Ghana School of Law PLC: Criminal Procedure (GLC) exam-day guide
Ghana School of Law PLC: Criminal Procedure (GLC) · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admission letter and exam timetable
Print the admission letter issued for the Ghana School of Law professional examinations and check the date, paper, venue and candidate number. If any detail is missing or unclear, confirm with the Examinations Office or the Law School administration before exam day.
Valid photo identification
Bring a current national ID, passport or student ID as accepted by the Law School. Confirm with the provider which forms of ID are accepted and whether a specific ID is compulsory; do not assume an expired document will be accepted.
Candidate/index number written down separately
Write your candidate number on a slip or memorise it. You will need to enter it on the answer booklet and any separate answer sheet, and errors in the number can delay or jeopardise marking.
Black or blue ink pens, plus spares
Bring at least two working pens of the same colour and a spare. Confirm with the provider whether pencil is required for any multiple-choice answer sheet, since answer sheets are usually machine-read.
Pencil, eraser and sharpener (if objective questions are included)
These are needed only if the paper contains a multiple-choice or shaded answer-sheet component. Confirm with the provider whether the Criminal Procedure paper includes objective questions and what stationery is permitted.
Clear pencil case or transparent bag
Many examination halls require stationery to be carried in a clear container. Confirm with the provider what bags and containers are allowed into the hall before relying on this.
No unauthorised materials in the hall
Leave notes, textbooks, statutes, phone and smart devices outside the hall unless the paper is expressly open-book. If open-book is permitted, confirm with the provider exactly which materials (for example, bare statutes or annotated copies) may be taken in.
Review the Criminal Procedure syllabus and weighting
Check the official syllabus or course outline for the Criminal Procedure paper so you know which topics carry the most marks. Confirm with the provider that you have the current syllabus for your year.
Practise writing under timed conditions
Complete at least two full past-paper-style questions in the time allowed, focusing on the problem questions that dominate procedural papers: arrest, bail, charge, trial, appeal and review.
Prepare a one-page case and statute recall sheet
Condense the key constitutional provisions, Criminal and Other Offences Act provisions, case names and procedural tests onto one page for final revision. Do not take it into the hall unless open-book use is confirmed.
Plan travel and arrive early
Confirm the venue in advance, allow for traffic and arrive well before the start time. Confirm with the provider the reporting time and the latest time a candidate will be admitted after the paper has started.
Water, light snack and any permitted medical items
Bring water in a clear bottle if permitted and any medication you need. Confirm with the provider in advance whether food, drink or medical items are allowed and whether prior notice is required for special arrangements.
Plan the day
Stop collecting new material. Work through the syllabus topic by topic and mark your weakest three areas, typically bail, charging and plea, and appeals or review. Spend the remaining time on those areas rather than re-reading everything.
Do one full timed paper or a set of problem questions under exam conditions. Mark it against the model answer or your notes and list the specific errors: missed issues, wrong statutory references, poor structure, or running out of time.
Consolidate your recall sheet: constitutional provisions on fair trial and liberty, the key sections of the Criminal and Other Offences Act, the rules on arrest with and without warrant, bail, charge and plea, summary trial and indictment, and appeal and review. Verify section numbers against the current statute rather than memory.
Confirm logistics: venue, reporting time, ID requirements, permitted materials and whether the paper is open or closed book. If anything is unclear, contact the Law School administration and confirm with the provider.
Do a light review only, focused on your recall sheet and the errors from your timed paper. Avoid learning new topics at this stage.
Pack your bag: admission letter, ID, pens and spares, pencil and eraser if needed, clear case, water. Lay out clothes and travel money. Check the venue route and set two alarms.
Eat properly, avoid late-night study and get a full night's sleep. Fatigue costs more marks in a three-hour problem paper than one extra topic of revision gains.
Eat breakfast, re-read only your one-page recall sheet, and arrive at the venue with time to spare. Locate the hall, the seating list and the toilets before the paper starts.
Check that your phone is switched off and stored as required, and that no unauthorised notes are on you. Confirm with the provider where bags and devices must be left.
Enter your candidate number and details exactly as instructed, then read the whole paper before writing. Note the marks per question and the number of questions you must answer, and allocate time in proportion to marks.
For problem questions, use a clear structure: identify the issue, state the applicable rule and authority, apply it to the facts, and reach a conclusion. Cite sections and cases accurately; if you cannot recall a precise citation, describe the provision correctly rather than inventing a number.
Stop writing new content, check that every required question is answered and numbered correctly, that your candidate number is on every booklet or sheet, and that extra sheets are tied in and accounted for as instructed.
Rules to check
Bring and display the identification required by the Law School. If you are unsure which documents are accepted, confirm with the provider before exam day rather than arriving with an assumption.
Do not bring unauthorised materials, phones or smart devices into the hall. Possession of unauthorised material, even if unused, is normally treated as a serious examination offence, so confirm with the provider what is permitted if the paper is open-book.
Write only in the answer booklets and on any answer sheets provided, and enter your candidate number exactly as instructed. Do not write your name where anonymity is required; confirm with the provider if the instructions are unclear.
Raise your hand and wait for an invigilator if you need to leave the hall, need extra paper, or have a problem with your script. Do not communicate with other candidates during the paper.
Follow the announced rules on leaving early and on returning to the hall. The permitted times for leaving and re-entering are set by the provider, so confirm with the provider or the invigilator rather than assuming.
Marks are awarded for accurate law applied to the facts, not for length. Answer the question asked, cite authority where you can, and manage your time so that every required question receives an answer.
If you believe there was a disturbance, a script error or a procedural problem, report it to the invigilator at the time and follow any formal complaint procedure published by the Law School. Confirm with the provider the deadline and channel for any post-exam query.