Several Law Colleges in Kerala Functioning Without BCI Affiliation, GLC Kozhikode Informs Kerala High Court
Pranav B Prem
The Government Law College, Kozhikode (GLC Kozhikode) has informed the Kerala High Court that a number of law colleges across the State are functioning without Bar Council of India (BCI) accreditation. The submission was made in the pending petition titled “Muhammed Anwar Saidu v Bar Council of India & Ors.”, in which the alleged lapse of approval for the 5-year integrated BBA LLB (Hons) programme offered by GLC Kozhikode has come under judicial scrutiny.
The written note was filed in response to the plea of a law graduate who completed the five-year course from GLC Kozhikode and later realized that the BCI’s recognition for the programme had expired in 2011. His grievance arose when the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) in Canada refused to recognize his degree on the ground that it was not considered a qualifying law degree under NCA standards. Taking the submission on record, Justice VG Arun adjourned the matter to December 8 for further consideration.
The petitioner contends that the official data published by the BCI shows that approval for GLC Kozhikode’s integrated programme was valid only until the academic year 2011. However, admissions, examinations and issuance of degree certificates continued uninterrupted under the University of Calicut, without fresh BCI affiliation being granted. At an earlier stage of the proceedings, the Court had directed the BCI to file its response to the petition.
In the meantime, GLC Kozhikode filed a detailed statement outlining its version of events. The College asserted that it shifted from BA LLB to the integrated BBA LLB (Hons) course based on directions from the University of Calicut and in compliance with the BCI Legal Education Rules, 2008. It further stated that since 2012, the institution has been repeatedly communicating with the BCI seeking inspection and renewal of affiliation. According to the statement, a BCI inspection team visited the campus in 2016, examined academic and infrastructural facilities, interacted with students and even expressed appreciation for adherence to the standards required for affiliation. However, no follow-up communication was received from the BCI despite multiple reminders by post, email and telephone.
GLC Kozhikode added that in January this year, the BCI directed the college to remit ₹18.5 lakh as default fee and ₹5 lakh as guarantee fee, which the college paid, although no acknowledgment or receipt was issued in return. It also recorded that a sum exceeding ₹24 lakh had been previously remitted towards inspection charges, which similarly remained unacknowledged by the BCI.
The statement further noted that after the current principal assumed charge, the college initiated the online registration process for affiliation as soon as the BCI portal became operational in May 2025. Although the registration was completed successfully for the 3-year LLB course, technical difficulties on the portal prevented the completion of the process for the 5-year BBA LLB (Hons) course.
Significantly, the College underscored that the absence of renewed BCI affiliation is not confined to GLC Kozhikode. According to its submission, the Government Law Colleges at Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram, along with “several other legal education centres in the State”, are also awaiting BCI inspection and approval. It highlighted that students aspiring for higher education abroad are particularly affected and urged the BCI to expedite the renewal process, stating that “The students of these other colleges, who intend to pursue higher studies in foreign universities would also suffer due to the absence of affiliation by the BCI for the respective colleges.”
When the matter came up on December 2, counsel for the petitioner sought interim relief, requesting a direction to the BCI to issue an equivalency certificate. The Court, however, orally suggested that the petitioner first submit a representation before the BCI before seeking further orders. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on December 8. The petitioner was represented by Advocates S Rajeev, V Vinay, MS Aneer, Sarath KP, Anilkumar CR, KS Kiran Krishnan, Dipa V, Akash Cherian Thomas and Azad Sunil, while Standing Counsel Rajit appeared for the BCI.
