The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has opened the registration process for the Law Graduate Assessment Test (Law-GAT), which is mandatory for enrolment as an advocate with a Bar Council.
In March 2018, the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) restored Law-GAT, aiming to ensure proper scrutiny and evaluation of a law graduate seeking to join the legal profession.
Here is all you need to know about HEC’s Law-GAT.
Individuals who have passed Bachelor’s degree in Law or equivalent from a university recognized by the HEC/Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) are eligible to apply.
The test will consist of 100 MCQs.
| Sr. No. | Title | Syllabus | Sub-Total of MCQs | Total MCQs |
| 1. | Constitution | Maulvi Tamiz-ud-Din Khan vs. Governor General of Pakistan (PLD 1955 F.C. 240). The State vs. Dosso and Other (PLD 1958 S.C. 533). Miss Asma Jilani vs Government of Pakistan (PLD 1972 S.C. 139). Begum Nusrat Bhutto vs. Chief of Army Staff. (PLD 1977 S.C 657). Muhammad Nawaz Sharif vs. President of Pakistan. (PLD 1993 S.C. 473). Al-Jehad Trust vs Federation of Pakistan (Judges case) (PLD 1996 S.C. 324). Zafar Ali Shah and others vs. General Pervez Musharraf, Chief Executive of Pakistan (PLD 2000 S.C. 869). Khan Asfandyar Wali and others vs. Federation of Pakistan (PLD 2001 S.C. 607). | 5 | 20 |
| Constitution of Pakistan, 1973 (Fundamental Rights, i.e., From Preamble to articles 40; Parliament, i.e., Articles 50- 89; The Judicature, i.e., Articles 175-212). | 10 | |||
| United Nation Charter
International Court of Justice | 5 | |||
| 2. | Jurisprudence | English: (Jurisprudence by Sir John Salmond for LLB Student) | 5 | 10 |
| Islamic: (Islamic Jurisprudence by Prof Imran Ahsan Khan Nyazee) | 5 | |||
| 3. | Civil Procedure Code | CPC (From Preamble to 12, 15-20, 47, 75, 96, 104, 115, 151. Orders 1, 6-9, 39, 41, 43). | 20 | 20 |
| 4. | Criminal Law | PPC Chapter 2 (General Explanations/Definitions). Chapter 4 (General Exception) Chapter 16 (Offences Affecting the Human Body). Chapter 16-A (Wrongful restraint & Wrongful Confinement). Chapter 17 (Offences against Property). | 10 | 20 |
| Cr.P.C. Chapter 1 (Preliminary Definitions). Chapter 5 (Arrest, Escape and Retaking). Chapter 7 (Processes to compel the production of documents & other moveable property, and for the discovery of persons wrongfully confined). Chapter 8 (Security for keeping the peace and for good behavior). Chapter 10 (Public Nuisance) Chapter 11 (Temporary orders in urgent cases of nuisance and apprehended danger). Chapter 14 (Information to the police and their powers to investigate-FIR). Chapter 16 (Complaints to magistrate). Chapter 17 (The commencement of proceedings before court). Chapter 31 (of Appeals) Chapter 39 (of Bail) | 10 | |||
| 5. | Law of Evidence | Qanoon-e-Shahadat Order, 1984 | 20 | 20 |
| 6. | Professional Ethics | Canons of Professional conducts and Etiquette of Advocates Ch 12 (Rule 134- 175 B) Pakistan Legal Practitioners & Bar Councils Rules, 1976. | 10 | 10 |
| Total | 100 | 100 | ||
A minimum score of 50% is required to clear the test.
Eligible candidates can apply at HEC’s Education Testing Council (ETC) portal.
They must submit a test fee of Rs. 3,000 in Account No: 01127900567403, Account Title: Higher Education Commission, Bank: Habib Bank Limited, Branch Code: 0112.
They must upload a scanned copy of paid fee challan while completing the application form at the ETC portal.
The test will be held at the following centers.
| Bahawalpur | Hyderabad | Lahore |
| Quetta | D.I. Khan | Islamabad |
| Multan | Sargodha | Faisalabad |
| Karachi | Peshawar | Sukkur |
| Gilgit | ||
The application deadline is 12 June 2023 (4 PM PST).
The tentative date for the test is 25 June 2023.
Note that candidates will be required to furnish the original fee challan along with the original CNIC/original passport on the test day. Otherwise, they will not be allowed to enter exam halls.