Question

Which body established under the Advocates Act to regulate the minimum standards to be maintained by institutions imparting legal education in India?

• A. University Grant Council
• B. Bar Council of India
• C. Lawyers Associations
• D. State Governments

Hint:

Remember the key professional regulatory bodies in India:

\textbf{Law:} Bar Council of India (BCI)
\textbf{Medicine:} National Medical Commission (NMC)
\textbf{Engineering/Technical:} All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)
\textbf{General Higher Education:} University Grants Commission (UGC)

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Question
The question asks to identify the statutory body responsible for setting and regulating the standards of legal education in India, as established by the Advocates Act, 1961.

Step 2: Analyzing the Roles of the Bodies


(A) University Grants Commission (UGC): The UGC is the primary regulatory body for higher education in India in general, setting standards for universities. However, for professional education like law, medicine, etc., there are specific professional councils.

(B) Bar Council of India (BCI): The BCI is a statutory body created by the Advocates Act, 1961. One of its key functions, as laid down in Section 7 of the Act, is to promote legal education and to lay down standards of such education in consultation with the Universities in India and the State Bar Councils. It has the power to recognize universities whose degree in law shall be a qualification for enrolment as an advocate.

(C) Lawyers Associations: These are voluntary associations of lawyers (like the Supreme Court Bar Association) that work for the welfare of their members but do not have statutory power to regulate legal education.

(D) State Governments: They have a role in establishing and funding state universities but do not set the national minimum standards for professional legal education.


Step 3: Final Answer
The Bar Council of India (BCI) is the body responsible for regulating legal education standards under the Advocates Act. Therefore, option (B) is the correct answer.