{
  "id": 15714117,
  "title": "No quota for CLP exam passes, candidates assessed purely on merit, Dewan Rakyat told",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/20/no-quota-for-clp-exam-passes-candidates-assessed-purely-on-merit",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-20T07:09:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/10/20/no-quota-for-clp-exam-passes-candidates-assessed-purely-on-merit-dewan-rakyat-told/239867"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 — Candidates taking the Certificate in Legal Practice (CLP) examination are evaluated based solely on their performance, with no set quota for the number of successful candidates, the Dewan Rakyat was informed today. During a question-and-answer session, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) M. Kulasegaran stated that a minimum passing grade of 40 is set for each subject, with no quota for passes. He addressed Dr V. Sivakumar (PH-Batu Gajah) regarding strategies to increase the low CLP exam pass rate while preserving professional standards, noting that only 19% of candidates (158 out of 826) achieved a full pass in 2026, compared to 21% in 2025. Kulasegaran clarified that the statistics only included the main 2026 CLP examination results, excluding supplementary examination outcomes. He projected the overall 2026 CLP exam results would be announced in November 2026, after receiving and approving results from the supplementary examination by the Board. Kulasegaran pointed out that most CLP candidates were UK, Australian, and New Zealand law graduates, who studied the common law system but seemed to lack preparation for the Malaysian law component of the CLP exam. Candidates struggled with identifying legal issues in questions, applying legal principles to facts, and citing relevant case law. Responding to Sivakumar’s initial query on the CLP structure, assessment methods, study duration, and the transition to the New Bar Course (NBC), Kulasegaran mentioned the establishment of an NBC Task Force on April 27. The task force aims to develop a framework for transitioning to the NBC, which will replace the CLP and emphasize practical legal skills and competence. The existing CLP system only tests candidates via written exams, lacking a comprehensive evaluation of practical legal skills and requiring no preparatory courses prior to exams. Kulasegaran explained that the NBC Task Force is reviewing policies for candidates who have not yet passed the CLP exams but still have remaining attempts and valid registration periods. The Board will address this matter once the NBC Task Force concludes its study on the transition mechanism. At a supplementary question by Datuk Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh (PN-Besut) on checks and balances in setting the curriculum and assessing prospective lawyers, Kulasegaran stated that the professional legal qualification system will be improved with revised course structures. He emphasized the distinction between academic legal studies and professional training required for lawyers, noting that law programs in the UK and several other countries take three years, compared with four years at local universities, where a professional component is introduced in the fourth year.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 — Candidates sitting the Certificate in Legal Practice (CLP) examination are asses...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Bernama",
        "title": "General : CLP Examination: Candidates Assessed On Merit, No Pass Quota - Kulasegaran",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/20/general-clp-examination-candidates-assessed-on-merit-no-pass-quota",
        "published": "2026-10-20T04:51:32.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}