Lady Justice stands blindfolded with a sword in one hand and a balance. The Sword represents the supremacy of law. The blindfold symbolises the indiscriminate and impartial nature of law. Do you wish to help bring justice? If yes, you can do so after attaining a law degree. You can become a judicial officer or a lawyer to help bring justice.
However, considering the pros and cons, you will find the legal profession is challenging, rewarding, and evolving. Universities in India offer courses to impart relevant legal knowledge to enter the judicial system. These courses can compile a 3 year LLB degree course or a 5 year integrated LLB course. The primary educational requirement of entering the legal profession requires completing a graduate degree irrespective of the discipline followed by an LLB 3 year course or pursuing an integrated LLB 5-year course.
3 Year LLB and 5 Year LLB – What’s the Difference?
The primary difference lies in the eligibility criteria of both programmes. In a traditional three year LLB programme, you must have completed a bachelor’s degree irrespective of the stream. Simultaneously, the integrated degree is a compilation of a bachelor’s degree such as BA, B.Sx., B.Com., and a traditional LLB degree imparted in a single programme.
Both the courses are equally balanced in terms of education quality in the eyes of the law. However, the integrated degree helps save time, in some cases, money as well. The course’s value and the knowledge you own entirely depend upon how right the law school is and how you, as a law aspirant, make the best use of it.
Here are all the factors that vary across the 3-year and 5-year law programmes
Difference in Eligibility Criteria
Accounting to the years of knowledge you wish to attain, the eligibility criteria vary across law courses. In a traditional 3 year degree of law, you should have completed a three-year bachelor’s degree. In contrast, pursuing a five-year degree is possible right after completing class 12th irrespective of the stream.
Duration of the course
As the name suggests, the traditional law degree has three years of duration. While an integrated program is five years of duration. In case you aspire for a three year LLB programme, you will have to complete the below-mentioned education after the 12th.
- 3-year bachelor’s degree irrespective of the discipline
- Traditional 3 Year LLB programme
In this case, you can hold two degrees mentioned above after six years. In case you pursue a 5-year degree in law, you can get the knowledge of both bachelors and the LLB course in 5 years.
Summing Up
Both the three year LLB and five year LLB courses are equally good depending upon the institute. Both the same institute courses mustn’t be compared in the first place as these courses shall target entirely different audiences.
Although you might find a 5 year LLB graduate has completed the course much earlier in life and is in the same position as an individual who completed the three year LLB course. But, this in no case undermines the three year LLB course. Most of the chief justice in India completed their education using the traditional LLB degree.
All in all, you can consider three years or five years of LLB admission, depending upon what is your eligibility. In case you are pursuing a bachelor’s course and aspire for a legal profession, pursuing a five-year law degree would make no sense. Similarly, if you have just completed class 12th and desire a legal career, you can go for a five-year course and save one year.