B.A LL.B course is a dual-degree, professionally oriented programme. It is an integration of two programmes, which are Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Legislative Law. The entire course in administrative law is covered over a period of five years. While there is an option to pursue the course on the distance-learning basis in just a few institutions, most colleges and universities offer this programme as a full-time degree course. B.A LL.B may also be available as an Honours programme. The fee for the course may vary by institution, course quality and course reputation, but it usually ranges from INR 1 lakh to INR 10 lakhs.
While the B.A LL.B course trains students in the areas of History, Economics, Political Science and Sociology, it also gives them detailed knowledge of various aspects of the law. These aspects include corporate laws, labour laws, patent laws, criminal laws, civil laws, admin laws, taxation laws, and international laws. Students not only get the theoretical knowledge of such domains but also the experience of mock drills in courts and practical knowledge by working on case studies. The course is best for those who want to widen their career and job prospects in the legal domain.
While students must have an inclination towards legal issues and their resolution, they should also have some other skills essential to excel in the B.A LL.B course. Following are some of the skills that can make them successful in the administrative law field:
Extensive research and evaluation skills
Excellent oral and written communication
Analytical and interpretive abilities
Precise reporting skills
Confident and presentable personality
Persuasive ability
Attention to detail
Patience and focused mind
Critical judgement skills
Reasoning and problem-solving abilities
Lateral thinking and arguments formulation skills
Various government, private, and public-private institutions offer the B.A LL.B course. These institutions have the recognition of authorities like UGC, AIU, BCI, and AICTE. It is important for students to know that BCI or Bar Council of India regulates law education in India. Thus, students should prefer to do the course from a BCI-recognised institution. Here are some of the leading institutions in the country offering the B.A LL.B programme:
Indian Law Society Law College, Pune
Faculty of Law, University of Calcutta, Kolkata
Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala
National Law University, New Delhi
Rayat - Bahra University, Mohali
Ramaiah Institute of Legal Studies, Bengaluru
RNB Global University, Bikaner
Royal Global University, Guwahati
New Law College, Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune
NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad
Faculty of Law, Osmania University
The integrated degree in Arts and Law enables students to work in several domains. While they can join the services of central government, they can also join state government services. This can be done by clearing the UPSC Civil Services Examination or State Public Service Commission exams. This can let students enter Indian Legal Services or similar services at the state level. The B.A LL.B course is also beneficial when students want to avail the job opportunities in several courts of law.
By finishing this course, many career opportunities open up in government agencies, as well as in revenue departments, police departments, news publishers and channels, and even the sales tax and excise departments. Professionals can take up job positions, such as advocate, solicitor, public prosecutor, legal advisor, assistant advisor, and sub-magistrate. They can also occupy the roles of oath commissioner, law officer, trustee, law reporter, company secretary, and district and sessions judge.
After completing the B.A LL.B course, some students may enter the teaching domain and become instructors in educational institutions. Others may find great opportunities with banks, legal advisory firms, and business houses. In fact, it is also a great option to start one’s own law practice or run a law consultancy. This deeply enhances the actual work experience of the professional. Thus, completing the B.A LL.B programme can be fruitful, as there is no dearth of career or job options in multinational firms or judiciary.
Although some institutions may have a few specific conditions to admit candidates in their B.A LL.B course, most of the institutions require them to meet the following basic eligibility criteria when they apply to seek admission:
The candidate must have passed the 10+2 exam or an equivalent exam from a recognised board.
The candidate should have secured a minimum of 50% marks in the qualifying exam, which is the 10+2 exam in this case. However, it is noteworthy that the minimum percentage of marks required may vary from one institution to another. The percentage may also be relaxed for the candidates from reserved categories.
The candidate should appear in the entrance exam as specified by the particular institution in which he/she applies to seek admission in the B.A LL.B course. Every institution may have its own consideration in terms of the entrance test. While some entrance exams are conducted at the national level, some are held at the state or university level. Therefore, the candidate must check this criterion from the specific institution before appearing in an exam. It is again important to note that not all institutions admit candidates based on their performance in the entrance exam. Some may offer direct admission in the B.A LL.B course based on the Intermediate exam performance and merit of applicants.
The Integrated B.A LL.B course does not offer further specialisations. However, the course provides a thorough knowledge of arts subjects and law topics. It equips students to deal with any legal problem in an expert, innovative manner. The course is highly in demand among 12th-pass students who want to make a career in the field of law. While the course is professionally oriented and provides various prospects in future, many students also pursue LL.M and PhD in Law after completion of this course. This widens the job scope further.
The B.A LL.B course not only imparts the knowledge of administrative laws but also the advocacy skills in students. They can learn about dispute resolution in creative ways, as well as about business laws, code of civil procedure, constitutional law, and drafting and pleading procedures. This value-adding programme additionally trains students in the areas of legal language, environmental law, family law, forensics, healthcare law, human rights, and economic and trade laws. Students gain a good knowledge of jurisprudence, court craft, legal ethics, socioeconomic offences, legal communication, and legal writing and research.