The Bar Council of India (BCI) has allowed law universities to conduct a physical examination by giving an option to students, who are unable or unwilling to appear till the COVID-19 pandemic is prevented, to gain take the exam after the universities are reopened for physical classes.
Regulator of law education in the country, BCI think that students who have appeared for the exam but couldn't clear them will also get an opportunity 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 the physical reopening of the college/university," the BCI said in a press release.
It gave an option "to Universities/Centres of Legal Education to conduct a 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 the physical reopening of the University/Centres of Legal Education".
Understanding that the pandemic continues with no signs of an early ending the Council has decided that all intermediary along with final year law students examination and classes too shall be conducted online if it is possible and if proper infrastructure and other facilities are available for the students.
"It is further resolved that if the 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.