The Supreme Court expressed reluctance to intervene in the debate over the duration of the five-year integrated LL.B. course, saying such policy matters cannot be decided by courts.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi observed that decisions on the structure and length of professional programmes require wider consultation among academic institutions, regulators, and other stakeholders.
The court heard a public interest litigation filed by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay, which seeks the constitution of a Legal Education Commission to review the framework governing legal education in India, including the syllabus and duration of law courses.
The petition argues that the five-year integrated law programme discourages talented students from choosing the legal profession and imposes an unnecessary financial and time burden on students.
The court indicated that decisions regarding the duration or structure of legal education programmes fall within the domain of regulatory and academic bodies such as the Bar Council of India (BCI) and universities.
The matter was directed to be listed for further consideration in April 2026.
