Two Ways Into Law, Depending on Where You're Starting From
Law degrees in India come in two shapes. The five-year integrated BA LLB is built for students walking in straight after Class 12 — it folds a bachelor's degree and law training into one continuous stretch. The three-year LLB is the other option, meant for people who've already finished a bachelor's degree in any subject and want to add a focused law qualification on top.
Neither one beats the other objectively. It depends entirely on where you stand at present. School leavers tend to go five-year, since it saves time overall. Graduates or people who decided on law later usually pick the three-year route. Both land you at the same professional recognition once you're done, so this is really about your current stage of life, not one degree being "better."
Eligibility Requirements for 2026
- Five-year BA LLB: a Class 12 pass from a recognised board, with the exact marks requirement shifting slightly by university.
- Three-year LLB Course: a bachelor's degree in any stream, usually needing 45% to 50% aggregate.
- Reserved category candidates generally get a relaxation of a few percentage points.
- No upper age limit at most of these universities, so career-changers and working professionals can still apply.
Cutoffs aren't identical everywhere, so check your target college's official notice rather than assuming a number you saw somewhere else applies.
How Admission Actually Works at Each University
This is where things genuinely split apart, and it's worth knowing before you assume CLAT is the only route in.
MDU Rohtak runs its own entrance exam — legal aptitude, reasoning, English, Hindi, general knowledge, no negative marking. CLAT scores aren't accepted here at all. Around 120 seats open up per programme, decided purely by this test score.
CRSU Jind is largely merit-based instead. Your qualifying exam percentage decides the list, and counselling handles the rest.
Gurugram University works similarly — merit decides the list, counselling decides your final college.
All three are UGC-recognised, so a law degree from any of them holds full weight for Bar Council of India enrolment, same as one from anywhere else recognised.
Admission Steps at a Glance
- Check eligibility for whichever program you're aiming for — 5-year or 3-year.
- Register on the university's official admission portal.
- Sit for the entrance exam if it applies to you (MDU needs one; CRSU and Gurugram University mostly don't).
- Check the merit list or entrance result once it's out.
- Get your documents verified and go through counseling.
- Pay the admission fee to lock in your seat.
Documentation Required
Have these scanned and ready before you even start applying:
- 10th and 12th mark sheets, for the 5-year BA LLB
- Graduation mark sheets and degree certificate, for the 3-year LLB
- Transfer certificate from wherever you studied last
- A valid photo ID — Aadhaar or PAN works
- Category certificate, if that applies to you
- A few recent passport-size photographs
Last Date to Apply
Forms usually open between April and May, with final dates landing anywhere from late May to late June depending on the university — MDU's 3-year LLB window has stretched into late June before. Take these as rough guidance only; the actual last date always comes from your target university's official portal, since these shift a bit every season.
LLB Admission in Delhi
Students in Delhi-NCR aren't limited to colleges within the city. MDU Rohtak, CRSU Jind, and Gurugram University are all a manageable commute away, and each gives a genuine, UGC-recognised alternative to the more crowded city colleges — often cheaper, with a simpler process to get in. If you'd rather skip Delhi's more intense competition, these three are worth shortlisting early.
What You'll Actually Study
Whichever program you pick, expect Constitutional Law, Contract Law, Criminal Law, Family Law, Jurisprudence, and Civil Procedure, alongside moot court practice and legal drafting work that builds real courtroom skills instead of leaving everything as theory.
The five-year version also carries your undergraduate subjects through the early years before core law papers take over. For the 3-year LLB specifically, here's roughly how it breaks down:
| Year | Core Subjects |
|---|
| 1st Year | Constitutional Law, Contract Law, Law of Torts, Legal Methods |
| 2nd Year | Family Law, Property Law, Administrative Law,Criminal Law |
| 3rd Year | Corporate Law, Intellectual Property Rights, Environmental Law, Legal Ethics |
The exact order can shift a bit depending on the university, but this is the general shape most LLB programs follow.
Life After Your Law Degree
Finishing the degree doesn't automatically let you practice — clearing the All India Bar Examination (AIBE), run by the Bar Council of India, is still required before you can formally enrol as an advocate. Beyond independent practice, graduates head into corporate legal teams, litigation under a senior advocate, judiciary services prep, or compliance roles at consulting firms.
Litigation pays less at the start but offers more independence down the line, while corporate roles usually start steadier and better structured. Worth thinking through which trade-off suits you before narrowing your focus too early.
| Job Profile | Approximate Salary Range |
|---|
| Junior Advocate / Litigation | ₹3–₹6 LPA |
| Legal Advisor (Corporate) | ₹6–₹10 LPA |
| Legal Analyst / Associate | ₹4–₹8 LPA |
| In-house Corporate Counsel | ₹7–₹12 LPA |
| Judiciary Services (after exams) | Varies by state pay scale |
Treat these as loose ranges rather than fixed numbers — actual pay swings a lot based on the firm, the city, and what you specialise in.
Quite a few students go on to an LLM afterward too, especially if academic work or a specialised corporate law role is what they're eventually aiming for.
Before You Choose a College
Don't let fees be the only thing deciding this for you. Look at whether faculty actually has courtroom or research experience, whether moot court and internships are genuinely active rather than occasional add-ons, and what students who've finished the program actually say — not just brochure claims.
Start early, keep your paperwork sorted, and check the official portals of MDU, CRSU, and Gurugram University regularly as the season gets closer. That's really what this comes down to: knowing which path fits where you are, and which university's process actually plays to your strengths.