If you already hold a degree — BTech, BCom, BA, BSc, anything — you do not take CLAT UG. You take a three-year LLB through university entrances such as DU LLB, MH CET Law (3-year) or state LAWCETs. There is no upper age limit in practice, engineering and commerce graduates are actively valued in IP and corporate practice respectively, and the three-year LLB carries the same Bar Council recognition as the five-year integrated course.
Career-switching into law is common and the route is well-trodden. The confusion is only about which exam.
The right route for a graduate #
| Your degree | Route | Duration | Exams |
|---|---|---|---|
| BTech / BE | 3-year LLB | 3 years | DU LLB, MH CET Law 3-yr, LAWCET, BHU, PU |
| BCom / BBA | 3-year LLB | 3 years | Same |
| BA / BSc | 3-year LLB | 3 years | Same |
| LLB (already) | LLM via CLAT PG | 1 year | CLAT PG |
CLAT UG is restricted to Class 12 passouts. As a graduate, it is not your exam.
Where your first degree actually helps #
BTech / engineering — the strongest crossover in Indian law. Intellectual property practice — patents in particular — requires a technical degree for patent agent eligibility, and technology-sector litigation and data-protection work value an engineering background directly.
BCom / BBA / CA — maps onto corporate, tax, insolvency and competition practice. Firms staffing M&A and insolvency work value someone who can read a balance sheet without help.
BA (Economics, Political Science, History) — the most natural academic fit for constitutional, policy and public law work, and for litigation.
BSc — environmental law, health regulation, forensics-adjacent practice.
- Your prior degree is an asset in interviews and recruitment, not a handicap. Say what it lets you do that a five-year LLB graduate cannot.
- The three-year LLB is admitted university by university — there is no single national exam, so your target universities decide which forms you fill.
- Practising requires enrolment with a state Bar Council and clearing the All India Bar Examination, whichever LLB route you take.
- Preparation overlaps heavily across these entrances: legal aptitude, English, reasoning and current affairs. One base serves several exams.
Law after graduation — frequently asked questions
Can I do law after BTech?
Can I give CLAT after BCom?
Is a 3-year LLB as good as a 5-year integrated law degree?
Is there an age limit for doing law after graduation?
Which law entrance should a graduate take?
UG vs PG vs 3-year LLB, explained.
Disclaimer: Eligibility varies by university and changes between cycles. Verify on the official notification.
