HEC Hosts Stakeholders’ Meeting to Discuss Proposal for Reducing LLB Programme Duration

Islamabad, January 9, 2025: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan convened a crucial stakeholders’ meeting to deliberate on the proposal of reducing the duration of the LLB programme from five years to four years. The meeting was chaired by Executive Director HEC Prof. Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum. It brought together representatives from 44 LLB-offering universities, Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), and the Directorate of Legal Education (DLE), among other key stakeholders.

The initiative aligns with HEC’s mandate to periodically review and update academic curricula to meet emerging trends, market demands, and international standards. The discussion centered on optimizing the LLB curriculum to ensure relevance, competitiveness, and alignment with global benchmarks.

Member Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Mr. Hassan Raza Pasha and Director, Directorate of Legal Education, Barrister Usama Malik highlighted the importance to revamp the scheme of LLB programme as per modern lines in terms of duration and courses to meet the existing requirement of judicial system in Pakistan. They highlighted the concerns emerged regarding the program’s duration and structure, especially in comparison to short duration international Bachelor of Law programmes offered by UK-based universities which is diverting ample foreign exchange and causing challenge for the local law graduates to spend two more years in completing programmes.

Input was received from all university representatives, who unanimously agreed (with few exceptions) that the existing five-year LLB programme is much overloaded, which may be adjusted in four years of study with more focus on practical training component. Discussions also revolved around implementation of semester system for law programmes in affiliated colleges, faculty training, licensing mechanism, quality of the programme and further education pathways for four-year proposed LLB programme.

HEIs, PBC and DLE appreciated the HEC and its Academic Division for the initiative to take all stakeholders onboard prior to making this crucial decision, the recommendations of which will pave the way for a more dynamic and competitive legal education framework, equipping graduates with the skills and knowledge required to excel in the legal profession.