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Education News / Students Organisation => Education News => Education News from Sindh => Topic started by: sb on March 14, 2016, 12:45:18 PM

Title: PBC’s Decision to extend LLB Programme duration irks Students
Post by: sb on March 14, 2016, 12:45:18 PM
PBC’s Decision to extend LLB Programme duration irks Students
ISLAMABAD:March 14: The students currently enrolled in two years bachelors programme like BA, BSC and B.com have criticised the decision of Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) to extend the degree duration of LLB programme from three to five years.

The PBC had revised its rules in January 2016 to lie down that the duration of LLB degree programme shall not be less than five years. The bar has reviewed Pakistan Bar Council Legal Education Rules of 1978 as well as the rules regarding affiliation of law colleges and PBC (Recognition of Universities) Rules, 2015 consolidating the same in one set of rules promulgating the Pakistan Bar Council Legal Education Rules, 2015.

According to new rules, the students must attend five year after intermediate to get LLB degree whereas a set of new instructions are also introduced by the bar council to enhance the standards of education in the field of law.

Students who are currently enrolled in two years bachelors programme have criticised the decision and marked it a violation of their basic right to education. A student Ahmed Nafees enrolled in second year of BA History told the Daily Times, “I want to become a lawyer and it is my dream but after the announcement of new PBC rules it looks impossible for me to get LLB degree as I have already spent my two years in BA and I can’t become the student of five year degree programme again.”

A student of Gordon College Rawalpindi, Adnan Raza told the Daily Times that there are only one public sector university, International Islamic University (IIUI) in the federal capital in our region which was offering LLB five year programme when I passed my intermediate. I tried to get admission in the varsity but due to limited seats I could not succeeded. He further said that after failing to get admission in IIUI, I was planned to do LLB after holding BA degree from the Gordon College but new rules will not allow me to fulfil my ambitions.

While responding on the issue, Pakistan Bar Council Member Advocate Shoaib Shaheen has told the Daily Times, “We want to uplift the educational standards to produce quality law practitioners but we are considering the issues of those students who are currently enrolled in BA and BSC program and it is might possible that we introduce exemption scheme for these students which allows them to take exemption of those subjects which they are already studied in BA program.”

Besides the issue of already enrolled students in two years bachelors programme, the decision of PBC is also declared as anti-poor by the students who argued that there are huge difference in the fee structure of law departments of the universities and government colleges. The students of Bahria University, Islamabad are paying around three lakh rupees for first two years of LLB after intermediate whereas a student even enrolled in private collage can get two year bachelor’s degree in one lakh rupees.

A faculty member of International Islamic University Islamabad has told the Daily Times on the condition of anonymity that this decision is “corporate influenced” which helps private law collages to maximise their revenue as now they will receive fee of five years as compare to previous fee of only three years. He further said, “The PBC should revisit its policy as our educational system which is not fully capable to absorb its directions. There are only few public sector universities which are currently offering five years LLB programme.” There are hundreds of thousands students who will suffer due to new rules of PBC, he added.The news.