The decision, which will be effective from June 2000, was taken in view of the new syllabus which will be introduced in day colleges from the next academic year.

The Bar Council of India, the apex body on legal education and which approves the affiliation of a law college to a university, has passed the resolution regarding evening colleges as it feels that the new curriculum can be optimally implemented only by colleges which run classes during the day.

Accordingly, evening colleges both part-time and full-time have been given six months to switch to running their courses during the day.There are 42 law colleges in the state including eight in the city. Most of them are evening colleges.

Advocate Dilip Bhosale, a BCI member whoalso represented the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa at the BCI meeting on October 24, told Express Newsline: ``The new curriculum is profession-oriented and the BCI feels it cannot be covered by evening colleges, both part-time and full-time.''

He had also expressed his opposition to the resolution at the meeting, saying it would affect working students and those from agricultural families as they cannot afford to enrol with day colleges.

Adds Bhosale: ``At least full-time evening colleges should not be shut. But here, council members feel a full day's work will impair the concentration of working students. But I do not agree. I have written to my colleages in the state council apprising them of the developement. This will be tabled during our meeting in Kolhapur at the end of November. ``I have suggested that the amended rule by which evening colleges will be discontinued needs to be challenged in the high court.''

Principal of Jitendra Chauhan Law College, Ville Parle, Chandra Krishnamurthy saysshe is appalled at the decision.

Yet to receive formal intimation, the principal of this evening part-time college maintains that it will seriously affect large number of students in the state.