The Legal Education - Law Commission of India

76Chapter VIIIPermissions and InspectionsPermissions:8.0 The question of maintaining standards of legal education extends toover 460 laws schools and 102 universities. Some of these law schools areuniversity schools, while others are law colleges or law schools affiliated toone or other university. Unfortunately, the Bar Council of India haspermitted law schools to be opened not only in State and districtheadquarters but also in non-district headquarters in several States. Somecities have more than 20 law colleges and some States around 40 or morelaw colleges. This was done over a decade ago. This has seriouslyaffected the quality of legal education.8.1 A large number of law colleges were permitted to be started inseveral places, by the Bar Council of India without properly consideringwhether the colleges will be able to provide the necessary infrastructureand competent staff and teachers. After their establishment, when latervarious prescriptions or standards were set by the same Bar Council ofIndia, several colleges were not able to meet the standards. It is thereforeobvious that great care has to be taken at the time of grant of permission.Today, a medical college is not sanctioned unless various items ofinfrastructure are provided – including the facility for a 300 bed hospital.We do not mean to say that conditions for establishment of medicalcolleges and law schools are comparable but nonetheless in the matter ofgrant of permission to law schools – which are intended to produce good