Degree Course Type 

Masters

Entry Level Qualification 

Graduate

Degree Course Duration 

2 Year

Course Fields 

Law

Degree Course Entrance Exam 

CLAT PG, AILET PG

Average Course Fee 

200000 - 400000 Per Year

Average Salary Offered 

300000 - 1000000 Per Year

Course Details 

Course Highlights 

The highlights section will provide you with an overview of the LLM Criminal Law important components like LLM Criminal Law course duration, LLM Criminal Law course fee, LLM Criminal Law top colleges, LLM Criminal Law salary, etc.

About Course 

A postgraduate law program called the Master of Law in Criminal Law or LLM Criminal Law is geared toward students who desire to work as defense attorneys, litigation officers, or detectives. Aspirants are able to comprehend the various facets of court procedures and legal principles thanks to the training. Graduates of this curriculum are also given responsibility for formulating public policy, implementing measures to reduce crime, and protecting the rights of crime victims. 

Candidates can pursue LLM course after completion of their 3 year or 5 year LLB program. A lot of reputed law institutes provide admission to their two-year/three-year LLM program based on national-level, university-level or state-level law entrance examinations like CLAT, AILET, TS LAWCET, etc. Few law institutes provide admission on merit-basis as well.​​​​​​​

Why Choose Course And Required Skills 

Candidates with this specialization are in high demand given the state of the present criminal justice system and the need for improvements. In the past, many renowned attorneys had a solid reputation and commanded substantial fees for taking on criminal cases. The number of criminal offenses has significantly increased throughout the years. As a result, a criminal law course would be quite useful for attorneys. Lawyers can enrol in specialised courses in criminology and forensic science, cybercrime, domestic violence, human rights, and sexual abuse after completing their LLB and LLM degrees.

They can work as assistants in private law offices to gain experience and learn how to argue cases before starting their own firms and representing themselves. Additionally, they can provide legal counsel for businesses that hire them. They can advocate for a particular case on behalf of the general public as a public prosecutor or on behalf of the suspect as a private attorney.

A few more benefits of studying LLM in Criminal Law are mentioned below:

1. Those who want to deepen their awareness of the criminal justice system and particular criminal law concerns can benefit from taking up LLM Criminal Law course.

2. An LLM degree in criminal law is a prerequisite for higher-level coursework in this area, such as a Ph.D or M.Phil

3. You can use the course to pursue a career in criminal law, public service, or any other field where success depends on your capacity to comprehend, evaluate, and react to changes in criminal law.

Candidates who are interested in a career in criminal law must be audacious, self-assured, and exceptionally proficient. The following list includes some essential abilities that a candidate has to have in order to succeed in the field of criminal law:

Eligibility  

Candidates seeking admission to the course must have earned either a 3-year LLB (Bachelor of Law) degree or a 5-year BA LLB degree from an accredited university with a minimum aggregate score of 50% to 55% in order to be eligible. It is also advisable for candidates to have job experience of at least 24 months because many institutions favor students with professional experience.

Entrance Exams Details 

Here is a list of some of the important entrance exams held in India for admission to LLM programmes in criminal law:

1. AILET PG (All India Law Entrance Test for LLM Course)

2. ILI CAT (Indian Law Institute Common Admission Test)

3. IPU CET (IP University LLM Entrance Exam)

4. CLAT PG (Common Law Admission Test for LLM course)

5. DU LLM (Delhi University Law Entrance Exam)

6. SAAT (Siksha 'O' Anusandhan Admission Test)

7. TISSNET (Tata Institute of Social Sciences National Entrance Test)​​​​​​​

Degree Course Syllabus 

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Year-II

Top Colleges 

Some of the leading institutes in the nation that offer the course are listed below:

Course Fees 

Some of the leading institutes in the nation that offer the course are listed below along with their respective locations and course fees:

Top Recruiters And Salary 

​​​​​​​A few of the popular LLM Criminal Law jobs in India along with their average annual salaries are mentioned below:

Course Scope And Career Options 

Opportunities in the field of criminal law are numerous due to the rise in criminal cases. A criminal attorney's primary responsibility is to represent or defend clients who are charged with crimes. Public defenders are criminal defense attorneys employed by the government. As private criminal attorneys, they are also employable. In public practice, the attorney may work for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) or the Public Defender Service (PDS).

Criminal attorneys typically begin their careers by working as experienced and well-known criminal attorney's assistants. You can begin working independently once you've gained experience. A criminal attorney serves as the client's advisor and advocate. It takes a lot of patience to work on a case for long hours, which is part of the job description for criminal attorneys in India.

The major responsibilities of a criminal lawyer include client interaction, gathering facts & evidence through witness interviews, and communicating with the client. Additionally, they engage in police interaction and thorough case studies. Depending on the specifics of the job at hand. It can take hours to prepare the proof. Even a bail application for an offense that is not bailable may need hours of planning and study. Since, every situation is different so there’s no set amount of time to gather evidence, prepare documents, etc. 

Candidates who are sharp-witted, confident, and with a passion for criminal law will achieve huge success in their careers. In India, there’s a dearth of criminal lawyers and there are so many appeals and pending cases related to criminal law and criminal justice in India. So, there’s a booming demand for law professionals who are specialized in criminal law in order to effectively solve criminal cases while providing relief and justice to the innocents. Not only that criminal law is a highly rewarding career emotionally as well as financially.

Graduates of criminal law can also work for a law firm or open their own practice after passing the bar exam. They may also be employed by the high court, the trial court, or the session court.

Some of the popular job profiles available to LLM Criminal Law graduates are mentioned below:

Criminal Lawyer: Criminal lawyers present evidence in favor of or defend those who have been accused of committing crimes. They handle cases involving offenses involving drugs, violence, theft, and fraud.

Criminologists: In order to understand what drives criminals, criminologists examine the strategies and patterns of criminal conduct. Criminologists must be skilled psychologists because if they understand the motivations behind a criminal's behavior, they can forecast or stop other crimes of the same type.

Public Prosecutor: According to the 1973 Code of Criminal Procedure, the State may designate a Public Prosecutor, an important member of the State Government. She or he is not a member of the investigative team. She or he is a statutory autonomous authority.

Lecturer/ Professor: To supervise or help with supervising undergraduate, taught graduate (Masters), or research graduate (MPhil/PhD) students. To teach at the undergraduate and graduate level in areas designated and periodically reviewed by the Head of Department.

District and Sessions Judge: After years of employment and legal education, veteran advocates are appointed as district and session judges. They are the main component of the court's jurisdiction since they hear the courtroom debate and determine the verdict for the accused.

Admission Process 

Candidates who want to pursue a Master of Legislative Laws degree must take an entrance exam to be considered for LLM admission to the best legal schools in India. The admission exams are typically multiple-choice questions (MCQ), however there may be one or a few questions that are subjective. These tests typically include legal and law-based questions to assess the candidates' topic knowledge apart from logical and analytical reasoning, General Knowledge and Current Affairs, etc.

The candidate's performance on a pertinent national, state, or university-level entrance exam determines whether they will be admitted to the LLM Criminal Law programme. This is followed by rounds of group discussions and personal interviews, during which the candidate's aptitude for the programme is determined.

Here is a list of some of the important entrance exams held in India for admission to LLM programmes in criminal law:

1. AILET PG (All India Law Entrance Test for LLM Course)

2. ILI CAT (Indian Law Institute Common Admission Test)

3. IPU CET (IP University LLM Entrance Exam)

4. CLAT PG (Common Law Admission Test for LLM course)

5. DU LLM (Delhi University Law Entrance Exam)

6. SAAT (Siksha 'O' Anusandhan Admission Test)

7. TISSNET (Tata Institute of Social Sciences National Entrance Test)