CONGRATULATIONS: Revenue and Law Minister I. Periasami hands over B.A.B.L. (Honours) seat allotment letter to Bensi Rema (left), at Dr. Ambedkar Law University in Chennai on Saturday. T.V. Lokanayaki and Pavitra Ramanujam, who have been allotted seat s are also seen. — Photo: R. Ragu

CHENNAI: Four academic years after the student intake of three-year and five-year law degree courses here was reduced to just 160 from 562, the Tamil Nadu Government has decided to increase the number of seats to 560 from this year.

Minister for Revenue and Law I. Periasami announced this while inaugurating the counselling session for law courses at the Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University on Saturday. He is also the Pro-Chancellor of the University.

Move welcomed

Even as the announcement drew a loud cheer from parents and students at the venue, Mr. Periasami said that from this academic year onwards, all 120 students of the B.A.B.L. (Hons) degree courses would be accommodated at the university premises itself.

He said the decisions were taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, in view of long-pending demands to treat all honours degree students uniformly.

Return soon

At present, only 40 of the B.A.B.L. (Hons) students are accommodated at the university, while 80 other students attend classes at the Government Dr. Ambedkar Law College premises.

Mr. Periasami said students belonging to Chennai, but forced to join colleges in other districts after the reduction of seats here, would be brought back to the city.

To be discussed

He said the Chief Minister had already passed orders instructing authorities to improve academic amenities such as library, hostel and classrooms for law students. As regards the demand for reduction of fees payable for honours degree courses and the university's self-financing college at Chengalpattu, Mr. Periasami said the matter would be discussed and an order would be passed soon.

He also handed over admission cards to toppers of the law entrance examination on the occasion.

The Government Law College here will now have 240 seats in the five-year stream, as against just 80. There would be 320 seats in the three-year degree course, as against just 80 for the past four academic years.

Scrapped earlier

The AIADMK Government scrapped both three and five-year B.L. courses here in 2002 immediately after launching an integrated five-year B.AB.L.(Hons) course by the law university.

Pursuant to a direction from the Supreme Court, the Government passed an order on June 9, 2004 restoring the courses with a reduced intake of only 160.

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