Supreme Court Ends SEE-LAW, Reduces Duration of LLB Program

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has suspended the SEE-LAW exam for foreign graduates and approved reducing the LLB degree duration from five to four years, marking a major legal education reform.

Jun 25, 2025 - 18:28
4
Supreme Court Ends SEE-LAW, Reduces Duration of LLB Program
Supreme Court Ends SEE-LAW, Reduces Duration of LLB Program

In a major development for legal education in Pakistan, the Supreme Court has ordered the suspension of the Special Equivalence Examination (SEE-LAW) for law graduates of foreign universities. The apex court also approved reducing the duration of the LLB degree program from five years to four years.

These directives were issued by a constitutional bench while hearing a case concerning legal education reforms across the country.

  • SEE-LAW Exam Suspended
    The court ruled that the SEE-LAW exam placed an unnecessary burden on foreign law graduates. Since these graduates already need to pass the Law Graduate Assessment Test (LAW-GAT) to enroll with the bar, the court found the additional SEE-LAW requirement unjustified.

  • Pending Enrollments
    The suspension will apply to applicants whose bar enrollment cases are still pending.

  • LLB Program Duration Reduced
    The Supreme Court approved reducing the LLB program duration from five years to four years, aligning it with the standard length of other undergraduate programs offered in Pakistan.

  • Tahir Nasrullah Warraich, Vice Chairman of the Pakistan Bar Council, welcomed the decision.

  • He stated that this is a positive step toward removing unnecessary obstacles for law graduates.

  • The move is also seen as important for raising the standard and consistency of legal education in Pakistan.

Foreign law graduates will now have a smoother path to enrollment without facing redundant testing.

The new four-year LLB program will make legal studies comparable to other undergraduate degrees, reducing the burden on students.

The reforms are expected to encourage more students to pursue legal education and contribute to the legal profession.

Students enrolled in foreign law programs will no longer have to worry about the SEE-LAW exam.
The reduced LLB duration may lower educational costs and help graduates enter the job market sooner.
The decision is expected to standardize legal education across Pakistan and strengthen the profession.