More than a hundred law graduates from a private college in Gujarat’s Amreli district are struggling to begin their legal careers after their institution lost recognition from the Bar Council, leaving students caught in a dispute they say is no fault of their own.
The affected students studied at Sardar Patel Law College in Babra taluka, a private institution established in 2016 and affiliated with Saurashtra University. The trouble began when the college failed to pay mandatory inspection and affiliation fees to the Bar Council of India (BCI), resulting in the council refusing to renew its accreditation.
Under BCI rules, law graduates must pass the All India Bar Examination (AIBE) to receive a Certificate of Practice, which allows them to work as advocates. However, only students from BCI-recognised colleges are eligible to appear for the exam and receive the final certificate — even if they clear the test.
As Sardar Patel Law College was not recognised during the relevant period, students who completed their LLB degrees in 2023 and 2024 now find themselves unable to obtain their certificates. Several students who passed their exams earlier, in 2022 as well, are also affected.
In 2023, the Bar Council made it mandatory for law colleges to pay an annual inspection fee of Rs. 3.5 lakh for continued accreditation. Colleges with unpaid dues from previous years were also penalised. According to students, Sardar Patel Law College accumulated arrears running into several lakhs of rupees but failed to clear them, leading to the cancellation of its accreditation.
The situation worsened when the college also lost its affiliation with Saurashtra University, resulting in its exclusion from the 2025 admission process. While fresh admissions were halted, the damage had already been done for students who had completed their degrees in earlier years.
For many graduates, the consequences have been severe. More than 100 students who passed their LLB in 2023 and 2024 are unable to obtain their Certificate of Practice and therefore cannot start legal practice. “We completed our studies, passed our exams and followed all the rules, but we are being punished for the college’s mistakes,” said one affected student.
Some students approached the court last year, following which an interim order allowed them to submit forms for the bar examination. Based on this order, they were issued provisional enrolment numbers. Around 60 to 70 students appeared for the exam and cleared it.
However, their relief was short-lived. Despite passing the examination, these students have still not received their certificates. The State Bar Council, acting on directions from the Bar Council of India, has withheld the certificates due to the college’s failure to pay outstanding fees.
Others were not even permitted to appear for the exam. Several students said they had paid the examination fees but were barred from filling out the forms, leaving them stuck without any clear path forward.
Students argue that while the college and regulatory authorities are locked in a financial and administrative dispute, their careers have been placed on hold. Many are now demanding that the Bar Council find a solution that protects students who completed their education in good faith.
“This is not about shortcuts or exemptions,” said another graduate. “We just want a fair chance to practice law after doing everything that was required of us.”
As matters stand, the future of these young law graduates remains uncertain, highlighting the far-reaching impact of institutional lapses on students’ lives and careers.
Also Read: Law Colleges In A Quandary As They Await Renewal Permission https://www.vibesofindia.com/law-colleges-in-a-quandary-as-they-await-renewal-permission/
