New Delhi, March 16 The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear in April a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking the establishment of a Legal Education Commission to reform the legal education system and provide for a four-year LL.B instead of a five-year course after Class 12.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi took note of the submissions made by advocate and PIL petitioner Ashwini Upadhyay, who sought the constitution of a commission of eminent jurists to review and frame the syllabus for legal studies in India.
Upadhyay, in a PIL filed through lawyer Ashwani Dubey, said that in several countries, an LL.B course after Class 12 is four years, and that in India, it spans for five years without practical knowledge.
Upadhyay said the commission should comprise leading jurists and experts who could review the existing framework of legal education and design a more effective curriculum.
He contended that the current five-year integrated law programme was failing to attract the best talent and needed structural reforms.
“Teaching legal education is one issue and the quality of legal education is another issue. But this PIL is good. But the best talent is coming...one reservation can be about practical learning. The pioneer of the 5-year course was not the NSLIU Bangalore but MD University at Rohtak (Haryana),” the CJI said.
Sharing his own experience, the CJI said the first batch from Rohtak was in “1982 or 1983. When I passed out, it was already the third batch or so”.
“But, the judiciary is not the only stakeholder. We cannot thrust our views. Academicians are there, jurists, bar, social and policy researchers etc...They should also deliberate. List this in April, 2026,” the CJI said.