Standard of Legal Education (LLB & LLM) in Pakistan-Scope, Private Colleges, Suggestions
Legal fraternity is considered the most learned community of the country. Lawyers stand for independence of judiciary, supremacy of constitution, rule of law and civil liberties in Pakistan. But standard of legal education is declining in the country day by day. Although the quantity of law colleges especially in private sector has increased a lot, but quality of legal education has decreased a lot. The official language in court of Pakistan is English, still medium of instruction in many universities is Urdu. Private law colleges are spreading like mushrooms. Only theory is thought in these colleges. Private law colleges do not hire permanent faculty. Classes are not conducted regularly. Libraries of these colleges do not have sufficient study material and law journals. Some colleges are situated in small houses, without moot court, cafeteria, play ground, parking place and computer lab.
Scope of LLB & LLM in Pakistan-Law Colleges, Career, Problems & Suggestions
One can appear in LLB exam without attending classes just by paying heavy annual fee and fine. Visiting faculty members are also hired on very low salary, rather majority of them deliver lectures honorarily just to attach the prefix of professor with their name. Majority of private law colleges are conducting LLB classes in second shift too. Students are taught just selected portion of the syllabus so that they may be able to get through the exams.
Law students in public law colleges actively participate in student politics. Recently some law students misbehaved with their professors on political grounds in Punjab University Law College. Regularity authorities are not performing their role up to the mark. One can get admission in LLB even in the last month of educational year and can appear in the annual examination due to lack of and check and balance system. LLM is taught in two years in Pakistani universities, while in UK and other countries its duration is one year, so Law graduates prefer to complete their master degree from abroad. Bar councils have introduced entry test for becoming the member of bar just due to the poor educational standard of our legal institutions.
Law as a subject should be introduced in lower classes. Higher education commission and Pakistan bar council should play their role effectively in up grading the standard of legal education in Pakistan Curriculum is also outdated and need to be revised and updated. Length of LLM program should be one year. Now bar council has decided to eliminate the 3 years LLB program. Just 5 years LLB program will be offered in future. It is also not the solution of the problem. Both courses should be offered side by side as due to lack of concept of career counseling in Pakistan our students can not take decision about their future after intermediate.
Our emphasis should be on quality rather on quantity. I think that a student can get all necessary knowledge about law in maximum 2 to 2 1/2 years, so in the last semester he/she should join practice with a senior lawyer and there should be marks for practical practice in court. It is also recommended that a practical paper in all each semester should be included in the syllabus. Problem is not in theory, law students lack practical exposure.
Junior lawyers are also facing many difficulties in the start of their career, as they are not given any stipend by majority of senior lawyers. Government should give stipend to young lawyers at least for 2 years. They should also be given easy loans for sitting up their chambers. Lawyers of high court should be given the power to attest the documents. At present there is not a great scope of LLB or LLM in Pakistan for an average student. For more details read our following article.
Career Counseling About Law & Legal Profession in Pakistan
