Are you interested in studying law? Do you want to become a lawyer? If yes, then this article will be of great help to you. This article is a guide for the 10th standard pass outs who want to pursue law in the future.
The minimum qualification needed to study law is 10+2 passes in any of the streams. Students, who have passed Class 10 and want to study law, should go for I and II PUC in any stream like Science, Commerce, and Arts. In India, there are two-course formats available, when it comes to law education:
- Integrated law course can be directly pursued after Class 12
- Bachelor of Law (LL.B) can be pursued after graduation
Passing any of the courses mentioned above is important if one wants to become a lawyer. To start practicing, other than clearing any of the above-mentioned courses, students can also clear the Bar Council examination and get enrolled with the Bar Council.
Law courses prepare students to play the role of a legal professional. The course covers the topics like legal principles, law and regulation in India, moot court sessions and legal procedures.
Let us check out the format of each course in details:
1.Integrated Law Course:
It is a 5-year long program. Integrated law course can be pursued by students who have completed Class 12. This program will give rise to one to two degrees- A Bachelor’s Degree (based on the program) and LL.B, after the completion of course. Few of the well-known integrated law programs available in India are BA LL.B, B.Com. LL.B, BSc. LL.B and BBA LL.B. Based on one’s interest, a student may opt for any of the above-discussed law programs.
Duration of the course: 5 years
Eligibility criteria: Students who have cleared Class 12 or PU2 in any stream are eligible to pursue this course. Minimum marks criteria may exist in case of several institutions. Generally, minimum aggregate marks needed are about 45 to 50%. After completing the integrated law program, one can enroll with the Bar Council of India and start practicing as a Lawyer.
2.LL.B. after graduation:
LL.B. is a PG course which can be pursued after completing the graduation. It is the traditional law course. If you are not interested in pursuing law directly after PU2, you may go for any 3 or 4 years graduation program, complete it and then pursue LL.B.
Duration: 3 years
Eligibility criteria: Graduates who have completed 3 or 4 years long graduation degree from an acknowledged University is eligible to pursue this. After completing the LL.B program, a student can enroll with the Bar Council and start practicing as a Lawyer in India.
Entrance Tests for Law
In order to secure admissions in reputed law institutions, one should write relevant law entrance exams and score good marks in such tests. Various kinds of law entrance tests include National level test, State level entrance exam and institute –wise exam etc.
Let us look at few of the important law entrance exams in India:
- AILET ( All India Law Entrance Test)
- CET
- BLAT (BHU Law Admission Test)
- LSAT
- ULSAT (UPES Legal Studies Aptitude Test)
Once can also join Legal firms or companies that provide legal consultancy. After gaining the work experience by working under the experienced lawyers, one may start out their own venture too. If you are serious about having a career in law, then this article will really prove to be helpful for you. Just keep these courses and entrance exams that you can prepare after Class 10 in mind and start the preparation from today itself.
Best of Luck!
