New Delhi, February 5: Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal confirmed that only graduates from evening LL.B. courses in the 1999-2000 academic year or earlier are eligible to practice law, as per Bar Council of India (BCI) rules.

Responding to a query in the Rajya Sabha, Meghwal clarified that LL.B. degrees earned through evening classes after 1999-2000 are not recognized for legal practice.

He added that the BCI has not recognized evening, part-time, or online LL.B. programs since 2000-2001, following the introduction of the 1999 Rules of Legal Education. Under these rules, law degrees must be full-time, requiring classroom attendance between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.

In another response, Meghwal highlighted the government’s efforts to strengthen Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms, particularly through the India International Arbitration Centre, established under the India International Arbitration Centre Act, 2019. The Centre has been conducting workshops and seminars to enhance awareness and provide training on arbitration.