FAISALABAD, May 31: The GCU Faisalabad law department has been operating without getting mandatory and formal approval from the Punjab Bar Council for the last over two years.
Elevated to the university level about three years ago, the GCU still lacks facilities like laboratories, libraries, faculty and even the infrastructure to meet the requirements. As many as 182 students are studying in the department.
It was required to be recognised by the Punjab Bar Council but this mandatory provision has not been fulfilled so far, which is a cause of concern for the teachers and the taught.
The students fear that if the formal recognition is not given by the PBC they will not be able to complete their LLB programme, which will be a stigma on the face of such a high-profile institution. They also said the fee structure for them was higher than that of the private colleges in this city.
At present, only two teachers of grade-17 are working in the department and one of them has been appointed on an ad hoc basis. The other one is also enjoying the control of the head of the department with administrative powers. Besides, 12 visiting teachers from among the practicing lawyers have been appointed to deliver lectures to students.
Legal circles are of the view that the GCU’s law department had been established without fulfilling the PBC and the Higher Education Commission requirements.
They wondered why the members of study board, syndicate and senate of the varsity were silent over the issue.
QUALITY: Renowned scientists and policy makers have observed that quality enhancement has become a need of the hour and this standardisation system will enable researchers and scientists to meet challenges of the modern era.
Speaking to a workshop participants here on Wednesday on ‘Functions of Quality Enhancement Cell’ organised by the Quality Enhancement Cell UAF in collaboration with Higher Education Commission, speakers said the HEC’s self-assessment system was fulfilling this requirement in the academic and research.
UAF vice-chancellor Dr Bashir Ahmed said the university was striving for excellence in research and academics to meet the challenges of globalisation.
In this regard, he said, a quality enhancement cell had been set up in the university to improve the academic standard and enhance students’ learning on international standard.
He also highlighted the quality enhancement programme of the UAF by which the university achieved a second position in a countrywide ranking. He said the university’s QEC would continue its efforts to bring the university on top of the list.
About the self-assessment programme, QEC coordinator and Botany department chairman Prof Dr Muhammad Ashraf said it was aimed at assessing whether it met educational objectives.
He said the assessment was a systematic process of gathering, reviewing and using important quantitative and qualitative data and information from multiple and diverse sources about educational programmes for improving and evaluating students’ learning.