PhD Law: Eligibility, Entrance, Admission 2025, Fee, Colleges, Syllabus, Jobs & Salary

P.hD. Law is a doctoral degree that equips students with knowledge and understanding of legal studies through research. It is considered the highest level of education in the field of law. The course duration is 3 years, however, in certain cases it can be extended to 6 years at maximum, only if approved by the university.

The candidates who want to enroll into PhD Law program must have a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Law or relevant field with minimum 50% marks from recognised university. Candidates also need to qualify entrance exams to get admission into the Phd Law program.

The average fee for studying PhD Law in India ranges from INR 85,000-6,13,000 depending on the college or university. Some of the best colleges and universities are National Law School of India University, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar College of Law, Lovely Professional University, Amity University and National Law Institute University.

Candidates having Phd Law degree can work in various domains including law colleges, government organizations, legal consultancy firms and many other sectors where understanding of law is necessary. The average salary of PhD Law graduates can range between INR 3-12 LPA depending on their experience level. Some of the most common job roles are Assistant Professor, HOD, Principal, Legal Advisor, Legal Consultant and many more. 

PhD Law: Course Highlights

PhD Law: Eligibility Criteria

The following candidates are eligible for pursuing Ph.D. Law in India:

1. Candidates having a 5-year Bachelor’s degree in Law from a recognized University with minimum 55% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade. 
2. Candidates having a 3-year Bachelor's degree in Law (LL.B.) from a recognized University with minimum 55% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade.
3. Candidates having a Master of Laws degree (LL.M.) from recognised university with minimum 55% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade.
4. Candidates who have passed the Solicitors Examination conducted by the Bombay Incorporated Law Society and have Bachelor’s degree in Law from recognised university.
5. Obtained a degree in law and Master’s degree in Social Sciences or Humanities from a recognised university with minimum 55% marks or equivalent grade.

PhD Law: Entrance Exam

The entrance exams in India for doing PhD Law are:

PhD Law: Colleges & Fee

According to NIRF rankings some of the top Government colleges and universities in India offering PhD Law course have been listed below:

According to NIRF rankings some of the top Private colleges and universities in India offering PhD Law course have been listed below:

PhD Law: Admission Process 2025

The admission process for PhD in Law course at ‘National Law School of India University’ are as follows:

1. Candidates will have to submit the application form with all required details along with a research proposal of 6-8 pages. The application form will be available on the official website of the university. 
2. The research proposal must have a Title, identifies a Research Problem and have Research Questions, demonstrates clear understanding of the relevant literature on the research problem and identifies Methodological approach for responding adequately to the research questions. 
3. At the time of submission of the application form, pay the applicable fee.
4. Prepare for the NLSAT-PhD entrance examination and appear in the exam on the specified date at the selected centre.
5. Candidates who will score above 50 marks in the entrance exam will qualify for the evaluation of their research proposal.
6. The qualified candidates will be invited by the university to make an oral presentation before the Panel of Experts.
7. Candidates will be selected on the basis of marks obtained in the NLSAT-PhD, the research proposal and the oral presentation. The weightage of each component will be 50% for NLSAT-Phd, 25% for research proposal and 25% for oral presentation.
8. Depending on the final score obtained and the number of seats available for PhD Law, the top candidates will be selected. The university can keep the seats vacant if there are no eligible candidates.
9. The finally selected candidates list will be uploaded in the NLSIU website and they have to pay the admission fee to get enrolled in the PhD Law program and start a new academic journey. 

PhD Law: Syllabus

The syllabus for PhD Law at National Law University and Judicial Academy have been listed below:

• Philosophy of Constitutional Law of India
• Legal Theory
• International Law and Institutions
• Law of Torts and Crimes
• Commercial Law

PhD Law: Best Books for reference 

• Pylee, M.V.-Indian Constitution, S.Chand Publication
• Jain, M.P.-Indian Constitutional Law, LexisNexis
• Friedmann, W.- Legal Theory, Columbia University Press
• Kapoor, S.K.-International Law and Human Rights, Central Law Agency
• Ratanlal and Dirajlal-The Law of Torts, Universal Publication

Course Comparison: PhD Law vs LLD Law

PhD Law: Jobs & Salary

Few jobs and their average salary available for PhD Law candidates on job portals like Indeed and Naukri.com have been listed below:

Why study PhD in Law?

The advantages of enrolling into PhD in Law degree are:

• A PhD degree allows one to teach law subjects in universities and colleges, ultimately promoting development in this field.
• Highest level of education one can achieve in the field of law which opens doors to various high paying job opportunities as Principal and HOD in reputed law institutes.
• This degree enables candidates to do research in various domains of law which can pave new paths for solving complex problems in the field of law.
•  A PhD degree in Law helps in becoming subject matter expert in specific areas of law which open diverse career paths in academia, government sector, legal consultancy firm and other sectors where understanding of law is important.

PhD Law: FAQs