Have courtrooms and any piece of writing on law ever interested you? Have they inspired you to opt for law as your profession? Then, it is never too late for seeking an admission to a law college or preparing for an entrance examination for law programmes. Before that, here is a glimpse into important entrance tests for law aspirants and a few tips on how to prepare for such qualifiers.
Entrance Tests
“Law aspirants mostly opt for the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT), which is a national-level entrance examination for admission to National Law Universities. Though the exam is a bit tough due to a spike in competition-level in recent years, students who prefer to pursue their studies in reputed universities try their best to get better scores in CLAT,” said Adv Sony Therese Pulikkottil, practising in Kerala High Court and founder of Kochi-based coaching center Lawbonafides.
Apart from CLAT, different states as well as other universities, such as Cochin University of Science and Technology, University of Rajasthan Law College and Christ University in Bangalore, conduct their own entrance tests every year.
All-India Law Entrance Test, Law School Admission Test, Symbiosis Entrance Test, Delhi University Law Entrance Test, All-India Bar Examination, Aligarh Muslim University Law Entrance Examination etc are a few other popular qualifiers for legal studies.
Things to keep in mind
The CLAT consists of four papers — English, General Knowledge, Arithmetic and Legal Aptitude. “Candidates must keep themselves updated with the day-to-day happenings across the world. One must be able to keep aside 20-25 minutes to brush up their knowledge on current affairs or read newspapers everyday,” said Sony.
She added that aspirants can easily prepare for the English and Arithmetic papers as only the basic topics are being covered in these sections.
Sony also emphasized on the importance of patience and daily preparation for these exams. “You must be able to say complete no to laziness when preparing for any entrance exam or profession. It is difficult to prepare overnight or within a few days or weeks,” she said.
“Law aspirants must train themselves to analyse various news stories as well as be aware of the changes in the legal profession. One of the qualities that such candidates requires is curiosity and the urge to learn or know new subjects in connection with law,” she added. “Candidates can start by utilizing a number of free news or current affairs-related applications that are available on mobile platforms to keep themselves updated,” she said.
“This is not a mere profession that must be opted for out of peer pressure or parents' wishes. Aspirants should conduct a self-test by talking to a lawyer or somebody whose profession is related to law and trying to read a articles related to the subject. This can help them in understanding their aptitude and choosing a suitable branch in the sector,” said Sony.
Eligibility
Candidates who have passed Class 12 can apply for LLB (Honors) which is of five years duration. Those who have completed a graduation in any subject with minimum 50% marks can apply for three-year LLB. The marks obtained in the respective entrance exams will also be taken into consideration while allotting admissions.
Job Opportunities
Legal studies are not confined to the role of an advocate. One can also specialize in various legal branches such as intellectual property law, media law and banking law, thereby working for MNCs, banks and media organisations.