What are the eligibility criteria for an LLM program?

Must have completed LLB or equivalent law degree. Minimum marks - 55% An entranceexam may or may not be required

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LLB vs LLM: Key Differences, Eligibility & Career Scope

Sonika Jun 17, 2025 1K Reads

An undergraduate law program, or LLB, gives students a basic knowledge of the laws, principles, and practices. In many countries, such as India, it's far the bare minimum of qualifications that is needed to practice in the court of law. Fundamental topics covered in civil law, constitutional law, criminal law, and legal procedures. After completing an LLM program, students may get various opportunities to choose a position in the government or corporate sectors. Before enrolling in an LLB program, one must need to attempt an entrance exam and qualify it as well which is required by the university at the time of admission.

What is LLM?

LLM is a postgraduate degree pursued after choosing one specialization in which students wish to gain additional knowledge on certain subjects or any particular domain. It enables attorneys to focus on the areas of the law, including intellectual property, business law, international law, or human rights. LLM improves legal expertise for academic, consulting, or high-level professional employment and is frequently research-focused. Various universities offer LLM programs after graduation with a scorecard of the entrance exam asked in the eligibility criteria for the respective university that the students wish to be admitted to.

Difference between LLB and LLM

Well, the first difference is that one is an undergraduate program and the other is a postgraduate program. Let's learn more about both programs with the help of the table below:

Criteria	LLB	LLM
Definition	An undergraduate degree for law students that allows students to gain fundamental knowledge regarding legal studies, practices, and principles.	After completion of the LLB program (3 or 5 Years), students choose any particular specialization under which they wish to advance their studies in the law field.
Full form	Bachelor of Legislative Law	Master of Laws
Academic level	Undergraduate Program	Post-graduate program
Eligibility criteria	After completion of 10+2, this program needs 5 years to complete, and if graduation is completed, then it is a 3-year course. Minimum marks must be 55% Entrance exam may or may not required	Must have completed LLB or equivalent law degree. Minimum marks - 55% Entrance exam may or may not required
Entrance exam	CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) LSAT India (Law School Admission Test) AILET (All India Law Entrance Test) SLAT (Symbiosis Law Admission Test) And few others are state-level entrance exams	CLAT PG (Common Law Admission Test for Postgraduate) CUET PG (Common University Entrance Test for Postgraduate) LSAT India (Law School Admission Test) AILET PG (All India Law Entrance Test) AMUEE (Aligarh Muslim University Entrance Exam) AIBE (All India Bar Examination) And a few others
Duration of the program	The duration of an LLB program is generally 3 years	The duration of an LLM program is generally 2 years
Options Available	Regular LLB Online LLB	Regular LLM Distance LLM 1-year LLM LLM for working professionals LLM distance learning program
List of top Universities	National Law School of India University, Bangalore National Law University, Delhi Nalsar University of Law NLU Kolkata - The West Bengal National University of Judicial Sciences Symbiosis Law School, Pune Faculty of Law, Jamia Millia Islamia IIT Kharagpur - Indian Institute of Technology Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University (BBAU), Lucknow Jindal Global Law School (Blended Learning Program) National Law University, Delhi Lovely Professional University UPES	National Law School of India University, Bangalore National Law University, Delhi Nalsar University of Law NLU Kolkata - The West Bengal National University of Judicial Sciences Symbiosis Law School, Pune Faculty of Law, Jamia Millia Islamia IIT Kharagpur - Indian Institute of Technology Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University (BBAU), Lucknow Jindal Global Law School (Blended Learning Program) National Law University, Delhi Lovely Professional University UPES
Who should pursue	Students who are law enthusiasts and interested in understanding the legal field	LLB degree holders, if they wish to further their knowledge in a specific subject or domain
Bar council registration	Eligible after completion of LLB program	Already eligible (LLM not required for practice) as they have completed the LLB program
Purpose	To get fundamental knowledge about legal studies	To get specialized learning on any particular subject
Career options	Lawyer Litigation lawyer Corporate counsellor Teaching Company Secretary Judiciary Government services Legal Executive Criminal defence lawyer Legal analyst Legal journalist Advocate Legal writer Law professor Public prosecutor Judge Legal researcher Company Secretary	Legal Support Officer Subdivision Magistrate Chief Justice Notary Officer Legal researcher Legal writer Corporate Lawyer Trade Commission Head Legal analyst Journalist Senior Advocate Civil Judge Legal Officer Judge Bar Council Executive
Specializations offered	Criminal Law Intellectual property law Family law Corporate law Environment law Taxation law Labor law Media Law Civil Law Corporate and governance law Human rights law Energy Law Property law	Business laws Constitutional Law Criminal Law Property law Human Rights IPR & Tech Law Family Law Media Law Civil Law Corporate and governance law Energy Law
Syllabus (Core Subjects)	Labor Law Family Laws II Family Law I Law of Tort & Consumer Protection Act Crime constitutional Law Women & Law Professional Ethics Law of Evidence Jurisprudence Human Rights & International Law Practical Training - Legal Aid Environmental Law Property Law including the transfer of Property Act Arbitration, Conciliation & Alternative International Economics Law Civil Procedure Code (CPC) Code of Criminal Procedure Interpretation of Statutes Company Law Legal Writing Practical Training - Moot Court Land Laws including ceiling and other local laws Practical Training II - Drafting Administrative Law Criminology Family Law I Law of Crimes Law of Contract I Constitutional Law I Women and Law (Elective) Criminology and Penology (Elective) RTI and PIL (Elective) Law of Evidence Arbitration, Conciliation, and Alternate Dispute Resolution System Legal Language Jurisprudence Taxation Law Tort and Consumer Protection Act, Motor Vehicle Act Drafting, Pleading, and Conveyancing Interpretation of Statutes Administrative Law Company Law Code of Criminal Procedure Limitation Act Banking Laws Property Laws Banking Laws IPR Environmental Law Code of Criminal Procedure, Juvenile Justice Act, and Probation Offenders Act Practical Training and Moot Courts Family Law II Law of Contract I\| Constitutional Law II Professional Ethics, Bar Bench Relations, and Accountancy for Lawyers Law and Media (Elective) Election Law (Elective) Healthcare Law (Elective)	Legal research methodology: Legal research & writing The legal system: Foundations, institutes & Processes Statutory Law & Interpretation Case las & Precedents Judicial Public Policy Making: Common Law & Judicial Activism Research in a law Firm; Due Diligence, Memos & Advice Law and Justice in the Globalizing World: Globalization and its Effects on the Development of International Commercial & Economic Law Challenges of Globalization to Law & Justice Formulation to Law & Justice Formulation & settlement of transportation norms & practices. Individual rights vis-a-vis Free market principles & state capitalism Comparative public law: Public and private law in practice Building an imagination sound comparative, constitutional, and public law The unique position of international investments within public law and the legal principles governing it How domestic law responds to foreign investments and the significance of capital flow for development Investment contract regime and general threats to investments Law and Social Transformation in India Judicial Process Indian Constitutional Law: The New Challenges Law of Industrial and Intellectual Property Legal education and research Methodology International Trade Law Environmental Law Legal Regulations of Economic Enterprises Business Laws Law Relating to Regulatory Authorities Insurance Law Alternative Dispute Resolution & Securities Law Administrative Process and Judicial Control Law and Social Transformation in India Administrative Law Constitutionalism: Pluralism & Federalism Human Rights Indian Constitutional Law: The New Challenges Research Methodology National Securit, Public Order, and Rule of Law Mass Media Law Judicial Process Research Methodology Legal Concepts Theories of Law Banking Law Legislative Process Corporate Jurisprudence Law of Intellectual Property Life and Fire Insurance Consumer Law Judicial Process Competition Law

As we know, lawyer get more value after completion of their Master’s program (an LLM), Let’s check out their salary packages for a few posts. Salary packages after completing an LLM program:

Sr. No.	Position	Salary
3.	Judiciary	INR 1 LPA to INR 25 LPA
6.	Corporate counsellor	INR 9 LPA - INR 5 LPA
1.	Lawyer	INR 1 LPA -INR 10 LPA
4.	Junior advocate	INR 10,000 per month to INR 25,000 per month
5.	Legal advisor	1 LPA to INR 14 LPA
10.	Patent analyst	INR 4 LPA to INR 6 LPA
2.	Journalist	INR 1-8.2 LPA
7.	Legal Analyst	INR 2.1 LPA to INR 10.6 LPA
9.	Legal writer	INR 1 LPA to INR 6.9 LPA
8.	Legal researcher	INR 21,000 - INR 50,000 per month

Universities offering LLM programs for working professionals?

Working professionals who would love to get a better understanding of any particular subject in the legal field should pursue this program. This program is developed in a manner that people who wish to work and want to study side by side to get into the depth of the subject should pursue this course. Let’s know about the universities that are offering this program.

Universities offering LLM programs for working professionals
Kurukshetra Univerity	Jamia Millia Islamia
KUVEMPU University	Jindal Global Law School
Karnataka State Open University	Banaras Hindu University

Universities offering 1-year LLM programs

There are a few universities that offer 1-year LLM programs to the students. Let’s learn about those universities and their offered specializations.

Top colleges offering a 1-Year LLM program
Colleges	Specializations
Jindal Global Law School (Blended Learning Program)	Corporate & Financial Law AI and Emerging Technologies Intellectual Property & Technology Law Dispute Resolution
National Law University, Delhi	Criminal Law Banking and Finance Studies Intellectual Property Law Commercial Law Environmental Law and Justice Consumer Law Health Law and Policy Taxation Law
Lovely Professional University	Business Law Constitutional Law Criminal Law Intellectual Property Law International Law
Symbiosis Law School International, Pune	Business and Corporate Law Constitutional Law and Administrative Law Innovation, Technology, and Intellectual Property Law Criminal Law and Security Law Human Rights Law Law, Policy, and Good Governance Family Law EU Law and International Law Telecommunication, Media, and Technology Law Climate Change Law and Policy* (Approval in process)
NLU, Kolkata	Corporate and Commercial Law International Law & Comparative Law Criminal and Security Law Intellectual Property Law Law and Technology
UPES	Corporate and Commercial Law Alternate Dispute Resolution Intellectual Property Rights Environmental and Energy Law Cyber Security and Digital Law

LLM 1-year program fees for various institutions

LLM 1-year program fees for various institutions
Institutions	Total Fees
Jindal Global Law School (Blended Learning Program)	INR 3,50,000
National Law University, Delhi	INR 1,25,000
Lovely Professional University	INR 1,60,000
Symbiosis Law School International, Pune	INR 2,50,000
NLU, Kolkata	INR 1,39,000
UPES	INR 2,79,000

Jindal Global Law School (Blended Learning Program)

Jindal Global Law School is one of those universities that offers 1-Year LLM program. Additionally, they offer this program in a blended learning mode. This implies that the learner has access to both online and offline learning environments. With the use of videos, case studies, assignments, live sessions, and projects, students may learn from top academics and professionals in the field. Let's learn about the Jindal Global Law School’s eligibility criteria, fee structure, and a few more things.

Fee structure:

Course fee: INR 3,50,000

Eligibility criteria:

Applicants must have earned a Bachelor of Laws degree, which must be LLB, within three and a half years, or be in their last year.
To be excused from the online admission exam (JSAT), candidates must have passed entrance tests such as the LSAT, CLAT PG, or DU LLM exam within the last 12 months at the time of application.
Candidates will also be excused from the online admission exam (JSAT) if they hold a valid LSAT international score within five years of the time of application.

Specialization offered:

Corporate & Financial Law Online
AI and Emerging Technologies Online
Intellectual Property & Technology Law Online
Dispute Resolution Online
Taxation Law, Policy and Regulation

Syllabus offered by the Institution

Below is the syllabus offered by the Jindal Global Law School for each of the specializations offered by the institution:

Specializations and syllabus at Jindal Global Law School (Blended Learning Program)
Specializations	Syllabus/Subjects
Corporate & Financial Law	Legal Research Methodology Law and Justice in a Globalizing World Comparative Public Law Advanced Company Law A Practitioner’s Approach to Competition Law in India Commercial Contract Drafting M&A and Private Equity Corporate Insolvency Law Dissertation
AI and Emerging Technologies	Legal Research Methodology Law and Justice in a Globalizing World Comparative Public Law Advanced IPR and IT Law Intellectual Property and New Technology, AI GDPR: A European Example of Data Protection Law, AI Introduction to GDPR Regulating AI Ethica, Law, and AI Comparative AI Regulation Dissertation
Intellectual Property & Technology Law	Legal Research Methodology Law and Justice in a Globalizing World Comparative Public Law Advanced IPR and IT Law Intellectual Property and New Technology, AI Music and Copyrights TRIPS and Public Health GDPR: A European Example of Data Protection Law
Dispute Resolution	Legal Research Methodology Law and Justice in a Globalizing World Comparative Public Law International Commercial Arbitration Principles and Practice of Arbitration in India Investment Arbitration Negotiation and Meditation Recognition, Enforcement, and Execution of Arbitral Awards Ethical Issues in Alternative Dispute Resolution Dissertation
Taxation Law, Policy and Regulation	Structure and implementation of GST Registration, compliance, valuation, and input credit mechanisms Audit and appeals processes under indirect tax laws Legal and procedural aspects of Customs regulations Import-export duties and Special Economic Zones (SEZs) Enforcement mechanisms and recent legal developments Use of technology in tax administration - theory and practical insights

Conclusion

In this blog, students get to learn about the differences between the two programs i.e., LLB and LLM. however, it is quite clear that one is an undergraduate program and the other one is a master’s program. But still, some students are new to these terms and programs. This blog helped them to know the difference between the two. Additionally, students get to know about the specializations and the syllabus that they may get to learn under these programs.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

If you meet the requirements, you may apply for any government job or post with ease. Any government agency, including the Railway Ministry, the Law and Justice & Defence Ministry, the Short Service Commission, the Legal Consultant, the Assistant Professor, and others, is open to applications.

After completion of 10+2, this program needs 5 years to complete, and if graduation is completed, then it is a 3-year course.
Minimum marks must be 55%
Entrance exam may or may not required

Various entrance exams are there. Many universities conduct their own entrance exams to find eligible students. A few of the entrance exams are:

CLAT PG (Common Law Admission Test for Postgraduate)
CUET PG (Common University Entrance Test for Postgraduate)
LSAT India (Law School Admission Test)
AILET PG (All India Law Entrance Test)
AMUEE (Aligarh Muslim University Entrance Exam)

AIBE (All India Bar Examination)

List some universities that offer LLM programs that any student can be admitted to.

Starting first nine universities are top-running universities in the NIRF ranking list 2025. Here is the list of LLM programs offering universities:

National Law School of India University, Bangalore
National Law University, Delhi
Nalsar University of Law
NLU Kolkata - The West Bengal National University of Judicial Sciences
Symbiosis Law School, Pune
Faculty of Law, Jamia Millia Islamia
IIT Kharagpur - Indian Institute of Technology
Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar
Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University (BBAU), Lucknow
Jindal Global Law School (Blended Learning Program)
National Law University, Delhi
Lovely Professional University
UPES

LLB can be pursued in general and can be pursued with some specializations as well. However, there are common specializations that can be chosen for any of these programs. These specializations may include Criminal Law, Intellectual property law, Family law, Corporate law, environmental law, Taxation law, Labor law, Media Law, Civil Law, Corporate and governance law, Human rights law, Energy Law, Property law, and more. There may be a combination of two of these specializations as well.

Must have completed LLB or equivalent law degree.

Minimum marks - 55%
An entranceexam may or may not be required

Well, the answer to this question lies in the years of experience a lawyer has in his field. Starting from the entry level, they usually earn INR 1 LPA to 10 LPA which gradually increases with experience.

Yes, a career in Law is a good option to choose. In India, there is a great scope and various opportunities may fall into your lap from which you can choose.