3-Year LL.B. (Hons.)

In 1988, NLSIU launched India’s first 5-year integrated BA LLB (Hons) programme. The success of this programme has secured NLS’s legacy as the institution that radically disrupted legal education in India. Three decades after this bold experiment, NLSIU launched a new interdisciplinary 3-year LLB (Hons) Programme in 2022 which reimagines legal education for the 21st century.

The 3-year LLB (Hons) is a postgraduate professional degree programme that is open to graduates from all disciplines. It is a qualifying degree for admission to legal practice. The programme meets all requirements of the Bar Council of India, and builds on top of that to deliver a rigorous legal education in keeping with NLSIU’s unique curricular and pedagogic approach. The programme is structured around interdisciplinary study of the law combined with experiential learning. The programme will bridge theory and practice. It is designed to produce lawyers who meet the challenges of the 21st century.

The 3-year LLB (Hons) is a full-time programme. Admission will be on the basis of all-India National entrance test.  Classes usually begin on 1st July. Please note, 75% attendance is mandated for each course offered under the programme.

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Videos

NLSIU conducted a webinar regarding the 3-Year LL.B (Hons.) Programme in 2022 to provide programme-related information to law aspirants. Watch more videos on the programme here.

Watch the video of the Information Session held in February 2023 below:

 

 

 

Admission to the LL.B (Hons) programme will be through a national-level entrance examination process. Classes usually commence on July 1.

Eligibility

Any person holding a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized national or international University is eligible to apply to the programme. Applicants in the General Category should have graduated with an aggregate of not less than 45% of total marks. Applicants in the SC/ST/OBC-NCL/PWD Category should have graduated with an aggregate of not less than 40% of total marks. Students in the final year of their Bachelor’s degree are also eligible to apply. However, their final offer of admission shall be contingent upon successful completion of their Bachelor’s degree with the minimum aggregate marks specified above. Proof of completion of the qualifying degree has to be submitted no later than December 31, 2023.

Admission Process

The total intake capacity is 120 for the 3-year LL.B (Hons.) programme in the Academic Year 2023-24. Admission to the programme will be through an all-India written admissions test, the National Law School Admissions Test (NLSAT-LLB).

NLSAT – LLB

All candidates seeking admission to the programme shall appear for the NLSAT-LLB. The NLSAT-LLB will have a single question paper comprising two parts – Parts A and B. All candidates shall be required to attempt both parts of the question paper. The examination shall be for a duration of 150 minutes.

Part A

Part A will consist of Multiple-Choice Questions, and shall be for a maximum of 75 marks. It will consist of questions relating to (a) Comprehension, (b) Current Affairs, and (c) Critical reasoning. Please note, 0.25 marks shall be deducted for each wrong answer, and for each unanswered question. Part A will constitute the first stage of the admissions process. A rank list of candidates will be prepared based on their performance in Part A of the NLSAT-LLB. Candidates will have to fulfil the following requirements in Part A to be eligible for evaluation of Part B of the NLSAT-LLB:

(a) Candidates should have secured more than zero marks in Part A of the NLSAT-LLB

(b) Candidates seeking admission in the General/EWS categories must secure a score above the 75 th percentile in Part A. Candidates seeking admission in the SC/ST/OBC-NCL/PWD categories must secure a score above the 50th percentile in Part A.

From amongst eligible candidates, Part B of the answer scripts will be evaluated in a ratio of 1:5 based on performance in Part A. That is, five candidates per seat available will qualify for evaluation of Part B of the examination.

Part B

Part B shall consist of subjective questions which shall be for a maximum of 75 marks. In Part B, candidates will be tested on the following:

(a) Legal Aptitude/Reasoning (60 marks): Legal aptitude will consist of problem-based questions. Students will be expected to write short answers in response. Prior knowledge of law is not expected. This section will have 6 questions of 10 marks each.

(b)   Analytical Ability (15 marks): Candidates will be required to write an essay of no more than 500 words on the topic/question. They will be tested on their knowledge of the issue, the ability to make cogent written arguments and the ability to write a well-structured essay. Knowledge of the law is not expected.

A fresh and final rank list shall be prepared based on the cumulative performance in Parts A and B of the NLSAT-LLB. Offers of admission shall be made according to this final rank list. To be offered admission, a candidate has to satisfy the following conditions:

(a) The candidate should have secured more than zero marks in both Parts A and B of the NLSAT-LLB

(b) A candidate seeking admission in the General Category/EWS category must secure a score above the 75th percentile in both Parts A and B respectively of the NLSAT-LLB, as well as in the aggregate score of Parts A and B. A candidate seeking admission in the SC/ST/OBC-NCL/PWD category must secure a score above the 50th percentile in both Parts A and B respectively of the NLSAT-LLB, as well as in the aggregate score of Parts A and B.

Note: The applicable reservations policy shall be applied at each stage of the admissions process.

For any queries regarding NLSAT, please write to

Important Dates

• The NLSAT-LLB will be held on April 30, 2023 from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm in centres across the country.
• Application fees of Rs. 2500 (Two thousand five hundred only) shall be payable at the time of submission of the application. Candidates belonging to SC/ST/OBC-NCL/PWD/EWS category shall be required to pay Rs. 2000 (Two Thousand only). Applications shall be accepted till 11:59:59 pm on April 6, 2023.
• The final admissions list will be published by the first week of June 2023.
• Classes will commence from July 1, 2023.

The syllabus for the NLSAT-LLB will be released on the website. Fees and other details of the programme are also available on the University’s website. NLSAT-LLB will be held in several centres across the country. The list of centres is available on the application portal (admissions.nls.ac.in).

Intake and Reservation

The total number of seats available are 120 (One hundred and twenty). Seats shall be reserved as follows:

• Scheduled Castes – 15%
• Scheduled Tribes – 7.5%
• OBCs – 27%
• EWS – 10%
• 5% of the total intake is reserved horizontally for Persons with Disabilities (PWD)
• 30% of the total intake is reserved horizontally for women
• 25% of the total intake is reserved horizontally (compartmentalised) for Karnataka Students.

Karnataka Students Category:

1. Candidates who have studied for not less than 10 years in a recognized educational institution in Karnataka shall be considered as ‘Karnataka Students.’

2. Candidates who have not completed ten years of study in Karnataka shall be eligible to apply under the Karnataka Students category if they fall under any of the below categories:

a. Children of defence personnel/ex-servicemen, who at the time of joining service, have declared their hometown to be in the State of Karnataka, and who have served or are serving outside Karnataka, corresponding to the candidate’s years of study outside Karnataka.

b. Children of employees of the Karnataka State Government who have served or are serving outside Karnataka corresponding to the candidate’s years of study outside Karnataka.

c. Children of serving or retired employees belonging to the Karnataka cadre of the All India Services (IAS/IFS/IPS), who have served or are serving outside Karnataka corresponding to the candidate’s years of study outside Karnataka.

d. Children of working or retired employees in the Central Armed Police Force service, who upon joining service declared their hometown to be in the State of Karnataka, and who have served or are serving outside Karnataka, corresponding to the candidate’s years of study outside Karnataka.

Illustration: If the candidate has studied in Karnataka for three (3) years, they must prove that their parent/s were serving outside Karnataka for at least seven (7) years corresponding to their own period of study outside Karnataka.

If the candidate has not studied in Karnataka continuously for at least one (1) year, they must prove that their parent/s were serving outside Karnataka for at least ten (10) years corresponding to their own period of study outside Karnataka.

3. Eligible candidates must keep their Study Certificates issued by their educational institutions and other relevant documents ready to be submitted at the time of admission.

The official admission notification containing the above details for the Academic Year 2023-24 has been released. View the official notification here.

Apply for the Programme

 

Course Structure & Credit Requirements

As part of the 3-year LL.B (Hons.) programme, students will be offered a range of core courses (mandatory for all students), and electives.

Core Courses

Core courses provide an introduction to an area of study. These include foundational law subjects as well as interdisciplinary courses (See table below). Interdisciplinay courses offer students a perspective on how to understand the law, and to place the study of law in context. These courses will equip students with tools and methods of other disciplines in the study of the law. These courses do not aim to train the students in other disciplines.

Every credit for a core course shall entail 15 hours of classroom teaching. Two credit core courses will hence require 30 hours of classroom teaching. They shall not require a research paper as a part of the evaluation process. Four credit courses will run for 60 hours of classroom teaching and include a continuing assessment component comprising assignments, research papers, presentations, class participation, etc.

Scroll down to see the credit allocation for core courses.

Elective Courses

To allow students to explore their areas of interest in a systematic and comprehensive manner, NLSIU offers a range of elective courses. In addition to NLSIU’s own faculty, electives are often taught by practitioners and other experts who come in as Guest Faculty. This allows students to interact with and learn from a pick of the very best in diverse areas of law. The list of courses available in a particular trimester will be notified at the end of the previous trimester.

Credits assigned to an elective will vary by course load and the number of lecture hours. A maximum of four credits is available for a single elective course.  When the term “elective” is used in the table below, it implies that every student shall either opt for a single elective of 4 credits, or multiple electives totaling up to 4 credits.

Since elective courses are taught at advanced levels, they entail heavier reading, research and writing requirements. Hence, the credit distribution varies according to the following scale:

• One Credit: 15 hours of classroom teaching
• Two Credits: 30 hours of classroom teaching
• Four Credits: 40 hours of classroom teaching

Some electives will be in the form of clinics and practicums. These may entail lesser classroom engagement, and greater out of class evaluation components. The credits assigned to each clinical elective shall be notified in advance.

Every student has to complete a minimum of 48 credits in an academic year (between core and electives) and a total of 144 credits over the three years. If a student completes extra elective credits in one term, they shall be permitted to offset it in a subsequent term, subject to the requirement of completing 48 credits in an academic year, in order to be promoted to the next academic year.

To view past and current electives offered by NLSIU, visit our Course Catalogue.

Student Internships

The internship programme aims to expose the students to the practice of law. Internships may be undertaken in lawyers’ chambers, courts, administrative offices, quasi-judicial establishments, prosecution departments, police and correctional institutions, commercial corporate establishments, Government Law Offices, legal aid centres, legislative secretariat, think-tanks, research institutions, non-governmental organizations etc. It aims to teach professional skills, essential aspects of professional ethics and social responsibility issues and management of challenging situations in practical and professional life. Internships allow students to explore diverse substantive areas of law and different sites of legal practice and equip students to decide on future career trajectories. They often translate into job opportunities. Students need to compulsorily undertake an internship each year of the programme, during the term break between the first and second trimester.

Course Curriculum

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Fee Structure for the Academic Year 2022-23 (First Year Students)

Admission fee- one time payment – Rs. 10,000.00
Tuition and facilities fee – Rs. 2,21,590.00 per annum
Hostel residential charges – Rs. 36,650.00
Mess charges – Rs. 43,375.00
Refundable deposits – one time payment for General category – Rs. 16,000.00
Refundable deposits – one time payment for SC/ST category – Rs. 13,000.00

Total fee (including refundable deposits):

General Category – Rs. 3,27,815.00 per annum
SC/ST category – Rs. 3,23,815.00 per annum 

Note: The fees/charges are provisional and subject to confirmation & revision as per the decision of the University authorities.

Read the official AY 2022-23 fees notification here.

Financial Aid

The University offers means-based scholarships. To know more about NLSIU’s financial aid options for students, click here. 

Academic Calendar for AY 2022-23 | March 2023 – June 2023 Term

Date	Day	Particulars
06-March-2023	Monday	Commencement of term
13-March-2023	Wednesday	Last date for notification of project topics for core courses
22-March-2023	Wednesday	Holiday Ugadi
07-April-2023	Friday	Holiday Good Friday
13-April-2023	Thursday	Last date for submission of 1st set of project submissions
14-April-2023	Friday	Holiday Ambedkar Jayanti
22-April-2023	Saturday	Viva-Voce for 1st set of project submissions
01-May-2023	Monday	Holiday May Day
13-May-2023	Saturday	Last date for submission of 2nd set of projects
20-May-2023	Saturday	Viva-Voce for 2nd set of project submissions + Deadline for Elective paper submission
26-May-2023	Friday	Last day of classes
27-May-2023	Saturday	Oral Presentations for Elective & Intensive Elective Courses
29-May-2023 30-May-2023	Monday Tuesday	End Term Examinations for Elective
27-May-2023	Saturday	End Term Examinations
31-May-2023 01-June-2023 02-June-2023 03-June-2023	Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday	End Term Examinations
04-June-2023 to 02-July-2023		Vacation
03-July-2023	Monday	Vacation
Note: No elective classes will be held during the period from April 17, 2023 to April 28, 2023  due to conduct of Intensive elective course.