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Interestingly, Gandhi seems to have not applied to his legal studies until late 1890. He decided to first take the London matriculation examination in order to have mastery over both the spoken and written language; he also took Latin for the same purpose, which stood him in good stead later, while practicing as a lawyer in South Africa. Still, he must not have found it easy, because it took him two attempts to finally pass the matric exam in June 1890. Now feeling more confident and well-equipped language-wise, Gandhi applied himself to his legal studies to become a barrister. He is said to have “enrolled” himself (the use of the word “enrolled” is objected to by some Gandhi writers and scholars for not being in vogue at that time, but we shall use it nevertheless) to mean that he had “registered” himself in the Inner Temple—considered to be the best among all the four courts—the other three being the Middle Temple, Lincoln’s Inn, and Gray’s Inn.

Gandhi found the curriculum to be easy. Though students had to pass exams in both the Roman Law and Common Law, Gandhi found the papers easy and examiners generous. Besides passing the exams, the students were required to “keeping terms”—which meant “eating one’s terms”—as Gandhi puts it jokingly. He found it very funny that the barristers were “humourously” (I’ve retained the original spelling as used by Gandhi) known as the “dinner barristers” (GATB, 104)! It was not even “partaking of the dinner,” says Gandhi, but “reporting oneself at the fixed hours and remaining present throughout the dinner” (Ibid.). Not interested in drinking or eating meat, Gandhi survived these dinners with a profuse amount of bread, boiled potatoes, and cabbage; no wonder he was the most sought-out companion for all carnivores! Summing up his London stay, he said, “I passed my examinations, was called to the bar on the tenth of June 1891, and enrolled in the High Court on the 11th. On the 12th I sailed for home” (GATB, 105).