5 Year BA LL.B/BBA LL.B/B.Com LL.B vs. 3 Year LL.B, What's a Better Choice?

The education system in India especially higher education had gone to slumber quite sordidly until 2020. It had taken an indolent shelter in the obvious arms of monotony where the ambience turned into a lavish, an out-and-out obsolescence blended with complete complacency until some think tanks took the plunge to suggest the Government to bring in a new education policy. That's when the National Education Policy 2020 came to the fore.

The NEP 2020 Offers Students the Much Needed Flexibility

The National Education Policy 2020 aims to help the students study any subject combinations or programs or even design their own degrees. Experts believe this is an aggressive move to inspire and reignite the very dull dreary education system to come alive. Suddenly there is alacrity all around, both teachers and students are gung ho about this tectonic change in great measure. Studying law whether 5 year integrated law programme or 3 year LL.B programme has been dream career and one of the most sought professions. Since learning today is predominantly multidisciplinary, students do not hesitate in becoming more adventurous when it comes to choosing the subjects they wish to study or explore further. This flexibility encourages students from varied streams and diversified background of Science, Engineering, Arts, Commerce, and Management to study law to gain multidisciplinary experience.

Law Promises a Sure-Shot Career

Law is a subject that appeals all sections of students easily captures their imagination and promises them a successful career. There are no hiccups, no fumbles as far as law vocation is concerned. It is rightly remarked by Jean Giraudoux, There is no better way of exercising the imagination than the study of law. No poet ever interpreted nature as freely as a lawyer interprets the truth But a student of class XII often gets confused in the matters of choosing between a general course and a professional course. They even get confused while choosing between B.Com LL.B and BBA LL.B. Let me make one thing absolutely clear whatever be your choice, law degree in any case, will guarantee you a future that is dignified, intellectually rewarding, vocationally secured and sometimes very lucrative as well.

5 Year Integrated Law Program vs Three Year LL.B Program

In 1988, National Law School of India University drastically disrupted legal education in India with the 5 year integrated BA LL.B (Hons) program. The main reason for introducing 5 year law programme was to bring out prospective lawyers, law teachers, adjudicators who would strengthen both Bar & Bench. One of the most striking things about the 5 year course in NLUs is the involvement of top constitutional functionaries like the Chief Justice of India, Chief Justices of High Courts in their capacity of visitors or chancellors to promote legal knowledge. Since then the legal education in India has improved by leaps and bounds.

3 Year Course Will Help in Using Law to Address Challenges

Launching of 3 year law course by National Law School of India University (NLSIU) this year which is set to come into effect from July 2022 has already engaged animated deliberations and discussions by the top notch experts from the country. The course is for graduates from several disciplines. Another interesting thing about this new interdisciplinary 3 year LL.B programme is that it highlights experiential leaning pedagogy. Experts believe this is a phenomenal idea to invite the best and brightest graduates from all disciplines to join this program which will help transform the legal education yet again. Certainly this 3 LL.B programme will provide a possibility to students who have specialized in other disciplines to study Law at top universities. Many law schools, government as well as private universities including Manav Rachna offer a 3 year LL.B Course.

Diverse Influences and Career Scope

Paying due attention to Clinical Legal Education and bridging doctrines and practice, an LL.B programme aims to provide students with opportunities to apply their classroom learning to real-time cases and issues. The syllabus complies with all essentials of the Bar Council of India which will also allow students to choose from a wide range of electives to specialize in their area of interest.

As far as career is concerned, this course like 5 year law programme, as experts reckon, will equip students to pursue their career as judges, advocates, civil servants. Regarding the efficacy of 3 year LL.B program, it will help students who missed the bus and failed to get admission to 5 year law course after class 12^th. This will undoubtedly give them an opportunity to get into Law after completing their graduation.

Dr S K Bose, Associate Professor, School of Law, Manav Rachna University.