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A PhD in 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, with the approval of the university, it can be extended to a maximum of 6 years.
The candidates who want to enrol in the PhD Law program must have a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Law or a relevant field with a minimum of 50% marks from a recognised university. Candidates must also qualify for entrance exams to get admission into the PhD Law program.
The average fee for studying a PhD in Law in India ranges from INR 85,000 to INR 6.13 L, 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 organisations, legal consultancy firms and many other sectors where an 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 in Law Course Highlights
Given below are some of the basic course highlights for the PhD in Law course:
Particulars | Details |
Course Name | PhD in Law |
Level of Study | Doctorate |
Duration | 3 years (can be extended up to 6 years) |
Eligibility Criteria | Bachelor’s degree in law and Master’s degree in law with a minimum of 50% marks from a recognised university
Qualify applicable entrance examination |
Entrance Exams | NLSAT-PhD, UGC-NET, DUET, AILET-PhD |
Admission Process | Merit-Based/Entrance Exam |
Course Fee | INR 85,000- 6,13,000 |
Colleges/Universities | National Law School of India University, The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar College of Law, Lovely Professional University, Amity University |
Average Salary | INR 3- 12 LPA |
Job Roles | Assistant Professor, HOD, Principal of School, Legal Advisor, Researcher and others |
Why study a PhD in Law?
The advantages of enrolling on a PhD in Law degree are:
- A PhD degree allows one to teach law subjects in universities and colleges, ultimately promoting development in this field.
- The highest level of education one can achieve in the field of law, which opens doors to various high-paying job opportunities as a 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 a subject matter expert in specific areas of law, which opens diverse career paths in academia, the government sector, legal consultancy firms and other sectors where understanding of law is important.
PhD in Law Eligibility Criteria
The following candidates are eligible to pursue a PhD Law in India:
- Candidates having a 5-year Bachelor’s degree in Law from a recognised University with a minimum of 55% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade.
- Candidates having a 3-year Bachelor's degree in Law (LL.B.) from a recognised University with a minimum of 55% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade.
- Candidates having a Master of Laws degree (LL.M.) from a recognised university with a minimum of 55% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade.
- Candidates who have passed the Solicitors Examination conducted by the Bombay Incorporated Law Society and have a Bachelor’s degree in Law from a recognised university.
- Obtained a degree in law and a Master’s degree in Social Sciences or Humanities from a recognised university with a minimum of 55% marks or equivalent grade.
PhD in Law Entrance Exam
The entrance exams in India for doing a PhD in Law are:
Exam | Level | Registration Date (Tentative) | Exam Date (Tentative) | Application Fee |
NLSAT-PhD 2025 | National | 2 Jan – 23 Mar 2025 | 27 Apr 2025 (near cutoff) | INR 3000 |
UGC-NET (Law) 2025 | National | 16 Apr – 7 May 2025 | 21 – 30 Jun 2025 | INR 1150 (UR), INR 600 (OBC/EWS), INR 325 (SC/ST/PwD) |
DUET 2025 | University | 1 Apr – 15 May 2025 | 15 – 31 May 2025 | INR 1000 (UR), INR 800 (EWS/OBC), INR 750 (SC/ST/TG), INR 700 (PwD) |
AILET-PhD 2026* | University | 1 Aug – 18 Nov 2025 | 8 Dec 2025* | INR 3500 (Gen/OBC/EWS), INR 1500 (SC/ST/PwD) |
PhD in Law Colleges & Fees
According to NIRF rankings, some of the top Government colleges and universities in India offering a PhD Law course have been listed below:
College/University | Location | NIRF Ranking | Average Fee |
National Law School of India University | Bengaluru, Karnataka | 1 | INR 2,05,000 |
National Law University | New Delhi, Delhi | 2 | INR 3,00,000 |
The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences | Kolkata, WB | 4 | INR 1,65,000 |
Gujarat National Law University | Gandhinagar, Gujarat | 8 | INR 3,30,000 |
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar College of Law | Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh | 16 | INR 6,13,000 |
Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University | Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh | 20 | INR 85,000 |
National Law Institute University | Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh | 21 | INR 1,91,000 |
National University of Study and Research in Law | Ranchi, Jharkhand | 22 | INR 5,53,000 |
The Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law | Patiala, Punjab | 24 | INR 1,35,000 |
National Law University | Cuttack, Odisha | 26 | INR 1,21,000 |
According to NIRF rankings, some of the top Private colleges and universities in India offering a PhD Law course have been listed below:
College / Institution | Location | NIRF Ranking | Fee |
Symbiosis Law School | Pune, Maharashtra | 5 | INR 1,15,000 |
Alliance University | Bengaluru, Karnataka | 18 | INR 4,11,000 |
Lovely Professional University | Phagwara, Punjab | 19 | INR 3,00,000 |
Manipal University | Jaipur, Rajasthan | 29 | INR 1,00,000 |
Amity University | Gurgaon, Haryana | 33 | INR 4,70,000 |
ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education | Hyderabad, Telangana | 36 | INR 3,40,000 |
Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management | Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh | 37 | INR 90,000 |
PhD in Law Admission Process 2025
The admission process for the PhD in Law course at the National Law School of India University is as follows:
- 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.
- The research proposal must have a Title, identify a research problem and have research questions, demonstrate a clear understanding of the relevant literature on the research problem and identify a Methodological approach for responding adequately to the research questions.
- At the time of submission of the application form, pay the applicable fee.
- Prepare for the NLSAT-PhD entrance examination and appear in the exam on the specified date at the selected centre.
- Candidates who will score above 50 marks in the entrance exam will qualify for the evaluation of their research proposal.
- The qualified candidates will be invited by the university to make an oral presentation before the Panel of Experts.
- 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 is 50% for NLSAT-Phd, 25% for research proposal and 25% for oral presentation.
- 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.
- The finally selected candidates' list will be uploaded on 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 in Law Syllabus
The syllabus for PhD Law at National Law University and Judicial Academy has been listed below:
Semester I | Semester II |
Research Methodology in Law | Advanced Legal Research Methods |
Legal Theory | Legal Writing & Publication Skills |
Review of Literature | Data Collection & Analysis Techniques |
Research Proposal Development |
Semester III | Semester IV |
Specialized Research Area Study (e.g., Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, International Law) | Thesis Writing |
Seminar Presentations | Research Ethics |
Progress Review | Presentation & Defence of Research Work |
Publication Preparation |
Course Comparison PhD in Law vs LLD Law
A PhD in Law and an LLD (Doctor of Laws) are advanced research degrees in legal studies, each with distinct focus areas and career paths.
Particulars | PhD in Law | LLD |
Full Form | Doctor of Philosophy in Law | Doctor of Laws |
Overview | An academic degree which is more focused on research and students here conduct original research in specific legal areas. | It is an honorary degree and is awarded to individuals who have made significant contributions to the legal community. |
Duration | 3 years (Max 6 years) | 3 years |
Average Fee | INR 85,000-6,13,000 | INR 1,00,000-6,00,000 |
Average Salary Package | INR 3- 12 LPA | INR 4- 20 LPA |
PhD in 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:
Job Title | Job Description | Recruiter | Experience Level | Average Salary |
Assistant Professor-Law | Providing academic guidance and delivering high-quality lectures to students in law subjects. | Lovely Professional University, Phagwara | 0-5 years | INR 3-6 LPA |
HOD In-Charge | Delivering high quality lectures in law subjects and implementing academic policies and ensuring compliance with university and regulatory standards. | Ambedkar Law College | 5-10 years | INR 4.8-6 LPA |
Principal of Law School | Providing academic leadership, ensuring regulatory compliance and overseeing overall administration of the school in alignment with BCI norms and Law University regulations. | Harsha Law School | At least 15 years | INR 10-12 LPA |
PhD in Law FAQs
Is there any age limit to apply for a PhD Law program?
No, there is no such age limit to apply for a PhD Law program. Candidates who meet the eligibility criteria can apply for this course whenever they want.
Is it possible to reapply for a PhD Law course if the application gets rejected?
Yes, one can reapply but in the next academic year only. And they have to go through the entrance exam, submission of research proposal and oral presentation again.
Can a PhD Law course be extended if research is not completed on time?
Yes, the course can be extended for a maximum of 3 years if the student is facing significant research delays. However, it can be extended only on approval from the university; in some cases, candidates need to leave the program if extensions are not granted, and the research progress will be deemed insufficient
Can students receive stipends while doing a PhD in Law?
Yes, candidates pursuing a PhD Law degree can receive a stipend in the form of fellowships, teaching assistantships and research assistantships on a monthly basis, depending on academic merit.
