Overview
LLM is a postgraduate law degree for LLB holders. At national law universities it is usually a one-year course with a research dissertation.
The LLM lets law graduates go deeper into one area such as constitutional, criminal, commercial or technology law. Coursework mixes compulsory papers like research methodology and comparative public law with electives and a dissertation.
Admission to national law universities is through CLAT-PG. The degree is useful for teaching, research, policy roles and specialist legal practice.
Who is it for?
LLB graduates who want to specialise, teach law or do legal research. It also suits practising lawyers building expertise in one field.
Eligibility
You qualify if you match any one of these:
General
- Studying in: UG
- At least 50% marks in UG
- LL.B. or equivalent law degree
- final-year LL.B. students may apply
SC/ST/PwD
- Studying in: UG
- Category: SC, ST
- At least 45% marks in UG
- LL.B. or equivalent
- PwD candidates also get the 45% rule
Colleges may set higher cut-offs or require an entrance test. Check each college's page.
What you study
| Core | Research Methodology, Comparative Public Law, Law and Justice in a Globalizing World |
|---|---|
| Specialisation | Concentration core and electives (e.g. Public Law, Criminal Law, Commercial Laws, Law and Technology) |
| Research | Dissertation |
Typical subjects. Each university sets its own syllabus.
Skills you build
- Academic writing
- Advanced legal research
- Comparative legal analysis
- Critical reading of judgments
- Specialist legal knowledge
Where it leads
Careers
Lawyer
Lawyers advise clients on legal matters and represent them in courts and tribunals. In India a law graduate enrols as an advocate…
Professor
Professors teach college and university students and carry out research in their subject. The entry post in India is Assistant Professor, which…
Research Scientist
Research scientists plan and run experiments to discover new knowledge or solve practical problems. In India most enter research through a master's…
Higher study after LLM
Colleges offering LLM
Tuition ranges from ₹5,625 to ₹3,18,200 a year across 52 colleges that publish fees.
| College | Location | Fee per year | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| AISECT University Jharkhand | Hazaribagh, Jharkhand | ₹52,400 2026–27 | — |
| AKS University | Satna, Madhya Pradesh | — | — |
| Alakh Prakash Goyal Shimla University | Shimla, Himachal Pradesh | — | — |
| Amity University Chhattisgarh | Raipur, Chhattisgarh | — | — |
| Amity University Haryana | Gurugram, Haryana | — | — |
| Amity University Jharkhand | Ranchi, Jharkhand | ₹1,00,000 2025–26 | — |
| Amity University Madhya Pradesh | Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh | — | — |
| Amity University Patna | Patna, Bihar | — | — |
| Amity University Punjab, Mohali | Mohali, Punjab | — | — |
| Amity University Rajasthan | Jaipur, Rajasthan | — | — |
| Apeejay Stya University | Gurugram, Haryana | ₹1,39,500 2026–27 | — |
| Apex University | Jaipur, Rajasthan | ₹70,000 2026–27 | — |
| Avantika University | Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh | — | — |
| Awadhesh Pratap Singh University, Rewa | Rewa, Madhya Pradesh | — | — |
| Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University Lucknow | Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh | — | — |
| Babu Banarasi Das University | Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh | — | — |
| Bahra University | Solan, Himachal Pradesh | — | — |
| Banaras Hindu University | Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh | — | — |
| Bhagat Phool Singh Mahila Vishwavidyalaya | Sonipat, Haryana | — | — |
| Bhagwant University | Ajmer, Rajasthan | — | — |
| Bharti Vishwavidyalaya, Durg | Durg, Chhattisgarh | ₹60,000 2026–27 | — |
| Biyani Law College, Jaipur | Jaipur, Rajasthan | — | — |
| BRCM Law College, Bahal | Bhiwani, Haryana | — | — |
| Bundelkhand University | Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh | ₹71,000 2026–27 | 40 |
| C.M.P. Degree College | Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh | — | — |
By location
- LLM colleges in Raipur
- LLM colleges in Gurugram
- LLM colleges in Ranchi
- LLM colleges in Gwalior
- LLM colleges in Jaipur
- LLM colleges in Lucknow
- LLM colleges in Prayagraj
- LLM colleges in Indore
- LLM colleges in New Delhi
- LLM colleges in Dehradun
- LLM colleges in Meerut
- LLM colleges in Greater Noida
- LLM colleges in Bhopal
- LLM colleges in Udaipur
Frequently asked questions
Who can take CLAT-PG for LLM?
The Consortium of NLUs asks for an LL.B. or equivalent with 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD). Students in their final LL.B. year can also apply.
Is the LLM one year long?
At NLSIU Bengaluru it is a one-year programme of three trimesters and 48 credits, including a dissertation. Some universities run two-year LLMs.
Is there an age limit?
CLAT 2026 has no upper age limit for the PG programme.
Sources
Information verified on 10 Oct 2026
- LL.M. - National Law School of India University · Official site, accessed 10 Oct 2026
- CLAT 2026 PG Eligibility Criteria - Consortium of NLUs · Official site, accessed 10 Oct 2026
- UGC Notification - Specification of Degrees · Official notice, accessed 10 Oct 2026
- UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of Ph.D. Degree) Regulations, 2022 · Official notice, accessed 10 Oct 2026
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