The Supreme Court has expressed reluctance to intervene in the debate over the duration of the five-year integrated LLB course, citing that 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 challenges the five-year integrated law programme, arguing that most professional courses in India are structured for four years and that the longer duration discourages talented students from choosing the legal profession.
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 has been listed for further consideration in April 2026.
