The usually quiet campus of SRMU turned into a site of slogans and placards this week as hundreds of law students rallied against the administration. Their complaint: the university’s law department has been conducting classes without valid recognition from the Bar Council of India, raising fears that their degrees will hold no professional value.
Students attempted to block the Deva–Chinhat road in Barabanki to draw attention to their grievances, prompting police intervention. Authorities managed to defuse the standoff, but tensions remain high.
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The Heart of the Dispute
At the center of the unrest is the alleged expiration of SRMU’s law department’s BCI approval in 2023–24. Despite this lapse, the university allegedly continued admitting and teaching students in its BBA LLB, BA LLB, and LLB. Protesters carried posters labeling their degrees “fake” and accusing the university of “playing with their future.”
Students argue that without BCI recognition, their qualifications will not be recognized in courts or legal practice. “Our careers are at risk,” read one of the banners.
The University’s Defense
In response, SRMU’s administration issued a notice claiming that the renewal process for recognition is underway and pending consideration by the Bar Council. Officials assured students that approval would be granted soon and emphasized that no official complaints had yet been filed.
Local police confirmed that the situation was under control, with officers deployed to prevent escalation. “Students have been assured their concerns are being addressed,” Barabanki’s city police chief said.
A Larger Question for Private Universities
The episode has reignited scrutiny over the governance of private universities in India, particularly their compliance with professional councils like the BCI, Medical Council, and AICTE. Legal experts warn that such gaps jeopardize not only the careers of students but also the credibility of India’s higher education system.
As India’s demand for legal education grows, the Bar Council faces pressure to tighten oversight and ensure that universities cannot operate programs without proper accreditation. For SRMU’s law students, however, the uncertainty remains immediate and deeply personal: the value of their degrees—and their future careers in law—hangs in the balance.