BCI Proposes ₹22,500 Advocate Enrolment Fee, Legal Education Reforms and Mandatory Professional Development

The Bar Council of India (BCI) has released the Draft Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2026 for public consultation, proposing sweeping reforms to advocate enrolment, legal education and professional development. Among the most significant proposals is a substantial increase in the statutory enrolment fee for new advocates—from the existing ₹750 to ₹22,500—along with enhanced powers for the BCI to regulate legal education and continuing professional training.

Sharp Increase in Enrolment Fee

The draft Bill proposes an amendment to Section 24 of the Advocates Act, 1961, increasing the statutory enrolment fee payable by law graduates seeking enrolment as advocates.

Under the proposal:

• ₹18,000 will be payable to the concerned State Bar Council.
• ₹4,500 will be payable to the Bar Council of India.

This takes the total enrolment fee to ₹22,500, representing nearly a 30-fold increase over the existing fee of ₹750, which has remained unchanged since 1993.

According to the BCI, the revision has become necessary in light of the Supreme Court’s decisions in Gaurav Kumar v. Union of India and Pankaj Sinha v. Bar Council of India, which highlighted the need for statutory clarity regarding enrolment fees and the financial requirements of bar councils.

Purpose of the Revised Fee

The BCI has clarified that the enhanced fee is not merely a revenue-generating measure but is intended to strengthen institutional capacity and improve services for advocates.

The proposed fee will be utilised for:

• Verification of educational qualifications and identity documents.
• Maintenance of physical and digital enrolment records.
• Issuance of enrolment certificates.
• Advocate welfare schemes, including insurance and mediclaim benefits.
• Professional development and skill enhancement programmes.
• Establishment of a National Legal Academy.
• Modernisation of regulatory infrastructure and institutional services.

Fee Concession for Reserved Categories

Recognising financial constraints faced by certain candidates, the draft provides a significant concession.

Applicants belonging to:

• Scheduled Castes (SC),
• Scheduled Tribes (ST), and
• Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD),

will be required to pay only 25% of the prescribed enrolment fee, making legal practice more accessible for economically disadvantaged sections.

Major Reforms in Legal Education

The Draft Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2026 also seeks to considerably strengthen the role of the BCI in regulating legal education across the country.

The proposed powers include:

• Conducting an entrance examination for admission to law degree programmes.
• Prescribing minimum eligibility qualifications for admission to law courses.
• Framing comprehensive rules governing the All India Bar Examination (AIBE).
• Recognising legal education institutions and foreign law qualifications.

These measures aim to ensure uniform standards of legal education and improve the quality of legal professionals entering the profession.

Expansion of the Legal Education Committee

The draft proposes expanding the BCI’s Legal Education Committee from 10 members to 25 members.

The proposed committee would include representatives from:

• Bar Council of India,
• Former Judges of the Supreme Court,
• Sitting or former Chief Justices of High Courts,
• Attorney General of India,
• Solicitor General of India,
• University Grants Commission (UGC),
• Department of Legal Affairs,
• Vice-Chancellors of universities,
• Senior Advocates, and
• Legal academicians.

According to the BCI, this broader representation will promote better coordination among the judiciary, the Bar, government institutions and academia, leading to nationally consistent standards in legal education.

Continuing Legal Education Becomes a Statutory Function

One of the most notable reforms is the proposal to make Continuing Legal Education (CLE) a statutory responsibility of both the Bar Council of India and the State Bar Councils.

Professional development programmes may include specialised training in:

• Constitutional Law
• Commercial and Corporate Law
• Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Technology and Artificial Intelligence
• Cyber Law
• Taxation
• Insolvency and Bankruptcy
• International Legal Practice
• Trial and Appellate Advocacy

The BCI has clarified that these programmes are intended to enhance the professional competence and career opportunities of advocates and should not be viewed as an unnecessary regulatory burden.

Public Consultation

The Bar Council of India has invited comments and suggestions on the Draft Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2026 from:

• State Bar Councils,
• Bar Associations,
• Law Universities,
• Centres of Legal Education,
• Law Firms, and
• Other stakeholders.

Suggestions may be submitted to the BCI up to 3:00 PM on 31 July 2026.

Read Proposal