Difference Between LLB and BA LLB

Difference Between LLB and BA LLB: Choosing the right legal education path is crucial for aspiring law professionals. Thus, knowing the difference between LLB and BA LLB is important. LLB and the BA LLB are two different programs that aim to address different levels of learning and professional development. 

LLB is a three-year course for graduates who wish to focus on law while the BA LLB is a five-year program in which arts and law are studied concurrently from semester one. This article compares and contrasts these two degrees, their eligibility criteria, course content, duration, career prospects, and how to make a choice between the two. 

Knowing these differences will help you decide which program is suitable for your career goals and educational background.

LLB: Overview

LLB stands for Bachelor of Laws, often known as Legum Baccalaureus. It is an undergraduate course that gives students a full understanding of the legal system, including all of its guiding principles, concepts, practical applications, and procedures. The LLB course lasts three years.

Overall, the job prospects for LLB graduates are promising. Because of the extensive curriculum, law graduates have numerous job options in law companies, including positions such as legal advisor, advocate, solicitor, legal analyst, public prosecutor, and legal journalist. The annual LLB salary ranges between INR 2 and 8 LPA.

Also Read: B.Sc LLB Vs BA LLB - Which Is Better?

BA LLB: Overview

Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Legislative Law (BA LLB) is a five-year undergraduate integrated program. Candidates who have completed their 10+2 can take this course. Students wishing to study BA LLB at the undergraduate level must take tests such as CLAT, LSAT, or AILET. They must also have completed their 10+2 with a minimum aggregate of 50 to 55%.

The course seeks to provide students with a thorough understanding of Arts and Social Sciences, as well as legal education. It enables students to establish a solid basis in fields such as history, sociology, criminology, family law, administrative law, and others. Furthermore, applicants can choose some specialist courses within BA LLB in the later stages of their studies.

Also Read: LLB vs LLM - Which one to Choose?

LLB and BA LLB: Key Differences

Candidates can check the key differences between LLB and BA LLB in the table given below.

Key Differentiators	LLB	BA LLB
Objective	Provides in-depth knowledge of law	Offers a broad understanding of both Arts and Law subjects
Course Duration	3 Years	5 Years
Curriculum Focus	Purely focused on legal studies and law subjects	Combination of Arts subjects (e.g., Political Science, Sociology) and Law
Eligibility	Graduation in any discipline	10+2 or equivalent
Entrance Exam	CLAT, LSAT, SLAT, AILET	CLAT, SLAT, CUCET, SUAT
Specializations Offered	Constitutional Law, Labour Law, Family Law, Intellectual Property Law, Taxation Law, Corporate Law and Governance, Property Law, Banking Law, Company Law	Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Corporate Law, Family Law, International Law, Environmental Law, Human Rights Law, Tax Law, Civil Law, Cyber Law
Ideal For	Individuals seeking to specialize in law after graduation	Students who want to start their legal education right after school
Career Opportunities	Legal Manager, Attorney, Lawyer, General Counsel, Legal Advisor, HR Manager	Legal Advisor, Lawyer, Paralegal, Junior Lawyer
Average Salary	INR 2 LPA - INR 8 LPA	INR 2 LPA - INR 5 LPA
Top Recruiters	AZB & Partners, Trilegal, J Sagar Associates, Khaitan & Co, etc.	Amarchand Mangaldas, Luthra & Luthra Law Offices, ICICI Bank, Reliance Industries, etc.

.Also Read: BA LLB vs BBA LLB - Which Is Better?

Difference Between LLB and BA LLB: Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for LLB and BA LLB differ significantly. To pursue BA LLB, students must just complete their class 12 in any relevant stream. For admission to an LLB programme, a student needs to finish their graduation in any applicable stream.

LLB Eligibility

The aspirants must meet the following eligibility criteria for LLB admission-

• Students interested in pursuing a Bachelor of Legislative Law should achieve a minimum of 45% in Class XII and pass the entrance exam.
• To pursue an LLB, candidates must have finished their degree with a minimum of 45% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA from a recognized college.
• If you have already graduated (from any stream or course), you can simply pursue LLB for three years by passing the required entry tests.
• There is no higher age limit for studying a Bachelor of Legislative Law in India.

BA LLB Eligibility

The eligibility criteria for BA LLB include elements such as maximum age, admission exam cut-off, HSC percentage, and so on. The eligibility criteria for BA LLB in India are stated below-

• The candidate must have passed 10+2 examinations in commerce, arts, or any other subject with a minimum of 50-55% marks for the general category and 45% marks for reserved students. 
• According to college requirements, students must also pass CLAT, SLAT, and other entry exams.
• Some institutions have no age restrictions; however, the majority have a general category age limit of 20 years and a reserved category age limit of 22 years.

Also Read: LLB Vs MBA - Which is Better?

Difference Between LLB and BA LLB: Syllabus

The curriculum for LLB and BA LLB is quite distinct. While the LLB curriculum focuses solely on legal concepts, the BA LLB program incorporates humanities concepts as well. The key curriculum areas of a three-year LLB include criminal law, family law, international law, cyber law, corporate law, and others. On the other hand, BA LLB main curriculum themes include history, sociology, administrative law, criminology, family law, corporate law, human rights, and other legal subjects.

LLB Syllabus

The LLB course is designed to help students develop and apply their legal skills. This discipline of law entails studying, developing, and applying legal abilities. Some of the subjects included in the LLB course syllabus are listed below:

Semester 1	Semester 2
Labor Law	Family Laws II
Family Law I	Law of Tort & Consumer Protection Act
Crime	Constitutional Law
Women & Law	Professional Ethics
Semester 3	Semester 4
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
Semester 5	Semester 6
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

Also More: LLB Career Scope

BA LLB Syllabus

The BA LLB curriculum includes disciplines including economics, sociology, English, legal procedure, contract law, business law, family law, constitutional law, and criminal law. The BA LLB syllabus is provided below, semester by semester:

First Semester	Second Semester
English Paper I: Law and Language	Political Science III: (Public Policy & Administration in India)
Political Science I: (Political Theory)	Law of Society
Introduction to Sociology	Constitutional Law I
Economics I: (Principles of Economics)	Law of Crimes Paper II (CrPC)
Law of Tort	Public International Law
Law of Contract	Interdisciplinary Project
Third Semester	Fourth Semester
Political Science V (International Organizations)	Foreign Language – French
Family Law I	Administrative Law
Jurisprudence	Labour and Industrial Laws I
Law of Evidence	Alternate Dispute Resolution
Company Law I	Honours 1 of 1
Interdisciplinary Project	Honours 2 of 1
Fifth Semester	Sixth Semester
Moot Court Exercise & Internship	English Language II: LP C Skills
Drafting: Pleading & Conveyance	Political Science II: (History of Indian Political System)
Conflict of Laws	Psychology of Life
Consumer and Competition Law	Economics II (Business Economics)
Honours 1 of 1	Law of Crimes Paper I (Penal Code)
Honours 2 of 1	-
Seventh Semester	Eighth Semester
Political Science IV: International Relations	Political Science VI: (Feminism and Indian Politics)
Economics III: Public Economics	Company Law II
Constitutional Law II	Family Law II
Environmental Law	Civil Procedure Code and Limitation Act
Property Law	Intellectual Property Rights
Ninth Semester	Tenth Semester
Labour and Industrial Law II	Principles of Taxation Laws
Cyber Law	Professional Ethics & Professional Accounting System
Interpretation of Statutes	Seminar Course
Honours 3 of 1	Honours 3 of 2
Honours 4 of 1	Honours 4 of 2

Also Read: BA LLB Key Syllabus & Subjects

Top Colleges for LLB and BA LLB

India offers several famous law colleges and institutions that provide LLB and BA LLB programs. These have been listed in the tables as follows.

LLB Colleges

Candidates can find the list of top colleges for pursuing LLB in the table below.

Name of the Institute	Tuition Fee Per Year	Admission Fees	Miscellaneous Fees Per Year
Symbiosis Law School	INR 3 lakh	INR 20,000	INR 1.51 lakh
ILS Law College	INR 44,000	INR 4,500	INR 26,000
University of Lucknow	INR 51,160	-	INR 18,500
Punjab University	INR 13,500	INR 2100	INR 5,000
NLSIU, Bangalore	INR 2.44 lakh	INR 11,000	INR 1.02 lakh
NLU, Delhi	INR 1.42 lakh	INR 10,000	INR 2.23 lakh
SNDT Women's University	INR 15,000	INR 550	INR 10,340
Christ University	INR 2.40 lakh	INR 5,000	-
JMI, Delhi	INR 2,200	INR 100	INR 8,000
Chanakya Law University	INR 1.04 lakh	-	INR 80,500
IIT Kharagpur	INR 1 lakh	INR 15,000	INR 60,000
Tamil Nadu Dr.Ambedkar Law University	INR 42,000	INR 5,000	INR 40,135
The University of Burdwan	INR 1,200	INR 200	INR 5,130
Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University	INR 1.2 lakh	INR 1,500	INR 6,000

Also Read: LLB After BSc 2024: Eligibility, Fees, Top Colleges, Career Scope

BA LLB Colleges

Candidates can find the list of top colleges for pursuing BA LLB in the table below.

Name of the College	Annual Tuition Fees	Admission Fees	Miscellaneous Fees Per Year
NLSIU	INR 2.69 lakh	INR 12,000	INR 45,000
NLU Delhi	INR 2.44 lakh	INR 11,000	INR 41,000
NALSAR University of Law	INR 1.55 lakh	INR 5000	INR 10,000
NLU Kolkata	INR 3.55 lakh	INR 10,000	INR 3 lakh
Symbiosis Law School	INR 4.53 lakh	-	INR 20,000
GNLU	INR 1.2 lakh	INR 2000	INR 42,000
SOA University	INR 3.75 lakh	-	INR 1.25 lakh
IIT Kharagpur	INR 1 lakh	-	INR 50,000
Saveetha University	INR 2.25 lakh	-	-
KIIT University	INR 3.40 akh	INR 75,000	-
BHU	INR 3,402	-	INR 325

Also Read: Fee Structure of Top BA LLB Colleges in India

LLB and BA LLB: Which One to Choose?

Deciding between an LLB and a BA LLB depends on your level of studies and what you want to achieve in your future. 

The LLB is a 3-year course and the program is suitable for students who already possess a bachelor’s degree in any course. Rather, it is solely dedicated to legal education, which makes it suitable for individuals who are sure they want to practice law upon graduation. Compared to the LLB, this option is more specialized and takes a shorter time to complete, making it easier for students to begin their legal careers.

On the other hand, the BA LLB is a 5-year course that integrates arts and law subjects. It is ideal for students who have already done their 12th standard and are clear about their choice of law from the start. The BA LLB gives a more generalized learning that includes legal and humanities topics, which can be advantageous if the candidate wants to practice law in fields related to social sciences.

As far as job prospects are concerned, both degrees enable one to practice as a lawyer but the BA LLB program is more versatile due to the fact that it embraces different disciplines. However, if you wish to pursue a specialized legal education after passing the degree, then the LLB is the option for you. If you wish to have a broader base with law as the major discipline, then BA LLB might be more suitable for you.

Also Read: Courses and Career options after LLB