3-year LLB vs 5-year LLB: Difference between 3 & 5 Year LLB Courses

3-year LLB vs 5-year LLB: Difference between 3 & 5 Year LLB Courses

Edited By Sumeet Sudarshan | Updated on Apr 05, 2025 10:32 AM IST | #L.L.B

The LLB degree programs offered in India are mainly of two types - LLB (Hons.) and integrated LLB. There students often face the 3-year LLB vs 5-year LLB dilemma when choosing the best law course. One major difference between the three year LLB and five-year LLB lies in the duration of these courses. A 3-year LLB is an undergraduate degree that can be studied after graduation and concentrates on the core subjects of law. On the other hand, 5-year LLB is an undergraduate degree students can complete after their class 12. The 5-year LLB is a comprehensive undergraduate programme which is an integration of a regular undergraduate programme like a BA and a LLB programme.

This Story also Contains
  1. 3-year LLB and 5-year LLB - Why different course durations
  2. Difference in Eligibility
  3. 3-year LLB vs 5-year LLB - Cost view
  4. 3-year LLB or 5-year LLB - Which is Best?
  5. Top Law colleges offering 5-year LLB courses
  6. Top Law colleges offering 3-year LLB courses
  7. Popular entrance exams for LLB courses
3-year LLB vs 5-year LLB: Difference between 3 & 5 Year LLB Courses
3-year LLB vs 5-year LLB: Difference between 3 & 5 Year LLB Courses

In the case of B.tech LLB, the course duration extends to six years. Apart from duration, are there any other differences between a 3-year LLB and a 5-year integrated LLB and which course is best? Questions like these require detailed discussion. While both 3-year LLB and 5-year LLB are equivalent to each other, there are significant differences in terms of curriculum, eligibility, cost and outcomes.

Students aspiring to become lawyers should have a complete understanding of these courses as it helps them choose the right one. This article brings all the relevant information you need in one place so you can choose the right path for your legal education. Let's get started!

3-year LLB and 5-year LLB - Why different course durations

First thing first, why there are two LLB degree programs with different course durations? The answer to this question lies in the academic curriculum of these courses. The 3-year LLB solely focuses on Law specific subjects whereas, an integrated LLB has to accommodate two programs — LLB and an undergraduate course like BA, BBA, BSc etc.

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So, the 5-year LLB turns out to be a dual degree programme. Students who complete the course get two degrees at the end of their course. Whereas, an LLB (Hons.), course is a single Law degree course.

5-year LLB course is offered with different combinations. Some of the popular integrated programmes are mentioned below.

Difference in Eligibility

Another reason why there is a difference between 3 year and 5 year llb is that the former can be pursued only by graduate candidates while the latter is an undergraduate program. LLB (Hons.) was traditionally offered in India, the 5-year LLB was introduced later for students looking to study law immediately after stepping out of their schools.

3-year LLB vs 5-year LLB - Cost view

If we compare these courses in terms of cost, the 3-year LLB course is mostly cheaper compared to the 5-year LLB due to its shorter duration. In some cases, 5-year LLB courses in public universities such as Jamia Millia Islamia, and Government Law College, Mumbai can also be economical.

But in private law schools, the total fee for a 5-year LLB starts from around 10 Lakh and can go up to 45 Lakh in top private law schools. Against this, the total 3-year LLB course fee could range from eight lakh to 20 lakh.

Talking about central universities, the 3-year LLB course fee at Delhi University is around Rs. 5,000 per semester the total fee works out to around Rs. 30,000 for three years. Other popular universities like BHU, and Allahabad University also have similar fee structures for regular seats offered in 3-year LLB.

However, for a five-year LLB, Delhi University (DU) charges around Rs. 1.9 Lakh per annum which is almost at par with many private universities or NLUs which are not funded by the central government. In comparison, the other central universities offer 5-year LLB at a much cheaper cost. Jamia Millia Islamia offers a 5-year LLB at around Rs. 5000 per semester, only a self-financed 5-year LLB from JMI University would cost around Rs. 40,000 per semester. BHU and Allahabad University also charge around 32,000 to 40,000 per annum tuition fees for BA LLB.

NLUs which are state universities also charge an average of Rs. 12 to 15 lakh for 5-year LLB courses. Among NLUs, only NLSIU Bengaluru and NLU Odisha offer a 3-year LLB. NLU Odisha's 3-year LLB course fee is around Rs. 7.4 Lakh, whereas, NLSIU offers a 3-year LLB for around Rs. 10.7 Lakh.

Other than NLUs, most other state universities offer 5-year integrated LLB at Rs. 5,000-10,000 per semester.

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3-year LLB or 5-year LLB - Which is Best?

While we have compared both courses in terms of their duration, eligibility and cost, it is now crucial to answer the main question — which course is best? While both courses are good and equally acceptable, their suitability for candidates may vary under different circumstances.

5-year LLB after Class 12

If the students aim to pursue law as a career from the time of schooling, then a 5-year LLB is the better option. It will immediately give them exposure to the world of legal education. And, being a dual degree program, students get to learn two courses at the same time.

The course duration for two degrees would be five years only, which usually takes six years to complete. So, a 5-year LLB also saves one year of your education.

LLB after graduation

Students who are not fully convinced to opt for law as a career option go for a graduation course of their choice. Subsequently, on completion of the graduation, they can apply for LLB at a prestigious university.

In this case, it is quite simple that a 3-year LLB is an easy and better option. There is not much benefit in giving an extra two years by opting for a 5-year LLB. This way, the students can also save some money as a 3-year LLB is a cheaper option.

The 3-year LLB course is also suitable for those who can not secure a 5-year LLB seat in a good university. The option to go for a bachelor’s program from any state university and then look for a 3-year LLB from a prestigious university is also worth considering.

5-year LLB Course: Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages
Disadvantages
Cross disciplinary learning due to combination of subjects from two diffferent streams.Five years is sometimes considered far too long to study law after 12th, when other graduation streams can be completed in 3 years after 12th.
Two degrees in five years instead of usual 6 years it would take to complete two degrees.Certain 5-year LLB courses such as B.Sc LLB are not open to all graduates.
Opens up opportunities for a good career in law
A 5-year LLB makes one eligible for appearing in AIBE and practising law in India
Early entry to study law immediately after 12th.
All the top NLUs which are considerd the best law schools in the country provide the 5-year LLB programme

3-year LLB Courses: Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages
Disadvantages
Open to graduates of any streamMost top NLUs don't offer a 3-year LLB programme except NLSIU Bengaluru and NLU Odisha.
Exclusive focus on law subjectsThe 3-year LLB programme does not support cross disciplinary learning.
Makes one eligible to appear for AIBE and obtain Ceritificate of Practice (CoP) needed to practise law in India.One has to wait till the completion of one's graduation to enroll in a 3-year LLB course.
Opens the doors for a good career in law.


Top Law colleges offering 5-year LLB courses

Institute Name

5-year LLB courses offered

NLSIU Bangalore - National Law School of India University, Bangalore

BA LLB

Jindal Global Law School, Sonipat

BA LLB, BBA LLB

NLU Hyderabad - NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad

BA LLB

SLS Pune - Symbiosis Law School, Pune

BA LLB, BBA LLB

AIL Mohali - Army Institute of Law, Mohali

BA LLB

NLU Delhi - National Law University, New Delhi

BA LLB

Institute of Law, Nirma University, Ahmedabad

BA LLB, BCom LLB

GNLU Gandhinagar - Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar

BA LLB, BCom LLB, BSc LLB, BBA LLB, BSW LLB

ICFAI Law School, Hyderabad

BA LLB, BBA LLB

SLCU Bangalore - School of Law, Christ University, Bangalore

BA LLB

NLU Jodhpur - National Law University, Jodhpur

BA LLB

KIIT School of Law, Bhubaneswar

B.A.LL.B., B.B.A.LL.B., and B.Sc.LL.B

JMI New Delhi - Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi

BA LLB

NUJS Kolkata - The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata

BA LLB, BSc LLB

Amity Law School, Noida

BA LLB

School of Law, UPES Dehradun - School of Law, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun

BA LL.B (Hons.), BBA LL.B (Hons.), B.Com. LL.B (Hons.

Faculty of Law DU - Faculty of Law, University of Delhi, Delhi

BA LLB, BBA LLB

VIT Law School, Chennai

BA LLB, BBA LLB

NLIU Bhopal - National Law Institute University, Bhopal

BA LLB

Faculty of Law, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh

BA LLB

Faculty of Law, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi

BA LLB

BBAU Lucknow - Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow

BBA LLB

CNLU Patna - Chanakya National Law University, Patna

BA LLB

Top Law colleges offering 3-year LLB courses

NLSIU Bengaluru

Jindal Global Law School

Banaras Hindu University

Delhi University

GLC Mumbai

ILS Pune

Allahabad University

NLU Odisha

Panjab University

Osmania University

Tamil Nadu Ambedkar Law University

SLS Pune

Popular entrance exams for LLB courses

Admissions to top law schools are offered through various entrance exams conducted at national, state and university levels. Candidates looking to study law are required to appear in these entrance exams upon meeting the eligibility criteria. Here are some of the popular law entrance exams that students can consider based on their eligibility and course requirements.

List of 3-year LLB entrance exams

Entrance exam namePurpose

SLS AIAT

Admission to SLS Pune’s 3-year LLB

NLSAT

Admission to 3-year LLB course at NLSIU Bengaluru

CUET 3-year LLB

Accepted by Delhi University, Banaras Hindu University, Allahabad University and many other colleges

PU LLB entrance exam

Admission to Panjab University’s 3-year LLB programme

LSAT India

Accepted by Jindal Global Law School, Sonipat and many other such law schools

MH CET Law

Admission to 3-year LLB courses offered by law colleges in Maharashtra including GLC Mumbai, and ILS Pune

List of 5-Year LLB entrance exam

Entrance exam namePurpose

CLAT

Admission to 5-year LLB courses offered by 24 NLUs and 60+ affiliated colleges

AILET

Admission to NLU Delhi

LSAT India

Accepted by UPES Dehradun, JGLS and various other private law schools

PU BA LLB entrance exam

Accepted by Panjab University and its law centres

MH CET Law

GLC Mumbai, ILS Pune, Mumbai University and around 130 law colleges in Maharashtra accept MH CET scores

CUET BA LLB

Accepted by Delhi University, Banaras Hindu University, and Allahabad University

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the minimum qualification for 5-year LLB?

The minimum educational qualification required for 5-year LLB is 10+2 or equivalent.

2. What is the minimum qualification required for 3-year LLB?

The minimum educational qualification required for a 3-year LLB is graduation in any stream.

3. What are law entrance exams for 5-year LLB?

To enrol into a 5-year LLB programme, candidate has to appear in law entrance exams such as CLAT, AILET, and SLAT

4. Which is better 3 year LLB or 5 year LLB?

 If candidates have already completed an undergraduate degree, the 3-year LLB might be the better alternative. However, if a student is certain about a career in law early on, the 5-year program could be more beneficial.

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Questions related to L.L.B

Have a question related to L.L.B ?

hi,

With a 95.72 percentile in MH CET Law (3-year LLB), you have a good chance of getting admission in some well-known law colleges in Maharashtra. While top colleges like Government Law College (GLC) Mumbai and ILS Pune usually need a higher percentile (mostly above 98-99%), you can still target good options like G.J. Advani Law College, Rizvi Law College, New Law College Mumbai, and Shankar Rao Chavan Law College in Pune.

Hello Gaurav,

Yes , even if you are in the last year of your MBA and have appeared for the odd semester exams and cleared your 4th semester exams, you can apply to a 3-year LLB program. In that case, most universities will be granting provisional admission, stating you will have to submit your final MBA marksheet and remove any backlogs before or within a certain time period of commencing the LLB course. It is always best to check the eligibility rules of the university you wish to apply to, as some universities will not allow admission until all backlogs are cleared.

Top Colleges and Cutoffs
GLC Mumbai: around 99.5 percent
ILS Law College Pune: around 99 percent
KC Law College Mumbai: around 98.5 percent
Yashwantrao Chavan Law College: around 98 percent
DES Navalmal Firodia Law College: around 97.5 percent

Mid-Tier Colleges (Cutoffs around 94 to 96 percent)
Siddharth Law College, Modern Law College Pune, GJ Advani Mumbai

Lower-Tier Colleges (Cutoffs around 88 to 94 percent)
DY Patil Law College, Rizvi Law College, Navjeevan Law College

Dear Candidate ,
The university of Burdwan typically open its online application form for the integrated BA LLB course in July or August 2025 , with merit lists published shortly after and admissions starting mid - July onwards .
Application deadlines and round schedules are confirmed on the Burdwan University admissions portal once released .

Dear student,

The admission process for the BA LLB (5-year integrated) course at Burdwan University is expected to begin in August 2025 . Students will likely be able to apply until around September 10, 2025 . The entrance exam, known as BUCLAT , is tentatively scheduled for September 19, 2025 .

These dates are not final, so it’s important to keep checking the official website of Burdwan University for updates and detailed notifications as the timeline approaches.

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