UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — SC to examine BCI’s power to regulate legal education

Question 1

In the regulatory vocabulary of the Bar Council of India, the expression 'Centre of Legal Education' denotes which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

An institution approved by the Bar Council of India to run a law degree programme qualifying its graduates for enrolment

Answer

An academy set up by a State Bar Council to impart continuing education to advocates already on its roll

Answer

A committee constituted by the Bar Council of India to design and periodically revise the curriculum of law courses

Answer

A directorate of the Bar Council of India that conducts and administers the All India Bar Examination for law graduates

Question 2

The function of promoting legal education and laying down standards of such education, in consultation with the Universities and the State Bar Councils, is conferred on the Bar Council of India by which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

Sections 7(1)(h) and 7(1)(i) of the Advocates Act, 1961, which enumerate the functions of the Bar Council of India

Answer

Section 4 of the Advocates Act, 1961, which provides for the constitution of the Bar Council of India

Answer

Part IV of the Bar Council of India Rules, which deals with the standards of legal education and recognition

Answer

Section 49(1)(ah) of the Advocates Act, 1961, which empowers the Bar Council of India to frame examination rules

Question 3

Consider the following statements comparing two Parliamentary Standing Committee reports on legal education:
1. The 2016 report held that the Bar Council of India had gone beyond the Advocates Act, 1961 in establishing the Curriculum Development Committee and the Directorate of Legal Education.
2. The 2024 report proposed a National Council for Legal Education and Research under a proposed Higher Education Commission, while confining the Bar Council of India's authority to basic eligibility for the Bar.
3. Unlike the 2016 report, the 2024 report found the Bar Council of India's inspection of law colleges to be entirely effective and recommended that approvals for new law colleges be maximised.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

1 and 3 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1, 2 and 3

Question 4

The 2016 Parliamentary Standing Committee report on the promotion of legal education under the Advocates Act, 1961 identified bodies or arrangements of the Bar Council of India as lacking statutory authorisation and recommended that they be given a statutory basis by amending the Act. How many such bodies did it so identify?

Accepted Answer

Three

Answer

Two

Answer

Four

Answer

Five

Question 5

With reference to the writ petition on which the Supreme Court issued notice in September 2026 concerning the Bar Council of India, consider the following:
1. It concerns law institutions in Goa and Andhra Pradesh created under arrangements involving the BCI Trust PEARL-First and the respective State governments.
2. It seeks independent scrutiny of PEARL-First's financial dealings with the Bar Council of India and of appointments in the Council and associated institutions.
3. The Court's notice also covers the functioning of PEARL-First and the conduct of the Bar Council of India's ongoing electoral process.
4. The Court simultaneously set aside the establishment of the law university in Goa and transferred its management to the Union Ministry of Education.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

Accepted Answer

1, 2 and 3 only

Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

2, 3 and 4 only

Answer

1, 3 and 4 only

Question 6

The petition questioning the Bar Council of India's institutional association with law universities was taken up in September 2026 by which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant

Answer

A two-judge Bench headed by Justice Joymalya Bagchi

Answer

A three-judge Bench headed by Justice V. Mohana

Answer

A five-judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant

Question 7

Consider the following propositions attributed to Supreme Court rulings or directions concerning the Bar Council of India in 2026:
1. The Bar Council of India has no statutory authority to take disciplinary action against law students before they enrol as advocates, such control resting with their university or institution.
2. Until the statutory process of reconstituting the Bar Council of India is completed, the Attorney General for India and the Solicitor General are to participate in its policy decisions.
3. The Bar Council of India was directed to audit the disciplinary mechanism applicable to advocates.
4. The conduct of the All India Bar Examination was taken away from the Bar Council of India and entrusted to the National Testing Agency.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

Accepted Answer

1, 2 and 3 only

Answer

1 and 4 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1, 3 and 4 only

Question 8

In Gaurav Kumar v. Union of India, the Supreme Court held that State Bar Councils cannot have unbridled power to fix the fee payable at the time of admission on their rolls, because of the express legislative policy contained in which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

Section 24(1)(f) of the Advocates Act, 1961

Answer

Sections 7(1)(h) and (i) of the Advocates Act, 1961

Answer

Section 49(1)(ah) of the Advocates Act, 1961

Answer

Part IV of the Bar Council of India Rules, 1975

Question 9

Consider the following statements regarding the enrolment of advocates and the All India Bar Examination:
1. The All India Bar Examination is conducted by the Bar Council of India, and candidates who clear it are issued a Certificate of Practice.
2. The fee chargeable at the time of admission on the roll of a State Bar Council is controlled by the legislative policy in Section 24(1)(f) of the Advocates Act, 1961.
3. A law student may be admitted to the roll of a State Bar Council before obtaining a law degree, provided the All India Bar Examination has been cleared.
4. Disciplinary jurisdiction over a law student who has not yet been enrolled as an advocate vests in the Bar Council of India.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

Accepted Answer

3 and 4

Answer

1 and 2

Answer

2 and 3

Answer

4 only

Question 10

Consider the following statements about National Law Universities in India:
1. The National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, was the model on which a Chief Justices' Conference committee (1993) and the All India Law Ministers' Conference (1995) recommended a law school in each State.
2. Every National Law University is established by an Act of Parliament and is declared an institution of national importance.
3. National Law Universities have been established through the respective State enactments, and the Central Government has no role in their establishment.
4. The 2016 Parliamentary Standing Committee recommended that all National Law Universities be placed under the exclusive administrative control of the Bar Council of India, ending State legislative involvement.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

Accepted Answer

2 and 4

Answer

1 and 3

Answer

1, 2 and 4

Answer

3 only

Question 11

Entry 66 of the Union List of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution covers which one of the following subjects?

Accepted Answer

Coordination and determination of standards in institutions for higher education or research and scientific and technical institutions

Answer

Incorporation, regulation and winding up of universities functioning within the territory of a State

Answer

Institutions for professional, vocational or technical training, including the training of police officers

Answer

Declaring an institution engaged in higher education or research to be an institution of national importance

Question 12

The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025, introduced in Lok Sabha in December 2025, proposes to repeal which one of the following sets of statutes?

Accepted Answer

The University Grants Commission Act, 1956, the All India Council for Technical Education Act, 1987 and the National Council for Teacher Education Act, 1993

Answer

The Advocates Act, 1961, the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 and the Architects Act, 1972

Answer

The University Grants Commission Act, 1956, the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 and the National Council for Teacher Education Act, 1993

Answer

The All India Council for Technical Education Act, 1987, the Architects Act, 1972 and the National Council for Teacher Education Act, 1993

UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — SC to examine BCI’s power to regulate legal education

Q1. In the regulatory vocabulary of the Bar Council of India, the expression 'Centre of Legal Education' denotes which one of the following?

Q2. The function of promoting legal education and laying down standards of such education, in consultation with the Universities and the State Bar Councils, is conferred on the Bar Council of India by which one of the following?

Q6. The petition questioning the Bar Council of India's institutional association with law universities was taken up in September 2026 by which one of the following?

Q8. In Gaurav Kumar v. Union of India, the Supreme Court held that State Bar Councils cannot have unbridled power to fix the fee payable at the time of admission on their rolls, because of the express legislative policy contained in which one of the following?

Q11. Entry 66 of the Union List of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution covers which one of the following subjects?

Q12. The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025, introduced in Lok Sabha in December 2025, proposes to repeal which one of the following sets of statutes?