New Delhi, Aug. 6 -- In a sweeping move aimed at tightening the quality of legal education across the country, the Bar Council of India (BCI) has directed all universities imparting legal education to conduct mandatory physical inspections of every affiliated and constituent law college before granting, renewing or continuing affiliation.

The regulator has also ordered universities to identify and discontinue impermissible weekend, evening, compressed and shift-based law programmes that are being run in violation of the Rules of Legal Education, 2008.

The directions were issued through a communication dated August 4, 2026, addressed to Vice-Chancellors, Registrars, Deans and Heads of Law Faculties across the country.

According to the B...