Law is one of the most popular fields of education and has always been in demand amongst the students. But the students often face a dilemma about choosing the right course. They are confused about which is the best course; BA LLB integrated course or LLB after graduation. This article provides a gist about the difference between 3-year LLB and 5-year BA LLB Integrated programmes.
A 3-year LLB degree
A 3-year bachelor of law degree is designed for students who have completed their undergraduate programme and now wish to make a career in the law field. It is an ideal choice for the students who have completed their graduation and are now willing to enroll in a law course.
A 5-year BA LLB degree
Students are smart these days and are very well aware of what they want to pursue in the future. If they have decided to pursue law in the 12th class, they can enrol in a 5-year integrated programme. This way, they can evade two different courses of three years each because both the courses are similar. It will also prevent the loss of one or more crucial years in this competitive world.
3-year LLB vs 5-year Integrated LLB Programme
| Features | 3-year LL.B | 5-year Integrated LL.B |
| About the Programme | 3-year LLB is an undergraduate law programme. Students can pursue this course only after completing their graduation, but that does not make it a postgraduate degree. | 5-year LLB is an integrated programme. This course includes a graduate programme such as BA, B.Com, BBA, etc., along with the core LLB degree. |
| Duration | 3-year programme | 5-year programme |
| Course Objective | The objective of the course is to teach students about the diverse fields of law and prepare them to practice law in any area of their choice. | There is no major difference in the objective of a 5-year LLB programme. The only difference is that this course also focuses on basic subjects of graduation apart from core law education. |
| Eligibility Criteria | Students must have completed their graduation with at least 45% marks. Most of the institutions take admissions based on the entrance exams such as LSAT. | To take admission in a 5-year integrated programme, students must have cleared 10+2 with at least 50% marks. Students willing to take admission in this programme will have to appear for entrance exams like CLAT, AILET, etc. |
| Curriculum | In this programme, students will study the fundamentals of law and the constitution of India. All the semesters and subjects are wholly dedicated to law education. | The 5-year integrated LLB course comprises subjects related to the graduation programme (e.g., BA, B.Com, BBA, etc.) along with core law subjects. These subjects are evenly distributed over 10 semesters. |
| Opportunities | The value of this programme depends on the institute chosen to pursue the course. If pursued from any reputed colleges, it will open various job opportunities for the students. | The value of this programme also depends on the universities chosen to pursue the course; for example, NLUs and other renowned colleges will offer great advantages to the students. |
3-year LLB v/s 5-year BA LLB: Career Prospects
Despite the differences in the programme, your job as a working law professional will not vary much, considering you have chosen a good institute to pursue your degree. There are good colleges in India for both courses, and both the degrees are equally coveted and open several opportunities for all the law aspirants. You just need to show consistent efforts and believe in your hard work to make an exciting career in law.
Stay tuned for more information on CLAT 2022 & 2023 and law related articles.
Also read – A career in Journalism after LLB: Scope & Opportunities
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