L.L.M Criminal Law is a 3- year post-graduate course, designed to deal with actions of intentional harm to individuals, which, in a larger sense, are offenses against humanity. The course is designed to train eligible candidates in finding and catching criminals to prevent crime in the society and maintain a peaceful environment to live in.
The basic eligibility for the pursuance of the course is L.L.B or B.A.- L.L.B from a recognized university. The average annual course fee charged for the course in India ranges between INR 3 and 5 Lacs, varying across institutes.
Successful postgraduates of the course are hired in fields such as Criminal Tribunals, National Legal Institutions, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and others, with an average starting salary ranging between INR 3 and 10 Lacs, increasing with the candidate’s expertise in the field.
Listed below are some of the major highlights of the course.
| Course Level | Post-graduate |
| Duration | 3 Years |
| Eligibility | L.L.B. or B.A.–L.L.B. degree from a recognized university |
| Admission Process | Counseling after taking entrance examination |
| Examination Type | Semester System |
| Course Fee | INR 3 to 5 Lacs |
| Average Starting Salary | INR 3 to 10 Lacs |
| Top Employment Areas | Colleges & universities, Criminal Tribunals, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, etc. |
L.L.M Criminal Law: What is it About?
Criminal law is a branch of law that relates exclusively to crime. The course involves an advanced study of key laws and policies related to areas such as policing and crime prevention, roles and legitimate interests of victims, sentencing and other judicial decisions, and use of custodial and non-custodial punishments, among others.
L.L.M Criminal Law: Who Should opt?
Eligible candidates aspiring to pursue the course would ideally possess an innovative mind as the line of work requires them to answer hypothetical legal questions involving criminal offenses. Such candidates would be willing to contribute to the fields of law, judiciary and related areas.
L.L.M Criminal Law: Top Institutes
Listed below are some of the top institutes offering the course in the country with the corresponding locations and fees charged by each.
| NAME OF INSTITUTE | CITY | AVERAGE FEES IN INR |
|---|---|---|
| National Law School of India University (NLSIU) | Bangalore | 80,100 |
| Faculty of Law, University of Delhi | New Delhi | Not Mentioned |
| NALSAR University of Law | Hyderabad | 83,500 |
| The National Law Institute University (NLIU) | Bhopal | 1.5 Lacs |
| Symbiosis Law School | Pune | 92,000 |
L.L.M Criminal Law: Eligibility
As a minimum criterion of eligibility, candidates aspiring for admission to the course need to have attained either a 3- year L.L.B. (Bachelor of Laws) degree, or a 5- year long B.A.-L.L.B. degree from a recognized university, with a minimum aggregate score of 55%.
Many institutes prefer students with professional experience, therefore, it is advised for candidates to acquire a work experience of a minimum of 24 months.
L.L.M Criminal Law: Admission Process
Admission to L.L.M Criminal Law course is based on the candidate’s performance in a relevant national, State, or university- level entrance exam, followed by rounds of group discussion and personal interview, wherein the candidate’s aptitude for the course is assessed.
Some of the major entrance examinations conducted in India for admission to L.L.M. in Criminal Law are listed here.
- CLAT PG (Common Law Admission Test for L.L.M. course)
- AILET PG (All India Law Entrance Test for L.L.M. course)
- ILI CAT (Indian Law Institute Common Admission Test)
- IPU CET (IP University L.L.M. Entrance Exam).
L.L.M Criminal Law: Syllabus and Course Structure
A semester- wise breakup of the syllabus is tabulated below.
| SEMESTER 1 | SEMESTER 2 |
|---|---|
| Theories of Law | Banking Law |
| Research Methodology | Corporate Jurisprudence |
| SEMESTER 3 | SEMESTER 4 |
| Legal Concepts | Corporate Law |
| Legislative Process | Life and Fire Insurance |
| SEMESTER 5 | SEMESTER 6 |
| Judicial Process | Competition Law |
| Law of Intellectual Property 1 | Consumer Law |
| - | Law of Intellectual property 2 |
L.L.M Criminal Law: Career Prospects
Successful postgraduates of L.L.M Criminal Law course interested in higher studies in the discipline may go for pursuing Ph.D. or M.Phil. in the subject. Such postgraduates find lucrative employment opportunities in areas such as national legal institutions, law firms, and defense etc.
Some of the popular professional avenues open to such postgraduates are listed below with the corresponding salaries offered for the respective positions.
| JOB PROFILE | JOB DESCRIPTION | AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY IN INR |
|---|---|---|
| Criminologists | To study and analyze the behavior patterns and methods of criminals, in order to realize what motivates them. Criminologists must be good psychologists and once they discover the reason that stands behind a criminal’s actions, they can predict or prevent additional and similar crimes. | 2.5 to 5 Lacs |
| Detective | To manage criminal activity and interview suspects, witnesses, and victims, and arrest suspects. | 2 to 4 Lacs |
| Criminal Lawyer | To defend people or organizations that have been charged with a crime or make a case against them. They deal with cases related to violence, drug crimes, thefts, fraud. | 2 to 3.5 Lacs |
| Forensic Science Technician | To help catch, convict, or acquit crime suspects. A Forensic Science Technician gathers and handles the evidence from a crime scene for police departments and analyses it in a specialized laboratory. | 3 to 6 Lacs |
| Lecturer/ Professor | To teach at undergraduate and graduate level in areas allocated and reviewed from time to time by the Head of Department and to supervise or assist with supervision of undergraduate, taught graduate (Masters) or research graduate (MPhil/PhD) students. | 4 to 7 Lacs |