The Supreme Court on September 8, asked the Union Government to consider setting up an expert body to examine the legal education system in India, including the existing structure and curriculum of law courses.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana made the observation while hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay.
Background
The PIL seeks the creation of a Legal Education Commission or expert committee comprising educationists, jurists, retired judges, advocates and professors to review the syllabus, curriculum and duration of LL.B. and LL.M. courses.
The petition particularly questions the five-year integrated BA-LL.B. and BBA-LL.B. programmes. It argues that the present structure places additional financial and time burdens on students and should be reconsidered in light of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The petitioner has also argued that several non-law subjects form part of the integrated courses and questioned whether the present five-year structure is necessary for legal education.
During the hearing, Upadhyay pointed out that replies had not been filed by the Union Government, the Bar Council of India and the Law Commission of India.
The Bench did not proceed with the substantive hearing of the petition. However, CJI Surya Kant stressed the importance of considering an expert mechanism for legal education.
"This is an important matter. The Union of India should consider it. This is an era of expert bodies. There should be an expert body on legal education."
The observation came against the backdrop of the petitioner's demand for an institutional review of legal education rather than merely seeking changes to individual courses.
Case Details
Case Title: Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay v. Union of India & Ors.
Case Number: W.P.(C) No. 453/2025
Judge: CJI Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana
Decision Date: September 8, 2026
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