LAHORE - The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) yesterday extended the duration of LLB from 3 years to 5 years, with strict directives to the private law colleges and universities to shut evening programmes.
The council reviewed the Pakistan Bar Council Legal Education Rules of 1978, and Affiliation of Law Colleges and PBC Recognition of Universities) Rules, 2015.
It that the duration of the LLB course will not be less than 5 years; no further admission to LLB (3 years programme) will be given by any University/Law College. However, the present 3 years LLB. programme will discontinue after 3 years.
The PBC also suggested that the number of students admitted in first year LLB programme by a University/Law College shall not be more than 100.
The decision was taken after deteriorating law education at private and public colleges and universities. The council ruled that there shall be only morning classes and no evening class shall be permissible. However, the afternoon/evening classes being presently conducted by a University/Law College shall continue only till completion of 3 years or 5 years LLB courses of concerned students, the council said.
It ruled that a University/Law College intending to impart legal education at the level of LLM/PhD shall have to seek prior permission/approval of the Pakistan Bar Council and the Higher Education Commission. It said a University/Law College already offering LLM/PhD shall have to seek ratification/approval of their said programme from the Pakistan Bar Council and Higher Education Commission within six months of promulgation of these Rules.
No University or Degree Awarding Institution shall affiliate any law college after enforcement of these Rules, the council further ruled.
The council ruled that no College/Institution shall operate for imparting legal education under International/External/Distance Learning Programme of any foreign University without getting No Objection Certificate (NOC) form the Pakistan Bar Council, the council ruled. It further ruled that however, the Colleges/Institutions already doing so shall approach the Pakistan Bar Council for issuance of No Objection Certificate (NOC) within six months of coming into force of these Rules.