Bar Council Exam’s fee set at MVR 10,000

The fee of the Bar Council Exam which needs to be completed prior to requesting the license to practice law has been set at MVR 10,000.

In an email sent out to lawyers today by Bar Council President Uz. Maumoon Hameed, it was stressed that the cost of developing the exam and the practices in foreign countries were considered when setting the fee.

In this regard, he detailed that it would cost MVR 20,000 per candidate based on the number of participants expected to sit the exam. However, as it is the first-ever time the exam is being held in Maldives, he said that Bar Council will be covering 50 percent of the fee.

Completion of the bar exam was set as a prerequisite to getting a lawyer’s permit in 2019. This is the first time the exam is being held despite this.

Subsequent to the delays in holding the bar exam caused by the COVID-19 pandemic – 283 law graduates were given a temporary license to practice law last year.

These graduates who were granted temporary licenses will also have to sit the bar exam this time, as per the Legal Profession Act.

Bar Council’s training program consists of main five components. They are Maldivian legal system, criminal procedure, civil procedure, professional ethics and drafting. A Dhivehi language module is also taught in this training program.

As per the amendments to the Legal Procession Act, Bar Council must make arrangements for participants completing the program to take lawyer’s oath within a 21-day period from the date of completion.