What to Do After Class 10 & 12 to Become a Lawyer? New Guidelines

What to Do After 10th & 12th to Become a Lawyer?

Here is the step-by-step path to becoming a lawyer, from Class 10 through professional practice.

Step 1: Choose a Stream After Class 10

There is no single compulsory stream for students who want to study law. A student can select Arts/Humanities, Commerce or Science in Class 11. Subjects such as Political Science, History, and Economics can help students become familiar with areas that are often useful when studying law. English is also important because legal education involves extensive reading and written communication. 

Step 2: Start Developing Relevant Skills

Class 11 and 12 can help students develop the skills needed for law entrance exams and later legal studies. Students can build these abilities gradually instead of trying to study complex legal concepts early on. A useful routine can include:

• Reading newspapers regularly
• Tracking important current affairs
• Improving reading speed and comprehension
• Practising logical reasoning
• Building English vocabulary
• Learning to understand information from lengthy passages
• Making brief notes on important events

These habits can also help with entrance examinations such as CLAT and AILET, where reading, current affairs and reasoning play an important role.

Step 3: Complete Class 12

After choosing a stream, students must complete Class 12 or an equivalent qualification before entering a 5-year integrated law programme. The minimum marks vary by law entrance examination. Therefore, students should check the eligibility conditions of the exam they plan to take rather than assuming that one percentage applies to every law college.

For example, CLAT UG eligibility requires 45% marks or an equivalent in Class 12 for general candidates and 40% for SC/ST/PwD candidates. Final-year Class 12 students can also apply. There is no upper age limit for the CLAT UG programme.

Step 4: Decide Between the 5-Year and 3-Year LL.B. Routes

After Class 12, students have two broad ways to reach an LL.B.

Route 1: 5-Year Integrated LLB

Students who want to start legal education immediately after school can choose an integrated course. These programmes combine undergraduate-level study with legal education and are designed to be completed over five years. Common programme formats include:

• BA LL.B.
• BBA LL.B.
• BCom LL.B.
• BSc LL.B.

Route 2: 3-Year LL.B. After Graduation

Students can also complete a bachelor's degree first and then move into law. The particular LL.B. college or university decides the applicable graduation percentage and admission conditions. The graduation degree can be from different academic backgrounds with the required minimum marks (usually 45%-50%). This includes:

• BA
• BCom
• BSc
• BBA
• BTech

Step 5: Prepare for the Relevant Law Entrance Exam

Once a student decides to take the 5-year integrated route, the next step is to identify the entrance exam accepted by the preferred institution. Major admission routes include CLAT, AILET, and state- or university-level law entrance examinations.

CLAT Exam

The Common Law Admission Test is a key admission exam for participating National Law Universities. For the UG examination, CLAT has a 120-question paper carrying 120 marks. The examination is conducted for two hours, and an incorrect answer results in a deduction of 0.25 marks. The approximate distribution of questions is:

The exam will be organised offline. Students preparing for CLAT should therefore focus on more than legal terminology. Reading comprehension, current affairs, reasoning and basic quantitative skills are all part of the UG paper.

AILET Exam

Students targeting National Law University Delhi need to consider the All India Law Entrance Test. For the five-year BA LL.B. (Hons.) programme, the examination consists of 150 multiple-choice questions carrying 150 marks. The duration is 120 minutes. AILET has negative marking, with 0.25 marks deducted for every incorrect response.

The paper is divided into three sections:

Step 6: Apply to Law Colleges and Complete Admission

After appearing for the relevant entrance examination, candidates must follow the admission process of the institutions covered by that exam. A student should check:

• Which NLUs and other colleges accept the examination
• Course eligibility
• Required Class 12 marks
• Counselling or application requirements
• Course structure
• Recognition and approval status

Once the admission process is completed, the student can join the selected 5-year integrated law programme.

Step 7: Complete the 5-Year Integrated Law Course

The next stage is completing the chosen integrated LLB programme. The course combines law with the undergraduate discipline included in the programme. For example, a BA LL.B. combines arts-related undergraduate education with law, while BBA LL.B. combines business-related study with legal education.

During law school, students study legal subjects and develop skills required for legal work through academic assignments, case analysis, internships, drafting and other practical exposure. For students who choose the 3-year route, the corresponding stage comes after graduation and involves completing the 3-year LL.B. programme.

Step 8: Follow the 3-Year LL.B. Route if You Graduate First

Students who do not enter law school after Class 12 can complete graduation and then apply for a 3-year LL.B. The 3-year LL.B. route involves completing Class 12, earning a bachelor's degree, completing the required LLB entrance or admission process, and then joining a 3-year LL.B. programme. 

Depending on the institution and admission year, candidates may encounter entrance routes such as CUET LL.B., NLSAT, MH CET Law or university-specific examinations. Since eligibility and admission methods vary, candidates should verify the requirements of their chosen university before applying.

Step 9: Complete the Required Law Degree Before Professional Enrolment

An LL.B. qualification is the academic stage of the journey. Students who intend to practise as advocates must then follow the professional requirements for legal practice. The institution from which the candidate obtains the law degree is important. 

Current AIBE eligibility provisions refer to law students and graduates of BCI-recognised universities or BCI-approved colleges affiliated with recognised universities. Therefore, students planning a career in advocacy should check the recognition status of the law programme before taking admission.

Step 10: Enrol With the State Bar Council

After completing the law degree, the candidate needs to follow the applicable process for enrolment with the concerned State Bar Council. This is a separate professional step from completing the LL.B. Receiving an LL.B. degree alone does not complete all requirements for practising as an advocate.

Candidates should follow the current Bar Council requirements applicable to their enrolment and professional status.

Step 11: Meet the AIBE Requirements

The All India Bar Examination, or AIBE, is conducted by the Bar Council of India for law graduates who want to practise as lawyers. The examination assesses the basic legal knowledge and skills required to enter legal practice and establishes a minimum professional standard.

The current AIBE framework also provides eligibility for certain candidates who have not yet received their final law degree. This includes eligible students in the final semester of a 3-year or 5-year LL.B. programme who have no backlogs from earlier semesters and are studying at an eligible BCI-recognised or approved institution.

Certain law graduates who have completed their course but are still waiting to receive their degree can also fall within the applicable eligibility provisions. Students should always check the latest AIBE notification before registering because eligibility conditions and examination requirements can change.

Step 12: Obtain the Certificate of Practice

After successfully clearing the AIBE and completing the applicable professional requirements, an eligible candidate can receive the Certificate of Practice (COP) from the Bar Council of India. This completes the key academic and professional stages for a person seeking to practise as an advocate.

Other Related Articles: