermediate semester students, on the basis of performancesin the previous years and the internal examinations of the current year. The universities have been directed to conduct the end semester exams, within a month of reopening of the college.
BCI has stresses on the fact that it expects universities to adhere to COVID-19 protocol and ensure that the norms of social distancing are followed on campus. All classrooms and exam halls are to be sanitized regularly.