Allow students with diploma, polytechnic to pursue 5-year LLB course: Madras High Court

The Madras High Court recently directed that when it comes to admission to five-year BA LLB course, those candidates who have completed three-year polytechnic or diploma courses after class X, should be treated at par with those who had opted for higher secondary (+2) education after their class X..In a judgement passed on December 23, Justice CV Karthikeyan directed the Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University to also clarify in its prospectus from the next academic year that that the students who have "completed 3 year diploma / polytechnic by a recognized institution after completing 10th standard, shall also be considered at par with those students who had done their +2 and obtained their certificates." The Court was hearing a plea filed by a law aspirant, S Karthi seeking that he be permitted to participate in the selection process for the five-year LLB course at all law colleges affiliated to the respondent University. The Bar Council of India (BCI) that was also respondent party in the matter, submitted a circular it had issued on December 12 this year, which said that its Legal Education Committee had considered previous judgments of the Madras High Court on similar pleas and "resolved" that all law colleges must treat the above two category of students at par. Justice Karthikeyan then said that the Court need not get into the merits of the petitioner's diploma degree or the course that he had pursued. All it needed to examine was whether the petitioner was eligible to participate in the admission process for the five-year law course, the Court stated..The single-judge ruled that the BCI's circular was self-explanatory and that the previous judgements of the Madras High Court too had adopted a similar view. "The circular is quite self-explanatory in nature. It is clear that the petitioner's qualification entitle him to participate in the selection process for the 5 year integrated law course. In this connection, I am also informed that a Division Bench of this Court in W.P.No.22193 of 2022 by an order dated December 21, 2022, P Santhru Swaminathan Vs. The Registrar, the Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University and two others, had also examined the very same aspect and had held that the 3-year diploma / polytechnic course issued by an institution recognized by the Government shall be considered at par with +2 certificate for the purpose of admission for the 5-year integrated LLB, degree course," the Court made it clear..It, therefore, directed the university to permit the petitioner to participate in the upcoming counselling for admission to the five-year law course and to offer him a seat if found to be eligible. "Thereafter, if he is otherwise eligible offer him a seat for 5-year BA LLB, course, in accordance with other rules and regulations. But he cannot be disqualified merely on the ground that, he had studied 3 year diploma course, after completing the 10th standard," the Court said. The Court also directed to the university to include the above in its admission prospectus for "future years." Advocate A Mohamed Ismail appeared for the petitioner. Standing Counsel SR Raghunathan appeared for the Ambedkar Law University.Advocate C K Chandrasekaran appeared for the BCI. .[Read Judgment]