The BRM Law College

Sept. 15: Dispur has sent an SOS to the Bar Council of India to save the 94-year-old Bishu Ram Medhi Government Law College from losing affiliation.

Chief secretary P.C. Sharma has written to the BCI with an urgent plea to allow the college to enrol students for the three-year law course for the current academic session.

The letter was sent directly to BCI chairperson Suraj Narayan Prasad Sinha and a copy was forwarded to the secretary, S. Radhakrishnan.

The BCI had in June imposed a ban on BRM Government Law College against admitting students into its three-year law course as it had failed to fulfil certain basic conditions. The council also served a showcause notice to the institution, asking why it should not withdraw the affiliation it had accorded to the college to run the three-year course.

“In the letter, dated September 12, 2008, the chief secretary informed the BCI that the government had been trying its best to fulfil the basic conditions the BRM Law College required for affiliation.” an Assam government official said.

“The government has allotted land to the college for construction of a permanent campus in Panjabari and the work is under way in full swing. The letter mentioned that four posts of permanent teachers for the college were being created and the process of appointment had already started. Four posts of part time teachers have also been created. Initiatives have also been taken to improve the condition of the library,” he added.

Sources said Dispur’s move followed widespread criticism of negligence towards the oldest law college in the state.

Earlier this year, chief minister Tarun Gogoi had announced an integrated five-year law course at the BRM Law College. But the institution three-year course is now facing uncertainty.

According to the sources, Gogoi has strictly instructed the chief secretary and the education department to urgently take up the matter with the BCI to ensure that the college does not lose its recognition under any circumstance.

The BCI secretary told The Telegraph from New Delhi that the matter of allowing the college to continue its affiliation with the BCI was discussed on Saturday. “I will be able to tell or announce the final decision regarding the college within a day or two,” he said.