Maharashtra boasts several prestigious government law colleges renowned for their affordable fees, rigorous academic programmes, and strong placement records, making them top choices for aspiring lawyers. Leading the list is the Government Law College (GLC) Mumbai, established in 1855 and affiliated with the University of Mumbai, offering 3-year and 5-year LLB programmes with annual fees around Rs. 1500 to Rs. 2500 and admissions via MH CET Law. There are a total of 22 top government law colleges in Maharashtra. CLAT, CLAT PG and MH CET Law are the top entrance exams for admission to the best government law colleges in Maharashtra.
Leading the list in the placement is GLC Mumbai, where graduates secure positions in top law firms, corporate legal departments and judiciary roles. The MNLU Mumbai and MNLU Nagpur follow closely, offering integrated LLB programmes through CLAT admission, boasting placements in national law firms like Khaitan & Co., and Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, alongside government organisations. As per the NIRF report 2025, the median salary package of MNLU Mumbai stood at Rs. 10 LPA for 5-year LLB programme. The median salary package of MNLU Nagpur for the 5-year LLB programme was Rs. 7 LPA and the 1-year postgraduate programme is Rs. 5 LPA, respectively.
Particulars | Details |
Total number of law colleges | 22 |
Courses offered | BA LLB, LLB, BBA LLB, BSc LLB, BCom LLB, BLS LLB, LLM and PhD |
Admission criteria |
|
Accepted Entrance Exams | |
NLUs | 3 |
As per the NIRF government law colleges rankings 2024, there are two government law colleges in Maharashtra ranked among the top 39 law colleges in the country. The list of top government law colleges in Maharashtra, as per the NIRF ranking, is tabulated below.
College Name | NIRF 2024 Ranking |
31 | |
34 | |
N/A |
College Name | Careers360 Ranking |
10 | |
Maharashtra National Law University Mumbai | 35 |
Maharashtra National Law University, Nagpur | 42 |
44 | |
75 | |
N/A | |
N/A | |
N/A | |
N/A | |
N/A |
The top government law colleges in Maharashtra, including MNLU Mumbai, MNLU Nagpur, MNLU Aurangabad, GLC Mumbai and Savitribai Phule Pune University’s Faculty of Law, admit students primarily through entrance exams. MNLU Mumbai, MNLU Nagpur and MNLU Aurangabad require CLAT scores for admission to their 5-year LLB programme. However, GLC Mumbai and SPPU Pune accept MH CET Law scores for admission to 3-year LLB and 5-year LLB programmes, with admission through the State CET Cell’s centralised process. The LLM at GLC Mumbai and SPPU Pune consider university-specific tests or merit-based selection.
Below are some of the entrance exams for admission to the top government law colleges in Maharashtra:
MH CET Law: The MH CET Law exam is conducted once every year for admission to 3-year LLB and 5-year LLB courses in law colleges in Maharashtra. The exam is conducted online through computer-based test mode. GLC Mumbai and other top government law colleges in Maharashtra accept MH CET Law scores for admissions.
CLAT: The Common Law Admission Test is one of the biggest entrance exams for law admissions in India. The CLAT exam is conducted for admissions to 5-year LLB and LLM courses in the participating NLUs. MNLU Nagpur and MNLU Mumbai are among the best government law colleges in Maharashtra that accept CLAT scores for admissions.
Direct admission to top government law colleges in Maharashtra, such as Government Law College (GLC) Mumbai, ILS Law College Pune, and others, is primarily based on merit through entrance exams like the MH CET Law. For the 3-year LLB and 5-year integrated LLB programmes, candidates must meet eligibility criteria, including minimum academic qualifications, and secure a high rank in the MH CET Law conducted by the State Common Entrance Test Cell. Some colleges may also consider reservations and quotas for specific categories as per state government policies. Seats are allocated through a centralised admission process (CAP), ensuring transparency and merit-based selection.
The eligibility criteria for admission to the best government law colleges in Maharashtra vary from college to college. The basic eligibility criteria that the top 10 government law colleges in Maharashtra follow are given below:
5-year LLB course: Candidate must have passed Class 12th from a recognised board with aggregate marks of 45% for the general category and 40% for the reserved categories.
3-year LLB course: Candidate must hold a Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university with aggregate marks of 45% for the general category and 40% for the reserved categories like SC, ST, OBC-NCL, etc.
LLM: Candidate must have passed the LLB or equivalent degree from a recognised university with aggregate marks of 55% for the general category and 50% for the reserved categories.
PhD: Candidate must have cleared a master’s in law from a recognised university with at least 55% aggregate marks.
Top government law colleges in Maharashtra, including Government Law College (GLC) Mumbai and Indian Law Society (ILS) Law College Pune, offer strong placement opportunities for graduates, primarily in corporate law firms, government organisations, and litigation roles. At GLC Mumbai, the placement cell facilitates recruitment by top-tier firms like Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas, AZB & Partners, Khaitan & Co., Trilegal, and EY. MNLU Mumbai and MNLU Nagpur demonstrate promising placement outcomes for their law graduates, with a focus on corporate law firms, judiciary, and consulting roles. The NIRF 2025 data shows that 35 UG students were placed at a median salary package of 10 LPA. Meanwhile, the 2023 figure showed 30 UG students at Rs. 14 LPA median salary and 1 PG graduate at Rs. 7 LPA got placement, with recruiters including Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas, Trilegal, AZB & Partners, Khaitan & Co., and Ernst & Young. The table below provides the placement statistics of the top government law colleges in Maharashtra as per the NIRF report.
Graduation Year | Students Graduated | Number of Students Placed | Median Salary (per annum) | Students for Higher Studies |
2021-22 | 58 | 23 | Rs. 13,00,000 | 11 |
2022-23 | 54 | 30 | Rs. 14,00,000 | 6 |
2023-24 | 107 | 35 | Rs. 10,00,000 | 3 |
Graduation Year | Students Graduated | Number of Students Placed | Median Salary (per annum) | Students for Higher Studies |
2021-22 | 43 | 3 | Rs. 13,10,000 | 2 |
2022-23 | 45 | 1 | Rs. 7,00,000 | 1 |
2023-24 | 61 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Graduation Year | Students Graduated | Number of Students Placed | Median Salary (per annum) | Students for Higher Studies |
2020-21 | 54 | 12 | Rs. 50,000 | 3 |
2021-22 | 106 | 20 | Rs. 50,000 | 7 |
2022-23 | 105 | 81 | Rs. 7,00,000 | 24 |
Graduation Year | Students Graduated | Number of Students Placed | Median Salary (per annum) | Students for Higher Studies |
2020-21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2021-22 | 45 | 35 | Rs. 50,000 | 0 |
2022-23 | 24 | 15 | Rs. 5,00,000 | 9 |
Ownership:
Mumbai, Maharashtra
Ownership:
Mumbai, Maharashtra
Ownership:
Nagpur, Maharashtra
Ownership:
Nagpur, Maharashtra
Careers360
: 10Careers360
: 44Ownership:
Pune, Maharashtra
Ownership:
Pune, Maharashtra
Ownership:
Aurangabad, Maharashtra
Ownership:
Aurangabad, Maharashtra
Careers360
: 35NIRF Ranking:
28Careers360
: 42Ownership:
Mumbai, Maharashtra
Ownership:
Mumbai, Maharashtra