Bachelor of Legislative Law (LLB)

LLB, also known as Bachelor of Legislative Law, is an undergraduate law programme of 3-year or 5-year duration that can be pursued after graduation and 10+2 respectively. The Bachelor of Legislative Law is a foundational course in law that teaches students about legal procedures followed in the profession. The course helps the student develop a logical, analytical and critical understanding of legal affairs and teaches him/her how to use these skills for resolving social, legal issues of the society.

The full form of LLB is bachelor of law. LLB is derived from Legum Baccalaureus. Candidates who have completed their graduation in any discipline are eligible to pursue 3-year LLB, The 5-year LLB is an integrated law program that can be pursued after intermediate.

The course is offered by colleges that are approved by the Bar Council of India (BCI). Also note that to pursue law in India, the LLB degree holder also has to qualify in the All India Bar Examination (AIBE) conducted by the BCI.

The 3-year Bachelor of Legislative Law typically is divided into six semesters, and students start with the basics of law before gradually moving into the other subjects like constitutional law, family law, jurisprudence, IPC, CrPC, law of contracts, etc. As part of the course, students also have to undertake internships and training programmes at law firms, corporate organisations and courts to further their knowledge and gain real-life experience of the legal profession.

Types of LLB

1. Before the advent of the 5-year integrated law programme, the 3-year LLB was the default option for law aspirants. Also, with the 5-year course gaining in popularity the Bachelor of Legislative Law course has lost some shine.
2. Speaking of types of LLB, a law course after graduation, there is the typical 3-year LLB programme which is almost ubiquitous, as it is offered by most of the prominent and not-so prominent universities. That being said, the course in recent times is getting competition from the 5-year integrated programme, which is fast gaining acceptance.
3. A 4-year LLB programmes also exist, like the ones offered by some colleges in the UK. In this case, the LLB course is combined with other subjects and takes one additional year to complete. The subject combination could include law and politics, or law and human rights

LLB Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria of Bachelor of Legislative Law may vary across colleges, especially those related to minimum marks; refer the points below for full details. It is important that the candidate knows the eligibility criteria beforehand because otherwise one's candidature can be nullified at any stage of the admission process.

1. Qualifying exam: Since 3-year LLB is a law course offered after graduation, candidates aspiring for a law degree must have passed graduation from a recognized institute in any discipline like BA, B.Com, B.Sc, BBA, BCA etc.
2. Minimum marks in qualifying exam: The minimum marks may vary, as some colleges demand 50%, while others require only 45%. Further, in the case of public law colleges, there is relaxation in minimum marks for reserved category candidates.
3. Age limit: There is no upper age limit for the course
4. Other cases: Such candidates who are appearing in the final year/semester exam of their graduation course may also apply for the law degree, but they need to meet the other eligibility requirements postulated by the college which the candidate is seeking admission to.

Career Prospects and Job Scope For LLB

1. Many candidates decide to do LLB after graduation because it is considered a safe career option. If the candidate completes LLB, he or she may go on to become advocates and work in legal cases. The LLB degree holder has the option of working both as a private lawyer or work for the government. To work in the government sector, the candidate generally needs to qualify in an entrance exam conducted by the Public Service Commission.
2. Many candidates decide to do LLB after graduation because it is considered a safe career option. If the candidate completes LLB, he or she may go on to become advocates and work in legal cases. The LLB degree holder has the option of working both as a private lawyer or work for the government. To work in the government sector, the candidate generally needs to qualify in an entrance exam conducted by the Public Service Commission.
3. There is no limit as to what level one can reach after completing an LLB degree. Because if we look at social personalities dominating the public, starting from the late Arun Jaitley and Ram Jethmalani, to present luminaries like Harish Salve and Aryama Sundaram, to the former Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, the sky's the limit.
4. After completing the LLB degree, one may work in a variety of roles - corporate lawyer, judge, legal advisor, legal manager.
5. Some individuals again become social activists and fight for the legal rights of marginal sections of society. The role can be unglamorous and require a lot of sacrifices and standing up to powerful people, but the job satisfaction can be immense.