News Desk
Students can still complete law degree courses online provided their examinations are taken in person at designated testing centres, Bar Council President Hussain Siraj told the People’s Majlis Judiciary Committee.
Speaking during a committee meeting regarding recent changes to legal education standards, Siraj clarified that while new guidelines mandate in-person sit-down exams, they do not block higher education institutions from offering distance or online learning programmes.
Siraj emphasized that the regulatory body is establishing minimum standards for legal education across local colleges and universities to uphold academic integrity and build public confidence in the legal profession.
“We are working to elevate the quality and integrity of the field, making it a profession trusted by the public and state institutions alike,” Siraj said, adding that the council continues to consult key stakeholders while setting these benchmarks.
Bar Council Vice President Ibrahim Shamil addressed confusion among students regarding where examinations must take place, clarifying that the council has not made attendance compulsory.
“We have not laid down any rule requiring students to travel to Malé to sit for exams,” Shamil explained. “The requirement is simply that exams must be taken in person at an established exam centre. International examinations are conducted across different regional centres in the Maldives in the exact same manner.”
Under the rules implemented by the Bar Council on 1 August, all accredited law degree programmes—including those approved prior to that date—must hold supervised physical examinations. The council defines “in-person” as exams conducted in a physical setting where candidates and invigilators are present together under direct supervision according to set guidelines.
