The Bar Council of India (BCI) has announced that it has abolished the one-year post-graduation course in law or LL.M. As per the announcement, the council makes it mandatory for law students to complete an LLB degree (three-year LLB or five-year LLB) for pursuing an LLM course, which will be of two-year duration.
The council has also announced that a Post Graduate Common Entrance Test in Law will be conducted for admission to LLM courses offered by the universities and colleges.
The one-year LLM course, which was introduced in 2013, will be scrapped. In the current academic year, one-year LLM will remain valid, but from next year, it will not be offered in any university in the country. The LLM course will be of two-year duration, and it will be spread across four semesters.
Check out the new rules here
Eligibility: Candidates who have completed three-year LLB or five-year integrated LLB with minimum marks prescribed by the Bar Council of India.
Masters Degree: Master’s degree in any specialized branch of law that is offered in an open system will not be considered as an LLM degree if the student has not completed LLB/BA LLB. However, it can be designated in any other manner to attract the immediate attention of anyone.
All India Common Entrance Test: The council may conduct a Post Graduate Common Entrance Test in Law (PGCETL) for admissions to a Masters degree in Law. As of now, the universities may follow their current system of LLM admissions. However, once the council starts conducting PGCETL, it will become mandatory for all universities to give admission on the basis of the PGCETL merit list. The students will have to share their PGCETL scores with the university while applying for admission. The merit list will be prepared after considering the prevalent classification followed for giving reservation.
LLM from a foreign university: The LLM degree obtained from a foreign university will be considered equivalent to LLM obtained in India only if the degree is obtained after completing LLB from any Indian or foreign university recognized in India. The notification adds that a one-year LLM degree obtained from any foreign university will not be considered equivalent to an LLM degree obtained in India.
Para-legal/Court management Courses: BCI Trust may conduct para-legal and technology and court management courses of suitable duration facilitating para-legal works and court-management to cover updated education and training.
However, A one-year LLM degree obtained from a highly accredited foreign university after completing LLB may make one eligible to be appointed as a visiting professor in any Indian University. The one-year LLM along with one-year experience as a visiting professor can be taken together to make it equivalent to a master’s degree in Law.
In addition to the above, the council has also notified rules regarding educational up-gradation and efficiency enhancement, and professional education. It plans to introduce two professional efficiency enhancement continuing education courses only for Advocates, who are enrolled with any State Bar Council.
