COVID-19: BCI allows law universities to conduct physical examination

NEW DELHI: The Bar Council of India (BCI) has allowed law universities to conduct physical examination by giving an option to students, who are unable or unwilling to appear till the COVID-19 pandemic is averted, to take the exam again after physical reopening of the varsities.

The BCI, the regulator of law education in the country, on Sunday also clarified that the students who appear but are unable to clear the exam will also get a chance to reappear in the fresh exams.

The exams will have to be held with a No Objection Certificate (NOC) of the state government and State Disaster Management Authority, it said.

"It is observed by the Council (General Council of the BCI) that if physical exams as contemplated by the University is held with effect from November 2 and if the said exams are held without any penal consequences to any student who is unable to appear in the said exam, no student shall be prejudiced or affected and they will get an opportunity to appear in the exam again after physical reopening of the college/university," the BCI said in a press release.

It provided an option "to Universities/Centres of Legal Education to conduct physical examination with the NOC of the state government and State Disaster Management Authority, by giving the option to such law students who are unable and/or unwilling to appear in such physical exams till the COVID-19 pandemic is averted, and having appeared therein, who are/is unable to clear such exam, to appear in the re-appear exam after physical reopening of the University/Centres of Legal Education".

Considering that the pandemic still persists with no early respite from it in sight, the Council resolved that examination for all intermediary along with final year law students and classes too may be held online, if the universities and law colleges are able to hold it online, and if adequate infrastructure and other facilities for students are available.

"It is further resolved that if online exam is so conducted and any student is unable to take it, or having appeared therein, is unable to pass such exam/subject paper, such student shall be entitled to take the reappear exam/paper whenever it is held preferably within one month of physical re-opening of the universities and college after the pandemic is averted," it said.