Maharashtra: In a major relief for law aspirants in Maharashtra, the Bar Council of India (BCI) has granted one-time conditional approval for the 2026–27 academic session to existing eligible Centres of Legal Education (CLEs) in the state, as per the official notice released on the website.
The decision is significant for colleges that were not part of the Common Admission Process (CAP) system when the first-round choice-filling process was underway.
The Indian Express reported that more than 100 of Maharashtra’s 357 law colleges were outside the approved list on the last day of choice filling. The BCI’s latest order allows existing eligible CLEs to participate in the ongoing admission process, subject to the prescribed conditions.
According to the BCI order, the one-time conditional approval has been granted in view of the ongoing centralised admission process for both three-year and five-year LLB programmes. The CAP Round-I option-form submission deadline is August 11, 2026.
BCI approval subject to conditions
The conditional approval is limited to existing CLEs, their existing law courses, approved sections and sanctioned intake as per the notice. Colleges must also have valid university affiliation for the 2026–27 academic year, while their eligibility remains subject to verification of BCI records.
The colleges covered under the order have been given time until August 31, 2026, to complete the prescribed process on the BCI portal. They must submit the required documents and pay all applicable BCI fees and dues, including approval, inspection, continuation, regularisation, late and default fees, where applicable.
The BCI has clarified that the order does not waive or regularise any past non-compliance or outstanding fee liability, nor does it regularise issues relating to previous academic sessions.
New law colleges, courses excluded
The relief does not extend to new or fresh Centres of Legal Education, new law courses, additional sections or enhancement of sanctioned intake. Such cases will continue to require separate consideration and specific approval from the BCI.
The order also makes clear that the decision is an exceptional, one-time measure restricted to Maharashtra and the 2026–27 academic session and will not serve as a precedent for other states or future academic sessions.
The Maharashtra CET Cell had earlier indicated that colleges that were not initially included could be added in subsequent CAP rounds. To provide students greater flexibility, the auto-freeze option was cancelled, allowing candidates to wait for betterment until CAP Round III and modify their option forms in subsequent rounds to include colleges once they receive approval.
The BCI’s latest decision has now provided greater clarity to the admission process. Existing eligible colleges can participate in the current admission cycle, subject to completing the prescribed compliance requirements within the August 31 deadline.
MH CET 3-Year LLB Counselling 2026 And MH CET 5-Year LLB Counselling 2026 Dates Revised
The Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell had earlier released a notification stating that it has revised the Centralised Admission Process (CAP) schedule for admission to the three-year LLB course and the five-year LLB course for the academic year 2026-27.
