Aastha Pareek
The Supreme Court of India has recently agreed to examine a significant issue concerning the enrolment of correspondence degree graduates as advocates. The matter arose in the case of STS Gladies v. Bar Council of India and Another, where the Apex Court is set to determine whether such candidates can be denied enrolment solely on the basis of having obtained their degrees through correspondence courses.
The case stems from an appeal filed by STS Gladies against the Telangana High Court’s decision, which dismissed the plea seeking enrolment as an advocate by the Bar Council of Telangana. The appellant had completed the Bachelor of Arts degree in 2012 through a correspondence program at Kakatiya University. The High Court ruled that the mode of education disqualified the candidate from enrolment, citing earlier judgment in M. Naveen Kumar v. State of Telangana (Writ Appeal No.597 of 2020) where the candidate was not entitled enrollment as her BA degree in 2012 was through correspondence.
Before the High Court, the Bar Council of Telangana contended that correspondence degrees fail to meet the standards required for enrolment as an advocate under the Advocates Act, 1961. Accepting this argument, the High Court concluded that the appellant was ineligible for entry into the legal profession, leading to the dismissal of her plea.
In response to the Telangana High Court’s decision, Gladies moved the Supreme Court, challenging the validity of the rationale that correspondence degrees are insufficient for enrolment. On December 16, a Bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice PB Varale admitted the matter and issued notices to the Bar Council of Telangana and the Bar Council of India, requiring their responses within four weeks. The court further permitted dasti service for quicker compliance.
This case is expected to have far-reaching implications for the recognition of correspondence and distance education programs in the field of law. The decision of the Supreme Court in this matter will likely shape the future of legal education and the eligibility criteria for enrolment as advocates in India.