Bar Council of India

The Bar Council of India is a statutory body created to represent the Indian bar under the Advocates Act, 1961. It performs the regulatory function by prescribing standards of professional conduct and etiquette and by exercising disciplinary jurisdiction over the bar. The Bar Council of India also sets standards for legal education and grants recognition to Universities whose degree will serve as an essential qualification for an advocate.

Functions of Bar Council of India

Lays down standards of professional conduct and etiquette for advocates.
Determines procedure to be followed by its disciplinary committee and the disciplinary committees of each State Bar Council.
Safeguards the rights, privileges and interests of advocates.
Promotes and supports law reform.
Deals with and dispose of any matter which may be referred to it by a State Bar Council.
To promote legal education and to lay down standards of legal education. This is done in consultation with the Universities in India imparting legal education and the State Bar Councils.
To recognise Universities whose degree in law shall be a qualification for enrolment as an advocate. The Bar Council of India visits and inspects Universities, or directs the State Bar Councils to visit and inspect Universities for this purpose.
To conduct seminars and talks on legal topics by eminent jurists and publish journals and papers of legal interest.
To organise legal aid to the poor.
To recognise on a reciprocal basis, the foreign qualifications in law obtained outside India for the purpose of admission as an advocate in India.
To manage and invest the funds of the Bar Council.
To provide for the election of its members who shall run the Bar Councils.

Organisation of the Bar Council of India

As per the Advocates Act, the Bar Council of India consists of members elected from each state bar council, and the Attorney General of India and the Solicitor General of India who are ex officio members. The members from the state bar councils are elected for a period of five years.

The Chairman and Vice-Chairman are elected for a period of two years. They are assisted by the various committees of the Council, the chairman acts as the chief executive and director of the Council.

The Bar Council of India has established a Directorate of Legal Education for the purpose of organising, running, conducting, holding, and administering the following:

Continuing Legal Education
Teachers training
Advanced specialized professional courses
Education program for Indian students seeking registration after obtaining Law Degree from a Foreign University
Research on professional Legal Education and Standardization
Seminar and workshop
Legal Research
Any other assignment that may be assigned to it by the Legal Education committee and the Bar Council of India.

AIBE: All India Bar Examination

Contact Details

Bar Council of India

21, Rouse Avenue Institutional Area,

Near Bal Bhawan,

New Delhi – 110 002

Website: www.barcouncilofindia.org