Spat over control of legal education

An ugly spat between BCI chairman Gopal Subramanium and Prof. N.R. Madhava Menon over legal education played out at the Saturday meet.

An ugly spat between BCI chairman Gopal Subramanium and Prof. N.R. Madhava Menon over legal education played out at the Saturday meet.

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Menon has been associated with a panel on higher education and research set up by the HRD Ministry, which is at loggerheads with the BCI over control of legal education.

The spat started when Menon questioned the BCI’s role as regulator of legal education and criticised it for ignoring the need to update the curricula. Subramanium retorted: “Before airing such views at a public forum, you should have checked with BCI. We have set up a committee to look into modernisation of legal education...”

Prof A.K. Koul of DU objected to Subramanium’s statement saying an academician of Menon’s stature should be respected.

The spat continued in the post-lunch session where Justice Dalveer Bhandari had a tough time controlling Koul and a BCI officer bearer, who took on Menon for his anti-BCI remarks.

On Subramanium’s resolve to streamline the functioning of the BCI, Menon said, “I am enthused by his commitment…I will be happy if it can be accomplished through the BCI.