Monday, July 9, 2007

Law college entrance exam of Sri Lanka

We wanted to send couple of employees to a project based on an out station area. It was a very good career opptunity and most of our employees were interested in joining this project. There was only one guy who said he don't like to go. With much curiosity i asked why. Then he said he is doing the law entrance exam this time and therefore he need to go to classes .

I knew he was quite intelligent. So i asked him why don't you take the course book with you and go for the project. Because i knew he has done his previous professional exams without going to a singal class. Then he said still the law college has not issued the course book. According to him, law entrance exam is in the month of September this year. Thats just 2 months a way. But still they have not issued the course book. It was quite surprising for me. Because most of the exams i know , they issue the couse manuals before 1 year specially if they wish to change the syllabus. On my way to office i went to law college to get this clarified. The officer there told me that they have stop issuing the course book and after this they will never issue a couse book. I saw that there was a notice in the notice board which mentions the same thing he said. I came back and told what i found to my office mate. he just laughed and told me that , "yeah thats what they say. But our lecturers allready knows what the new lessons they are going to include in the book and they allready started teaching those in classes". He told me what are the new topics. But since its not nice to publish it before they do , i will not do that. But i started thinking. Who ever the students who do not go to classes or who do not have time or money to go to classes will not get the chance to know this. Same as by the time course book is out it will be very closer to the exam , and they will not be able to capture all those content. So is this some sort of conspiracy by law college to promote tution classes? I have nothing against the classes and iam glad that there are tution classes. So that people can learn much better. But still as a responsible organisation , what is Law college doing? Why the officer in book counter lies to people who come to buy the book?

Anyway some how our mate agreed to go for the project. He realise that its important. He has found a way to got class tutes through a friend. So he said he need not be in Colombo and will come to Colombo only for the exam. We had to ask everyone to inform the project manager on the dates they need leave in next couple of months which they planned to involve in the project. Because it was a foreign project and employees need to be on site every singal day. So unless its an emmergency , we will have to inform the doners that this particular person will be out of site on this particular day. I know its difficult and some times not practical. But who ever who has work for forign projects would know what i mean. We can't just go there and tell the client , there's no one on site tomorrow. It doesn't work like that. So with what ever difficulties we need to plan for it. I noticed that this guy who told me that his exams will be held in September has not applied a singal leave in September. I was bit scared whether he gave up on his studies. Feeling much guilty i went to his desk and asked him , "hay when is your exam dates. Why its not on the plan?". He just smiled and said he doesn't know when the exam takes place. I started thinking this is not the guy i knew all thsi time. He was very much of a responsibla person and now he's not even bothered to find his exam dates. Then he told me , its 2 weeks before the exam only they announce the exam dates. Isn't it terrible? I have heard our people telling that exams in Sri Lanka is much better than foreign exams. But is this the condition of the education systems in Sri Lanka? This is not a grade 5 scholarship exam. Its a professional exam. So what's so professional about the conduct of our law college with regard to this matter? If i want to find out the dates that any foreign exam takes place next year , its just a matter of logging to the site.

Finally i found out there's another guy at our office who is hoping to do the same exam. But i never see the same effort. I asked him , what do you think about this subject?Is it so easy for you? Because he hang around at office even at saturdays and sundays. So he couldn't be having much time to study. He gave me another smile and said "my father is a lawyer. He said he will make me pass." Thats it. I thought i better stop this article from here. If anyone related to law college reads this , please don't be mad with me. But please think about what i said and correct me if iam wrong. I feel its a shame how this exam in conducted. Its about the life of 10,000 people who sit for this exam any many other people who are suppose to get affected sooner or later.

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh man iam getting addicted to your blog. Full of gossip. he he. And i have somehing related with all this topics. My brother is in law college. Not even the entrance exam. Even the law college exams are like this. Its true that they have excellent lecturers and superb knowledge sharing. But man trust me how they give marks. All credits goes to lawyers kidz. Ordinary student can never get any high position. All takes place under hand. You should go there and feel it people.

Anonymous said...

Anyway if u r 2 pass law entrance , others who r doing the exam should be fools. B'cos whole loads of ppl doing d exam , but they pass only a percentage. So how ever how good u r , u cnt pass if others r not idiots. anyway we gotta agree with that. Cos we have very limited resources. can't facilitate everyone.

Anonymous said...

im in SL law college now. i'm an english law graduate and having gone through the efficient and exemplary british education system, this place is a joke.
Aah, but how else are we gonna be attorneys??
We have to make sacrifices...and well, the law college ID is a perk, i must say. Useful at checkpoints. :P

roshan2100 said...

14th October 2008
NOT BORN IN ENGLISH, MISS FEW MARKS ALWAYS IN LAW COLLEGE ENTRANCE
(Relating to the huge mistake did in 2008 October Law College Entrance)

I am a student who did Law Entrance several times and missed the cutoff mark just by few marks all the times. So I know the value of a one mark in Asia’s’ most competitive exam, Sri Lanka Law College Entrance examination.
When board makes the Law College Entrance paper in this year (2008 Oct) they made a huge mistake. They have made 2 questions which give 3 very impotent marks in a Solbary constitution depend on the information given in the Course book. But person who made the paper refer English Course book only. But those lines were not in the Sinhala course book. (It’s not the problem of the person who made the paper, but it’s the responsibility of the Sri Lanka Law College to Check Sinhala Course book before it sells.)
I will include a picture of both course books.


People who did the law entrance in English medium, who born in a English talking family, who did Political Science for their A/L got that 3 marks. But we couldn’t.
We worked hard for this year law entrance (I did 16 hours for day) and we have remembered every single dot in the course book, in Sri Lanka Constitution and in Parliament Standing orders. Even for the new chapter we have paid extra 1000 rupees to get a copy from Law College. Because we suspense they will ask more marks from it.
we are from poor families and very far from Colombo. So our parents are not English talking people and we are not born in an English talking family background. But thanks to free education, gave us some knowledge to read and understand English. That helps me to find the unethical mistakes which they are doing to get the advantage for English students. At least after the exam.
If they are telling Sinhala students should read English Course book too, there is no point of having and selling Sinhala medium course book. Then they should conduct this exam in English medium only. But because of the unfairness they did in previous years exams some Sinhala medium students tend to read English course book too, those who born in English speaking families.
We also refer English course book for old chapters since we had more time. But college release new chapter just before a month schedule to do the law entrance exam. With so many mistakes. That time was not enough for us to see both languages in highly tensioned mantel situation. And then they forget to add some lines in Sinhala medium book and those lines were asked in the exam. So we are having clear doubts of it.
Not only this time. I am really hurt to say that all the times examiners and people who make the paper were too harsh on Sinhala medium students than others.please go through the 2007 & 2008(new) papers then you can see the are some marks 3 or 4 every time that is not possible to get for Sinhala medium students. Just for instance if we take last year paper there was a question( Q-60) which is asking 2 characteristics of “prathikulaka kramaya” in bracket it was mention as adversarial system. But it was the first time I here that word. There were two names given in Sinhala paper. “ chodanath maka kramaya or abiyoogath maka kramaya”. They should use one of those words. I know the answer. But because of the “prathikulaka kramaya” word I couldn’t answer and I fail by 2 marks while getting 79 marks (cutoff was 81marks).that may be that 2 marks I missed.
According to the Sri Lanka constitution 12(2), Law should treat all in the same way. So I believe most of the Sinhala student’s fundamental rights are violated. But according to the financial position which most of us are not in a position of file a case in Supreme Court.

Anonymous said...

Oh My!!!! I am taking the Law Entrace exam classes right now to sit the exam in 2009. I have no ties to any Lawyers, or and one of influence at all. Just a regular person, I know I have the brains and the determination to be a lawyer, but you guys have really put doubt in to me :(

I thought the Law College exam was at least one thing in this country that was no currupt. As for the difference between the Sinhala Medium and the English medium discrimination I have heard of it, but never really understood it. I understand a little better now, and I am sorry for it. But what can be done? there must be something?

Ruwan Manjule said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

who ever who said lawyer kidz get the opportunity is very true. They are or this rage when they enter the law college

seeker said...

when will be this year exams will held.is there a site to get past papers.

regards
seeker

Unknown said...

Well guess what, 2009 exam was the same...
What a joke.....

Anonymous said...

I m a student going to start my Law education next month at SL law college.

I agree for the comments made here but one objection to be stated.

One has said that , being a son of Lawyer he will get through this. Its not true atall & we knw how hard we had to study for this exam but got through the First attemp getting 78 while the cutoff is 70. I dnt even have a relation of this proffesion but know that you cant be a lawyer If you dont work really hard........ Its your luck most of the time. But dont try to be at the cutoff mark but within first 30 student passing this exam. I did maths in My AL s have nt seen the constitution & had no knwledge on that. Had only 8 months to stdy but I really work hard. Many Thanks to CFPS for guing me

Anonymous said...

Hi im sitting for the law entrance exam next year! i have no book as at yet.if you have the course book can you kindly tell me how i should take it?

Anonymous said...

Take it eazy girl...

may be you could try another way...

try to find a SMART guy who is already in the LAW colledge....

i see no point of tring to justify your inability...

this is a fucked up place anyway,,, so why bother sis????

No body will listne to you story...

ppl will read and feel sorry for you... but who will stand up for you????

anyway, see the possitive side of it...

there are ppl who are already in the LAW colledge...

so.. why can't you????

try again....

You will definity get thrugh...

Good luck with my all heart...

Anonymous said...

Are they going to change the syllabus again? is it on 2010 or 2011? anyone knows about it? if they going to change the syllabus for 2010 entrance exam I'm sure they will change it before 2/3 months for the exam like last time.

College Research Paper said...

I appreciate the work of all people who share information with others.

Anonymous said...

It is true that the administration of the law college is terrible with a capital T. It is also true that 'sometimes' children of affluence parents specially lawyers and politicians are treated differently than the rest. However, that is not always the case. The exam is very very competitive but if you work hard enough, you can definitely pass it. I was placed 15th at the entrance exam which I did while doing another job based in Diyathalawa and traveling to Colombo every weekend for entrance classes. Then I was able to secure a first class AND a subject prize at final year exam by working hard, while still hanging on to my other job. Worked with prominent lawyers in SL and am now living in the USA and licensed to practice law here, having passed the bar in Illinois. I am not blowing my trumpet, just letting others know, that this is possible, with sheer hard work and determination. I did not have any connections to anyone at all, and was treated like crap, by so many people, including law college staff (specially the previous principal who was a terrible person and such a slave to money and power) and by senior lawyers in the field as well most of the time. But I pushed on and I consider myself a success!! So do not feel disheartened!! Yes, law college needs to improve so very much, but the competition is such, that whoever who can come out of that system can excel in other parts of the world.

Anonymous said...

I got though the law entrance exam 2009 at first time. I have done bio Science for my AL’s. I didn’t know anything abt law. Every thing was new for me. But in a short time period (4 months) I came to the sufficient level. I did it with a Job so I didn’t have much time for study. I thank to CFPS to guide and prepared me for the exam. I didn’t care for the constitution and standing orders. What I did was, studied CFPS notes and analyze the course book well. Course book is the key.
Don’t think of the mistakes of course book and the pass papers. That looses your learning time and concentration. Rely on those and do your job, other part is common to all who sit for the exam. Other thing is you must think positively abt the exam. Don’t get it as unreachable task. Don’t loose your confidence. In our batch we have friends, did 7 times entrance exam. Do your exam well. This is break though of your life. I wish you all the best

SUDARI said...

Sudasaid...
It's very important to talk about lawcollege Entrance exam.I sat it last year(2009)but unfortunately i couldnot pass.I suppose that we should workhard to pass it.Now a days i'm eagerly studying 4 the exam.
After reading & hearing gossips of student's i excited because i
have no connection with lawyers is it true that they don't give any chances 4 normal students? I think this situation should be changed & all the students should have same rights.

Anonymous said...

i agreed some of ur views,but i am studing at da law college nw.i thk if u need to pass da law enterence exam, u ve 2 work hard othrwise jst leave it aside.coz i did law enterence exam twice.first time i missed it jst one mark.datz the nature f dat exam.i dnt ve any relation 2 any lawyer,so i am not agreein with ROCKY's statement.i am from ordinary family.and i got 1st calss in my first yr exam at lawcollege.all you need 2 do is work hard.datz all u have 2 do.so i wish u all success 2 enter da lawcollege......,

Ahil said...

I agree with u.last year i was sit the exam.but i didn't got course book.this exam is very difficult.most interlligent peoples are waiting...will see..superb knowledge will won...

Anonymous said...

I like the comment just before mine. Very encouraging, indeed. :) Thank you. I've just completed my A/L's last month and want to prepare for the entrance exam. Honestly speaking, all that I've read and heard so far, has been extremely disconcerting. It is unfair that one is discriminated, merely because of his language. That is just SICK.. We really need to get our act together. Discrimination and corruption need to end. Why we make such a big deal out of language, religion and caste is beyond me.. Hoping things do get better. SOON.

Anonymous said...

I took the exam recently concluded(2010) and waiting for the results.Can someone tell me what was the cut off mark last year?please.and does someone know how long it would take to come out this year's results?please let me know

Unknown said...

Please tell me when will they out the results.

Unknown said...

Please tell me when will they out the results entrance exam.plzzzzz..

Kalinga said...

http://www.sllc.ac.lk/sub_pgs/Entrance%20Examination%20Pass%20List%20for%20the%20Academic%20year%202011.pdf

Results for 2010 Law Entrance Examination....

My parents are both lawyers by profession but i had to work really hard last year to get through!... So ppl without finding the faults of the government and law college officials please study!!! yes, I do agree that some of them get through via connections but 99% of them dont..so try to fall into that 99% the next time....

u cant correct the world..correct urself prior to correcting the world ;)

gud luck!