Undergraduate/Integrated
Law (LLB)
A complete guide to the Law (LLB) programme in India: eligibility, top colleges, career outcomes, and frequently asked questions.
Course Overview
The LLB (Bachelor of Laws) is available in two main formats in India: a three-year programme for students who already hold a bachelor's degree, and a five-year integrated BA LLB or BBA LLB taken directly after Class 12. Both formats cover constitutional law, criminal law, contract law, corporate law, intellectual property law, environmental law, family law, labour law, and international law. The five-year integrated programmes at National Law Universities (NLUs) like NLSIU Bangalore, NALSAR Hyderabad, and NUJS Kolkata are among the most competitive admissions in the country, with CLAT as the primary entrance exam. These institutions produce graduates who are heavily recruited by top corporate law firms like Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, AZB, Khaitan, and Trilegal. For the three-year LLB route, admission happens through university-specific tests or state common entrance exams. Career outcomes extend well beyond courtroom advocacy. Graduates practise as advocates in civil and criminal courts, join in-house legal teams at companies, work in policy think tanks, enter judicial services through state PSC exams, or move into legal journalism, mediation, and arbitration. Some pursue an LLM for academic or specialised practice in international law, taxation, or human rights. Starting salaries at tier-1 law firms range from 14 to 20 lakh rupees per year, while litigation and mid-tier roles start more modestly at 4 to 10 lakh rupees.
Duration
3 years (LLB) / 5 years (BA LLB integrated)
Eligibility
Bachelor's degree for 3-year LLB; 10+2 for 5-year integrated; CLAT/university entrance
Career Outcomes
Entrance Exams
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 3-year and 5-year LLB?
The 5-year integrated programme (BA LLB, BBA LLB, or BSc LLB) is taken directly after Class 12 and combines a bachelor's degree with law education. The 3-year LLB is taken after any undergraduate degree. Both lead to the same Bar Council registration, but 5-year programmes at NLUs are generally considered more prestigious.
Which is the best law college in India?
NLSIU Bangalore is consistently ranked as the best law school in India, followed by NALSAR Hyderabad, NUJS Kolkata, NLU Delhi, and NLU Jodhpur. Among non-NLUs, Symbiosis Law School Pune, Jindal Global Law School, and Amity Law School are also well-regarded.
What is the salary of a fresh law graduate?
Top NLU graduates joining tier-1 corporate law firms earn 14 to 20 lakh rupees per year. Graduates from other good law schools typically start at 5 to 10 lakh rupees. Litigation juniors assisting senior advocates earn less initially but can build successful independent practices after several years of training.
How do I prepare for CLAT?
CLAT preparation typically takes 1 to 2 years of focused study covering English, Current Affairs and GK, Legal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Techniques. Daily newspaper reading, CLAT-specific mock tests from coaching institutes, and consistent practice with passage-based questions are essential for strong scores.
What are the career options after LLB?
Options include corporate law (at top firms or in-house counsel), litigation (civil, criminal, constitutional), judicial services, legal policy research, law teaching, arbitration, intellectual property law, and increasingly legal tech roles. Many lawyers pursue LLM or MBA later to accelerate into leadership or specialised practice.
Last updated: April 2026