Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said thousands of lawyers in India hold doubtful or fake law degrees [1].
The warning highlights a systemic vulnerability in the legal profession that could undermine public trust and the integrity of the judicial process.
Speaking at the Supreme Court of India in New Delhi, the Chief Justice addressed the issue during a hearing regarding a senior-advocate designation plea in the Delhi High Court [2]. He said the presence of unqualified individuals in the profession is a threat to the system, stating there are "thousands of lawyers in black robes with doubtful degrees" [3].
Chief Justice Kant extended his criticism to those who use social media or activism to attack the legal system without professional qualification. He said, "There are youngsters like cockroaches, who don't get any employment or have any place in profession. Some of them become media, some of them become social media, RTI activists and other activists and they start attacking everyone" [1].
The Chief Justice said such individuals are "parasites of society who attack the system" [2]. He urged for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe to identify and remove those practicing with fraudulent credentials to protect the sanctity of the courts.
This crackdown on credentials follows growing concerns over the proliferation of unaccredited law colleges and the ease with which fake diplomas are obtained. By calling for a federal investigation, the Chief Justice signaled that the judiciary may no longer rely solely on bar council self-regulation to purge the profession of unqualified practitioners [1, 2].
“Thousands of lawyers in black robes with doubtful degrees.”
This intervention by the Chief Justice indicates a shift toward aggressive auditing of legal credentials in India. By advocating for a CBI investigation rather than internal bar association reviews, the judiciary is treating the issue of fake degrees as a criminal matter of systemic fraud rather than a mere administrative oversight.
