MORE SEATS FOR FIVEYEAR LLB, CANDIDATES FOR 3YEAR COURSE

MUMBAI: Maharashtra’s two law programmes have drawn very disparate responses from students. While there are more seats than candidates for the five-year Bachelor of Laws (LLB) courses, the number of candidates for the three-year LLB far exceeds the intake of the course.

Data from the state common entrance test (CET) cell shows that as many as 7,479 aspirants registered for the centralised admission process for the fiveyear LLB, even though there are 9,540 seats available for the course. On the other hand, 22,921 aspirants applied for the threeyear LLB, which has an intake of 13,960 across the state.

According to an official at CET cell, the number of applicants will likely increase after the registration process is reopened during the third round of admissions for both these programmes.

“Many students who are waiting for their final year results have not registered yet,” he said.

While the five-year integrated LLB programmes are offered after Class 12, the three-year course is pursued after graduation. According to experts, the three-year course is primarily pursued by people looking for an additional qualification, with many combining it with other professions such as chartered accountancy.

Some enrol themselves after retirement. Those who are looking to make a career in law opt for the five-year course.

The popularity of law courses in the state has been on the rise in recent years. This year, 36,685 aspirants took the three-year LLB CET, up from 27,335 candidates in 2017-18. Similarly, the number of students who appeared for the five-year LLB CET grew from 14,553 to 16,581 in one year.