With the opening of Indian economy and WTO norms becoming mandatory in most of the sectors of the economy, new opportunities and careers in Law like Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), Environment Laws and their compliance, International Laws and arbitration are growing in importance by leaps and bounds. An analytical mind, good communication skills, coupled with on-the-feet thinking is what will help a lawyer to become successful. Law has become a hot career in today's scenario with lots of youngsters vying for the few available seats in law colleges.

The courses offered in law

• Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) - Three year course offered by Universities after graduation, based on marks of qualifying examinations or entrance tests.
• Integrated program in Bachelor of Laws (B.A LL.B, B.Sc LL.B,B.Com LL.B) Five year integrated course offered by Law Schools. Admission is through national level entrance examinations.
• Master of Laws (LL.M)- Two year Course
• Doctor of Philosophy in Law (Ph.D degree)-Maximum three years
• Doctor of laws (LL.D)-for Ph.D holders-Maximum four years
• P.G Diploma in different areas of law - one year duration

Admission to the Law courses

Till the year 2007 each Law school conducted separate national level admission tests, at different centers spread across the country. An aspirant had to write a number of exams for getting admission to a leading National Law school. The multiplicity of entrance tests had been causing tremendous hardship, both physically and financially, to the candidates. As a result of serious discussions on this topic it was decided that the legal education in India should be centralized. The University Grants Commission has decided that henceforth a Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) would be conducted every year by one of the National Law Schools, on rotation on the basis of the seniority. Seven National Law Schools signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 23rd November, 2007 committing them to hold common admission test. Being the oldest in the category the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bangalore will conduct the first admission test for the academic year 2008-09.

Participating National Law Schools in CLAT-2008

1. National Law School Of India University(NLSIU),Bangalore www.nis.ac.in
2. NALSAR University of Law-Hyderabad, www.nalsarlawuniv.ac.in
3. National Law Institute University (NLIU),Bhopal www.nliu.com
4. National University of Juridical Sciences,(NUJS)-Kolkata, www.nujs.edu
5. National Law University,(NLU)-Jodhpur, www.nlujodhpur.ac.in
6. Hidayatulla National Law University (HNLU)-Raipur, www.hnlu.ac.in
7. Gujarat National Law University (GNLU)-Gandhinagar www.gnlu.ac.in

The following National Law Universities will also be making use of Common Law Admission Test scores for their respective admissions for the academic year 2008-09:

1. Chanakya National Law University,Gandhi Maidan, Patna www.chanakyalawuniv.org
2. Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University,Lucknow www.nlulucknow.up.nic.in
3. Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Punjab,Patiala.www.rgnulpatiala.org

• The candidate must have passed the Higher Secondary School Examination (10+2) or an examination equivalent thereof, securing an aggregate not less than 50% in all the core subjects and English put together.
• Must not have completed 20 years of age as on 1st July of the year of admission. Two year relaxation for SC/ST candidates
• Course duration-5 years

• LL.B. degree or its equivalent from a recognized University with not less than 50% marks in the aggregate.
• Duration-2 years

1. English - 40 marks
2. General Knowledge - 50 marks
3. Mathematics - 20 marks
4. Legal Aptitude - 40 marks
5. Logical Reasoning - 50 marks

• Symbiosis Society's Law College
  
  Symbiosis Society's Law College is one of the top ranking institutes in India which offers B.A LLB and B.B.A LLB programs. The admission to these programs is done mainly on the basis of entrance test.
  
  Eligibility
  
  10+2 passed with minimum 50% marks.
  
  Test pattern
  
  SET duration is 150 minutes. SET is an objective test and has 150 questions.
  
  SET is an aptitude test and is objective in nature. Each question has four options as answers and carries one mark for correct answer. There is no negative marking for wrong answers.
  
  
  

  SNo.	Section	Number of Questions	Total Marks
  1.	General English	30	30
  2.	Quantitative	30	30
  3.	General Awareness	50	50
  4.	Analytical & Logical Reasoning	40	40
  	Total	150	150

  
  Website:www.symlaw.ac.in
  
  
• Faculty of Law, University of Delhi
  
  The Faculty of Law, Delhi University (DU) offers a three-year LL.B. course and a two-year LL.M. course. Students applying for admission should have graduated with at least 50% marks. Admissions are based on entrance tests.
  
  Eligibility
  
  Graduate/PG degree with 50 % marks for general category.
  For LL.B (3-year full time programme)-The admission is on the basis of an entrance test based on English, Legal Aptitude and General Knowledge.
  
  L.L.M (2-year full time programme and if on part time basis the duration is 3 years): The eligibility for admission is that the candidate must have 3-year/5 year L.L.B degree from a recognized university with a minimum aggregate of 50%. The admission is based on an entrance test containing objective type questions in seven different fields of law.
  
  

• Amity Law School (Affiliated to I.P. University, Delhi)
  
  Admission to the Five year integrated LL.B(H) programe of Amity Law School is being done through a Common Entrance Test (CET) conducted by the Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi to which the Amity Law School is affiliated .
  
  Eligibility
  
  A candidate for admission should have passed 10+2 with at least 50% marks in aggregate with English as a core subject in any of the recognized examinations.
  
  He/She should be below 21 years of age on 1 st August of the year.
  
  Test Pattern
  
  

  1. English Language & Comprehension - (25%)
  2. General knowledge - (25%)
  3. Legal Aptitude-(25%)
  4. Reasoning-(25%)
  
  Scheme of the Test
  
  
  1. The test paper will contain 150 objective-type Questions in all.
  2. Each question shall carry four marks;
  3. One mark will be deducted for each incorrect answer;
  4. The Test will be of two and a half hours duration and will carry 600 marks;
  5. The medium of the tests will be English only.

  Website: www.ipu.ac.in
  
  

• Indian Law Society (ILS) Law College, Pune
  
  ILS offers the following law courses:
  1. B.S. L LL.B (Bachelor of Socio Legal Sciences (B.S.L.)is a five year law course)
  2. LLB (three year law course)
  3. MLL & LW (two year course – Masters Degree in Labour Law and Labour Welfare)
  4. DTL (one year course – Diploma in Taxation Laws)
  5. DLL & LW (one year course – Diploma in Labour Laws and Labour Welfare)
  
  Eligibility
  
  

  Course	Qualifications
  I year of BSL(five year law course)	XIIth or equivalent examination with minimum 40 % marks for candidates belonging to SC or ST, and 45% marks for others
  I year of LLB(three year law course)	Graduate of any faculty with minimum 40 % marks for candidates belonging to SC or ST, and 45% marks for others
  DTL	Graduate of any faculty
  DLL&LW
  1st year of MLL&LW

  
  Admission
  
  Admissions to I BSL and I LLB courses are based on merit. Candidates who find a place in merit list will have to appear for Interview. Website: www.ilslaw.edu
  
  

• Government Law College,Mumbai
  
  Admissions are based on the candidate’s merit in the qualifying examinations.
  
  Courses offered
  
  B.L.S., LL.B - Five Years Integrated Course
  LL.B - Three Years Law Course
  L.L.M- Two year course.
  Diploma- One year Postgraduate Diploma Course in Securities Law.
  
  Eligibility
  
  For 5-YEAR LAW COURSE
  
  Minimum 45% marks for general category,40% for SC/ST required, when candidate passes his examination in the first attempt.
  
  Website: www.glc.edu
  
  India’s Best 25 Law Schools as per ‘India Today Rankings’ 2007 and their law courses
  
  

  Rank	Law School / College / Faculty
  1	NLSIU, Bangalore – Only 5 years LL.B.
  2	NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad – Only 5 years LL.B.
  3	NLIU, Bhopal – Only 5 years LL.B.
  4	National Law University, Jodhpur – Only 5 years LL.B.
  5	Faculty of Law, Delhi University, Delhi – Only 3 years LL.B.
  6	NUJS, Kolkata – Only 5 years LL.B.
  7	Symbiosis Society’s Law College, Pune – Only 5 years LL.B.
  8	ILS Law College, Pune – Both 5 years and 3 years Law
  9	Government Law College, Mumbai – Both 5 years and 3 years Law
  10	Amity Law School, Delhi – Only 5 years LL.B.
  11	Faculty of Law, AMU, Aligarh – Only 5 years LL.B.
  12	University Law College, Bangalore University, Bangalore – Both 5 years and 3 years Law
  13	Faculty of Law, Mumbai University, Mumbai – Both 5 years and 3 years Law
  14	Faculty of Law, BHU, Varanasi - Only 3 years LL.B.
  15	Deptt. Of Laws, Panjab University, Chandigarh – Both 5 years and 3 years Law
  16	Bangalore Institute of Legal Studies, Bangalore – Only 5 years LL.B.
  17	School of Law, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad – Both 5 years and 3 years Law
  18	Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University, Chennai – Both 5 years and 3 years Law
  19	Army Institute of Law, Mohali – Only 5 years LL.B.
  20	Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar – Only 5 years LL.B.
  21	DES Law College, Pune – Both 5 years and 3 years Law
  22	Deptt. Of Law, Calcutta University, Kolkata – Both 5 years and 3 years Law
  23	Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur – Only 5 years LL.B.
  24	Govt. Law College, Kerala University, Thiruvananthpuram – Both 5 years and 3 years Law
  25	Faculty of Law, Allahabad University, Allahabad – Both 5 years and 3 years Law