The Bar Council of India has significantly increased its spending on legal education, allocating more than Rs 180 crore during the 2024-25 financial year, according to audited financial statements published in the Gazette.
The Council spent Rs 180.25 crore on legal education during the year. This marks a major rise compared to the Rs 46 crore spent in the previous financial year. Legal education emerged as the single largest area of expenditure in the Council’s overall financial structure.
The financial records show that the total income of the BCI for 2024-25 stood at Rs 234.49 crore. In comparison, the Council had reported an income of Rs 250.32 crore during 2023-24.
Inspection fees continued to remain the primary source of revenue for the regulatory body. The Council earned more than Rs 130 crore through inspection-related collections from law institutions across the country.
Revenue from the All India Bar Examination (AIBE) also contributed significantly to the Council’s finances. Examination fees generated Rs 36.96 crore during the year. However, this amount was lower than the Rs 50.19 crore collected in the previous financial year, when two editions of the examination were conducted.
Apart from legal education spending, the BCI incurred expenditure on several operational activities. The Council spent Rs 14.22 crore on activities and meetings, while employee benefits accounted for Rs 10.27 crore.
Establishment and other administrative expenses were recorded at Rs 3.41 crore. Examination-related expenses stood at Rs 2.52 crore during the financial year.
The audited statements also reflected a sharp decline in the annual surplus. The surplus for 2024-25 fell to Rs 23.42 crore, compared to Rs 173.50 crore reported in the previous year. The financial documents attributed this reduction primarily to the increase in expenditure during the year.
Despite the lower surplus, the Council’s overall asset base witnessed growth. The BCI’s total assets rose to Rs 815.83 crore from Rs 752.55 crore recorded in the preceding financial year.
A substantial portion of these assets remained invested in fixed deposits with scheduled banks. Investments crossed Rs 733 crore, making them one of the strongest components of the Council’s financial holdings.
The statements further showed an increase in receipts from legal education regularisation fees collected from law colleges. These receipts rose to Rs 9.08 crore during 2024-25, compared to Rs 3.16 crore in the previous year.
Enrolment and other fees contributed Rs 18.81 crore to the Council’s income. Interest income also remained a major contributor, with earnings of Rs 44.55 crore during the financial year.
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