Foreign Law Degree Holders Have To Pass BCI's Qualifying Exam To Practice In India, Even If They Have Cleared Bridge Course: Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court has rejected a challenge to the Bar Council of India's 2024 notification requiring Indian citizens with foreign law degrees to take a qualifying examination to be eligible for enrolment in India. The petitioner challenged the notification issued by BCI on November 11, scheduling the '21st Qualifying Examination for Indian Nationals Holding Foreign Law Degrees'.The petitioner's grievance is that despite clearing two examinations conducted by two BCI-recognised universities, she is being compelled to appear for an additional Qualifying Examination. BCI argued that the petitioner was explicitly informed about the requirement to appear for the Qualifying Examination in the bar body's letter of October 26, 2021, which granted her permission to undergo the bridge course. The petitioner relied on Karan Dhananjaya vs. Bar Council of India & Others 469), where the Karnataka High Court based on a 2023 BCI notification directed the Karnataka State Bar Council to enroll a foreign law degree holder who completed 2 years of Bridge Course on its rolls, without insisting for any other qualifying examinations other than AIBE.