Law colleges across India have a different selection process and eligibility criteria for admissions at UG and PG levels. However, given below are the basic eligibility criteria that candidates need to fulfil to secure admission in law courses offered at UG and PG levels:
Eligibility for UG Law Courses: Candidates are eligible to secure admission in UG law courses if they have cleared Higher Secondary School/Intermediate (10+2) or its equivalent exam from a recognized board with not less than 45% marks in aggregate.
Eligibility for PG Law Courses: For admission in LLB (3 years) course, aspirants need to be graduates from a recognized university. Also, for admission in LLM course candidates need to possess an LLB or equivalent degree from a recognized university.
Other than the educational qualification mentioned above, candidates should possess some skills mentioned below to be successful in the field of law.
| Good intellect | Good judgement of situation/people |
| Persuasion skills | Convincing skills |
| Ability to argue on a topic | Strong command over the language |
| Interest in detail | Ability to assimilate as well as analyse facts |
| Fluency and clarity of speech | Good presentation skills |
| Confidence | Unbiased |
| Mental and physical stamina | Interest in research |
Law admissions at most colleges and universities in India are done based on entrance exams. Most of the law entrance exams conducted for admission in UG level law courses evaluate candidates based on their aptitude/ knowledge on subjects such as General Knowledge, English, Mathematics (Numerical Ability), Logical Reasoning and Legal Aptitude. On the other hand, popular law exams for PG level law courses comprise questions from subject areas such as Constitutional Law, Jurisprudence, and other law subjects (Contract, Torts, Criminal Law, International Law, Environment Law, and Human Rights Law, etc.).
Some popular law entrance exams that aspirants should consider appearing for in order to secure admission in the best law colleges in the country are mentioned below: -
Popular Law Entrance Exams
| Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) | All India Law Entrance Test (AILET) |
| Law School Admission Test - India (LSAT India) | Delhi University LLB Entrance Exam (DU LLB Entrance Exam) |
Candidates can pursue degree, diploma as well as certificate law courses at UG, PG and PhD levels.
Degree law courses: Candidates can obtain either an integrated law degree (such as BA LLB, BBA LLB, BSc LLB, BCom LLB etc) after clearing Class 12th or a normal LLB degree after clearing graduation. The duration of an integrated LLB degree is usually five years and that of a normal LLB degree is three years.
Diploma law courses: Candidates can pursue diploma courses at both UG and PG levels. The duration of diploma or PG diploma law courses usually ranges from one to three years.
Certificate law courses: Certificate law courses are basically short-term programmes whose duration ranges from two weeks to six months.
Candidates can pursue law courses as full-time, part-time, distance/ correspondence, online, and virtual classroom programmes. However, it may be noted that most law courses in India are offered as full-time programmes by private colleges and universities. Nonetheless, some law courses in India are also offered by public/ government or public-private institutions in the country.
Law courses in India are offered across various specializations. Given below are some of the popular law specializations that candidates can choose to make their career in: -
Popular Law Specializations
| Civil Law | Criminal Law |
| Cyber Law | Business Law |
| Corporate Law | Tax Law |
| Constitutional Law | Labour & Employment Law |
| Real Estate Law | Competition Law |
| Media Law | Banking Law |
| Intellectual Property Law | Environmental Law |
| International Law | Mergers and Acquisition Law |
Becoming a lawyer is not the only job profile one can pursue after completing their law courses. Aspirants can also make their law careers in the job profiles mentioned below: -
| Law Job Profile | Description |
|---|---|
| Lawyer | In this job profile aspirants are also sometimes referred to as advocates. A lawyer mostly represents one of the parties/ clients in a trial at court. As part of this job profile, one needs to cross examine witnesses and then list reasons/ facts around why the court should give the judgement in favor of their clients. |
| Legal Advisors | In this job profile, one is expected to counsel clients on legal rights and obligations. Legal advisors mostly research laws applicable to a particular case and thereafter go through previous judgements passed in cases like the one their client is currently facing and thereafter help them in listing out how they can defend themselves. |
| Judges | As a Judge one must ensure that justice is administered and legal rights of all the involved parties are safeguarded. A Judge presides over trials/hearings wherein s/he must listen to the case presented by lawyers. |
| Solicitors | Solicitors give legal advice and represent their client in legal matters. Solicitors mostly work for firms which take up cases related to their area of work. |
| Legal Executives | People opting to work for such a job profile typically advise their employers on legal matters. They also work on litigation cases for their firm. They also perform administrative functions along with handling in-house legal problems such as checking deeds, issuing writs, collecting information for affidavits as well as draft legal documents. Legal executives also represent their business house when they discuss legal issues with other firms. |
| Notary Public | Notaries are appointed by the central government for the whole or specific part of the country. The various State governments also appoint notaries who work for the whole or a specific part of the state. Any person who has been practicing Law (as a lawyer) for minimum ten years is eligible to apply for a notary post. As per the Notaries Act 1952, the function of a Notary is as follows:
|
| Oath Commissioners | Anyone who works under this job profile is authorized to verify affidavits. An Oath Commissioner is appointed by the Chief Justice and is usually (though not always) a solicitor. The functions of an Oath Commissioner are as follows:
|
Law subjects taught in a UG or PG course may vary from college to college. However, given below is the law syllabus that is usually taught in UG and PG level law courses offered in India:
Legal Method
History-I
Political Science-I
Law of Contract – I
Economics-I
English and Legal Language
History – II
Political Science – II
Sociology
Economics – II
Law of Contract – II
Techniques of Communication, Client Interviewing and Counselling
Business Law
Family Law – I
Constitutional Law – I
Law of Crime – I
Communication and Advocacy Skill – II
Law of Torts and Consumer Protection
Family Law – II
Constitutional Law – II
Law of Crime – II
Administrative Law
Code of Civil Procedure – I
Code of Criminal Procedure – I
Law of Evidence
Corporate Law
Jurisprudence – I
Human Rights Law
Code of Civil Procedure – II
Code of Criminal Procedure – II
Public International Law
Investment and Competition Law
Property Law
Jurisprudence – II
Land Laws
Law and Technology
Intellectual Property Rights
Law Relating to Labour Management Relation in India
Environment Law
Tax Law
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Code of Criminal Procedure – II
Public International Law
Investment and Competition Law
Property Law
Jurisprudence – II
Land Laws
Law and Technology
Intellectual Property Rights
Law Relating to Labour Management Relation in India
Environment Law
Tax Law
Alternative Dispute Resolution
International Trade Law
Law, Poverty and Development
Labour Law – II
Interpretation of Statutes
International Commercial Law
Code of Criminal Procedure – II
Legal Ethics and Court Craft
Drafting, Pleading and Conveyancing
Optional Subjects (Any one of the following):
Women and Law
Air and Space Law
Election Law
International Commercial Law
Banking and Insurance Law
International Humanitarian Law
Indirect Taxes
International Refugee Law
Criminology
Socio-Economic Offences
International Economic Law
Private International Law
Law of International Organizations
Heath Care Law
International Trade Law
Law, Poverty and Development
Labour Law – II
Interpretation of Statutes
International Commercial Law
Land Laws
Legal Method
Law of Contract-I
Legal English and Communication Skills
History-I
Sociology-I
Law of Contract –II
Law of Torts and Consumer Protection
History-II
Sociology-II
Political Science-I
Family Law-I
Constitutional Law-I
Law of Crimes-I
Economics-I
Political Science-II
Family Law-II
Constitutional Law-II
International Trade Law
Legal Ethics and Court Crafts
Drafting, Pleading and Conveyancing
Land and Real Estate Laws
Law of Crimes-II
Administrative Law
Economics-II
Environmental Studies and Environmental Laws
Law of Evidence
Corporate Law
Code of Civil Procedure
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
Jurisprudence
International Law
Property Law
Investment and Competition Law
Code of Criminal Procedure
Labour Law-I
Tax Law
Law and Emerging Technologies
Human Rights
Intellectual Property Rights
Labour Law-II
Interpretation of Statutes
Sociology-II
Legal Method
Law of Contract-I
English and Legal Language
Electronic Devices, Circuits, and IC Technology
Concepts of Chemistry
Introductory Biotechnology and Cell Biology
Electronics Lab, Chemistry Lab, Biotechnology Lab
History
Law of Contract II
Techniques of Communication, Client Interviewing & counseling
Digital Electronics: Microprocessors and Interfaces
Techniques of Chemistry
Tools and techniques of Biotechnology
Business Law
Family Law I
Constitutional I
Law of Crimes I
Advocacy skills
Telecom Engineering Fundamentals, Data and Wireless Communication
Polymer Chemistry
Genetics, Immunology and Molecular Biotechnology
Information theory, Coding and Network Programming
Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Land Laws
Laws and Technology
Intellectual Property Right
Labor Law I
Genetic Engineering and Genomics
Law of Torts and Consumer Protection
Family Law II
Constitutional Law II
Law of Crimes II
Administrative Law
Programming Fundamentals & Data Base Management System
Physical Pharmacy
Microbial Biotechnology & Fermentation Technology
Code of Civil Procedure I
Code of Criminal Procedure I
Law of Evidence
Jurisprudence I
Human Right Law
Synthetic Organic Chemistry
Plant and Animal Biotechnology
Code of Civil Procedure II
Code of Criminal Procedure II
Public International Law
Investment and Competition law
Property Law
Jurisprudence II
Alternative Dispute Resolution
International Trade Law
Law, Poverty and Development
Internet, E-Commerce, Multimedia Tools & Information System Security
Computer Lab
Legal Ethics and Court Craft
Drafting, Pleading & Conveyancing
Legal Method
Law of Contract-I
Legal English and Communication Skills
Principles of Management
Managerial Economics
Law of Contract –II
Law of Torts and Consumer Protection
Financial Management
Organizational behavior
Marketing Management
Family Law-I
Constitutional Law-I
Law of Crimes-I
Business Environment & Ethical Practices
Human Resource Management
Family Law-II
Constitutional Law-II
Law of Crimes-II
Administrative Law
Strategic Management
Environmental Studies and Environmental Laws
Investment and Competition Law
Code of Criminal Procedure
Labour Law-I
Tax Law
Law and Emerging Technologies
Human Rights
Intellectual Property Rights
Labour Law-II
Interpretation of Statutes
International Trade Law
Legal Ethics and Court Crafts
Drafting, Pleading and Conveyancing
Land and Real Estate Laws
Law of Evidence
Corporate Law
Code of Civil Procedure
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
Jurisprudence
International Law
LLB 306 Property Law
Law of Contract –II
Business Statistics
Financial Accounting
Auditing I
English I
Law of Contract I
Woman, Child & the Law
Proficiency (Non-credit)
Business Communication
Economics
English II
Law of Contract II
History of Courts, Legislation & Legal Profession in India
Consumer Protection Law
Environmental Studies
Corporate Accounting
Business Finance
Law of Contract III
Constitutional Law I
Laws of Crime I
Legal language
Foreign Language I
Interpretation of Statutes
Constitutional Law II
Laws of Crimes II
Law of Evidence
Law of Tort
Family law I
Research Methodology
Foreign language II
Jurisprudence I
Civil Procedure Code I
Labor Law I
Company Law I
Criminal Procedure Code I
Family Law II
Jurisprudence II
Civil Procedure Code II
Labor Law II
Company Law II
Drafting, Pleading & Conveyancing
Moot Court I
Public International Law
Property law
Taxation I
Administrative Law
Human Rights & Humanitarian Law
Moot Court II
Private International Law
Environmental Law
Taxation II
Land Laws including ceiling
Moot Court III
Intellectual Property Rights
Arbitration, Conciliation and Alternative Dispute Resolution System
Banking & Financial Institutions including negotiable instruments
Moot Court IV
Criminology and Penology
Project Report & Pre-trial Preparation
Professional ethics
Public Interest Lawyering, Legal aid & Para Legal services
Moot Court V
Laws of Crimes II
Labour Law
Criminal Law
Law of Torts & Consumer Protection Act
Law of Evidence
Human Rights & International Law
Property Law
Legal Aids
Civil Procedure Code
Legal Writing
Code of Criminal Procedure
Land Laws (including ceiling and other local laws)
Optional Papers- Contract/ Trust/ Women & Law/ Criminology/ International Economics Law
Family Law
Professional Ethics
Constitutional Law
Arbitration, Conciliation & Alternative
Environmental Law
Jurisprudence
Law of Contract
Interpretation of Statutes
Administrative Law
Company Law
Investment & Securities Law/ Law of Taxation/ Co-operative Law/ Banking Law including Negotiable Instruments Act
Comparative Law/ Law of Insurance/ Conflict of Laws/ Intellectual Property
Core subjects
Law and Social Transformation in India
Constitutionalism
Legal Research and Methodology
Judicial Process
Optional subjects to be taken in the three semesters
Constitutional Law
Family Law
Torts
Crimes
International Law
Contract and Insurance
Administrative Law
Law, Science and Technology
Jurisprudence
New Economic Law: WTO in Context
Alternate Dispute Resolution System
Business Administration
Labour Management Relations
Taxation
Regulated Economy
Administration of Justice
Human Rights
Environmental Law
Intellectual Property
Family Law
Contract Law
Banking Law
Corporate Law
Industrial Relations Law
Environmental Law
Investment Laws
Insurance Law
Intellectual Property Law
Law relating to Foreign Trade
Taxation of Corporations
Research Based Learning in Law: Models & Methods
Legal System & Democratic Governance: Comparative Perspective
Environmental Governance
Refugee & International Humanitarian Law
Intl. & Comparative Law of IPRs
Corporate Governance
Changing Conception of Justice & Globalized Legal Order
Concept & Development of Human Rights
Changing Conception of Justice & Globalized Legal Order
Financial Market Regulations
International Human Rights Law
International Trade Law
Electives
International Criminal Law
Human Rights, Women & Development
Human Rights, Child & Development
Corporate Mergers & Acquisitions
Regulation of Banking & Insurance
Taxation Law
Corporate Mergers & Acquisitions
Regulation of Banking & Insurance
Changing Conception of Justice & Globalized Legal Order