RUNNING LLB (PASS) COURSE
NU will get time until 2020
Every year, around 10,000 students get admitted to the two-year LLB (pass) course and 5,000 to 7,000 come out successful each year
HARUN UR RASHID
Students who want to obtain certificates of the two-year LLB (pass) course under the National University (NU) will get time until 2020, as the court has declared all such courses of the NU invalid after that period. The general observation is that such courses are run in the law colleges under the NU, where students get the two-year LLB (pass) course degree with the help of some of the teachers who are from local courts. It also alleged that there are hardly regular classes in the absence of sufficient number of teachers and classrooms.
Most of the studentsyoung and relatively elderly onesget admitted to such courses as a second option to become lawyers. Such advocates are jokingly referred to as Bot Tolar Ukil (literally translated, it means advocates who sit under a banyan tree)or a poor mans advocate, without a chamber and very few or no clients. But now the court has put a number of restrictions on such courses under the NU and directed the NU authorities to make arrangements for introducing a four-year LLB (honours) course by abandoning the current two-year LLB (pass) course from the academic year 20202021. The order came on April 13, 2016, during a court verdict on Darul Ihsan University, which has been shut down following the courts judgment. According to National University sources, there are around 71 law colleges under the NU where such courses are being run since 19931994. Every year, around 10,000 students get admitted to the two-year LLB (pass) course and 5,000 to 7,000 come out successful each year, the NU sources said.
Of the 71 law colleges, the major ones have a seat capacity of 400/450. But now the court has put a bar on the number of students to be admitted. The number should not exceed 100 in a calendar year and the admission would have to be online.
The court said the NU would have to ensure that at least 10 full-time permanent teachers are there in the law colleges running the LLB (honours) course. The permanent teachers will have to send their CVs, along with their academic certificates.
The court further asked the NU to pass on the directives to all law colleges under it within a month of the receipt of this order and then file an affidavit-in-compliance before the court on or before August 31, 2016.
The Inspector of Colleges, Prof. Dr Md Shamsuddin Elias, told The Independent yesterday that they have got the courts order and sent notices to the law colleges under the NU. We have got a copy of the courts order. Primarily, we have informed the law colleges about it and directed them to make preparations to start the four-year LLB (honours) course after cancelling the current two-year course from 20202021, he added. About teachers and other infrastructure to run the law colleges, he said: There is a shortage of law teachers in many colleges right now, and a different infrastructure would be needed for the four-year LLB (honours) course. Besides, a new regulation is necessary for it.
Although the NU has informed the law colleges, many feel it will be difficult to implement because of the shortage of teachers and lack of adequate infrastructure. Obviously, a lot of funds would be required.
