MP High Court Dismisses Plea Challenging BCI's Decision Restricting Internships To Vacation Period Of Colleges

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has dismissed the plea by a law student challenging a Circular issued by the Bar Council of India informing that students can only take internship during the vacation of Universities/Colleges.

The bench of Justice Rohit Arya and Justice Milind Ramesh Phadke observed that the decision of BCI is in aid of the law students who will not have to sacrifice their academic sessions, for the purposes of completion of the internship.

"If law students are required to undergo internship when the academic session is not on, no exception thereto can be taken. Instead, it is in aid of the law students who will not have to sacrifice their academic sessions, for the purposes of completion of the internship.", the bench observed.

The petitioner-law student had appeared in person whereas Deputy Solicitor General Praveen Newaskar appeared for Union of India.

The Circular dated September 11, 2014 issued by the Bar Council of India was addressed to the Registrar of all the Universities imparting legal education, Principals of all Law Colleges and the Secretaries of all the State Bar Councils.

Under the said circular, it has been informed that students can only take internship during the vacation (academics ession is not on), therefore, Universities/Colleges have been directed that henceforth they should send their students for internship to the law firms, Senior Advocates only when there is a vacation of Universities/Colleges.

Upon perusal of the aforesaid circular, the Court noted that the submission advanced is misplaced and misdirected.

The Court observed that even if the said circular is tested on the anvil of Article 14 of the Constitution of India then also it is found to be in conformity thereof.

Thus the Court dismissed the petition for being devoid of substance.

Cause Title- Abhishek Sharma v. Bar Council of India & Anr.

Click here to read/download the Order