Delhi High Court: New Intern Entry Restriction Limits Access to Senior Students

• The Delhi High Court has revised its policy for issuing entry passes and ID cards to law student interns, effective from a circular issued on August 24.
• Only final year students of the 3-year LLB course and fourth and fifth year students of the 5-year integrated LLB program are now eligible for court entry passes.
• Required documents for intern ID cards include a recommendation letter from the advocate, photocopies of the advocate's Bar ID, the intern's Aadhaar card, and college ID card, along with two stamp-size photographs.
• The new policy restricts court access for junior law students, focusing internships on more senior academic years.
• Advocates must ensure their interns meet the new eligibility criteria and provide all necessary documentation to prevent access complications.

Advocates practicing in the Delhi High Court must now be acutely aware of the revised policy for intern entry passes, ensuring that only final year 3-year LLB or fourth/fifth year 5-year integrated LLB students are engaged for court-based internships.

The Delhi High Court has recently updated its regulations concerning the issuance of entry passes and identification cards for law students undertaking internships with practicing advocates. This significant policy shift, detailed in a circular issued on August 24, introduces stricter criteria for who can access court premises as an intern. The primary objective appears to be a focus on more senior law students, ensuring that those gaining practical experience within the court system possess a foundational understanding of legal principles.

Under the new Delhi High Court intern entry restriction, only students in their final year of a three-year Bachelor of Laws (LLB) program are eligible for entry passes. Similarly, for students enrolled in the five-year integrated LLB course, eligibility is confined to those in their fourth and fifth years of study. This means that junior students, previously able to intern, will no longer be granted access to the court under this policy. The revised Delhi High Court circular August 24 explicitly states that entry passes will be exclusively issued to these specified groups of senior law students moving forward.

Beyond the academic year requirements, the Delhi High Court has also stipulated a comprehensive list of documents that law students must furnish to obtain their identification cards for court entry. Adherence to these requirements is crucial for any student seeking to intern within the court's jurisdiction. The necessary paperwork ensures proper identification and accountability for all individuals granted access.

To secure an ID card, each law student must provide a recommendation letter from the advocate they are interning with, which must include the advocate's enrollment number. Additionally, a photocopy of the advocate's Bar ID is required. From the intern's side, a photocopy of their Aadhaar card and their college ID card must be submitted. Finally, two stamp-size photographs of the intern are also part of the mandatory documentation for the Delhi High Court intern pass policy.

The updated Delhi High Court law student entry rules carry important implications for both legal practitioners and aspiring lawyers. Advocates practicing in the Delhi High Court must now be acutely aware of the revised policy for intern entry passes, ensuring that only final year 3-year LLB or fourth/fifth year 5-year integrated LLB students are engaged for court-based internships. This necessitates a careful vetting process by advocates to avoid potential access issues for their interns.

For law students, particularly those in their earlier years of study, the new Delhi High Court senior student internship policy means that court-based internships will now be reserved for later stages of their academic careers. This shift could encourage students to seek alternative forms of legal experience in their junior years, such as research-focused roles or internships with law firms that do not require daily court access. The policy underscores the court's commitment to regulating access and ensuring that those present on its premises are appropriately qualified or supervised.

Advocates practicing in the Delhi High Court must be aware of the revised policy for intern entry passes, ensuring that only final year 3-year LLB or fourth/fifth year 5-year integrated LLB students are engaged for court-based internships and that all required documentation is in order to avoid access issues.

Source: Original reporting via Bar and Bench