BA LLB Subjects List: 1st Year to 5th Year
Full BA LLB subjects list year-wise and semester-wise, with BCI core papers, electives, toughest subjects and exam tips. Free research help from Anushram.
Quick answer: BA LLB is a five-year, ten-semester integrated law degree. BA LLB subjects mix arts papers (English, Political Science, History, Sociology, Economics) with law papers set by the Bar Council of India (BCI), such as Constitutional Law, Contract, Torts, Criminal Law and Evidence. The first two years lean on arts; years three to five are almost fully law, plus electives, clinical courses and internships.
If you are starting your degree, choosing a college, or preparing for semester exams, this ballb subject list gives you the full picture in one place. It follows the BCI Legal Education Rules, 2008, which every recognised law college in India must follow. Exact paper names and their order change slightly from one university to another, so always check your own university's syllabus as well.
BA LLB Subjects List Year-Wise (2026)
Here is a year-by-year view of the ba llb subjects most Indian law schools teach. Read it as a map, not a fixed timetable.
| 1st Year | Arts base + legal basics | English, Political Science, History, Sociology, Economics, Legal Methods, Law of Contract I, Law of Torts |
| 2nd Year | Core private and public law | Law of Contract II, Constitutional Law I, Family Law I, Criminal Law (BNS), Political Science II, Economics II |
| 3rd Year | Procedure and property | Constitutional Law II, Family Law II, Property Law, Jurisprudence, Administrative Law, Public International Law |
| 4th Year | Evidence, commerce, labour | Law of Evidence (BSA), Civil Procedure Code, Criminal Procedure (BNSS), Company Law, Labour Law, Environmental Law |
| 5th Year | Practice and electives | Taxation Law, Interpretation of Statutes, Drafting & Pleading, Professional Ethics, ADR, Moot Court, electives, dissertation |
One update matters for 2026 students. Since 1 July 2024, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) have replaced the IPC, CrPC and Evidence Act. Most universities now teach the new codes, with the old ones covered for comparison.
Planning ahead for an LLM or a PhD after your degree? See our guide to the best universities for PhD in Law in India.
BA LLB 1st & 2nd Year Subjects: Law and Arts Foundations
The ba llb subjects 1st year students take are split roughly half arts, half law. The arts side looks a lot like regular ba subjects 1st year students study, but each one is taught with a legal angle.
Arts papers in years 1 and 2
- English / Legal Language: grammar, comprehension, legal vocabulary and Latin maxims
- Political Science: state, sovereignty, political theory, Indian government
- History: Indian legal and constitutional history
- Sociology: society, family, caste and social change, and how law shapes them
- Economics: micro and macro basics, Indian economy
Law subjects 1st year and 2nd year
- Legal Methods: sources of law, reading judgments, legal research
- Law of Contract I and II: formation of contracts, specific contracts, Specific Relief Act
- Law of Torts: negligence, nuisance, defamation, consumer protection and motor vehicle claims
- Constitutional Law I: Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles
- Family Law I: Hindu law of marriage, divorce and maintenance
- Criminal Law: general principles and offences under the BNS
These early law subjects 1st year students meet are the base for everything later. Students who build the habit of reading one Supreme Court judgment a week in year one find years three to five much easier.
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BA LLB 3rd, 4th & 5th Year Subjects and Electives
From the third year, ba llb subjects become fully legal. This is where you learn how courts actually work.
Core papers (years 3 to 5)
- Constitutional Law II, Family Law II (Muslim law, succession), Property Law (Transfer of Property Act, Easements)
- Jurisprudence, Administrative Law, Public International Law
- Law of Evidence (BSA), Civil Procedure Code and Limitation Act, Criminal Procedure (BNSS)
- Company Law, Labour and Industrial Law, Environmental Law, Taxation Law, Interpretation of Statutes, Land Laws
BCI clinical courses (compulsory)
- Drafting, Pleading and Conveyancing
- Professional Ethics and Professional Accounting System
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Moot Court, Pre-trial Preparation and Participation in Trial Proceedings
Popular electives: Intellectual Property Law, Cyber Law, Banking Law, Competition Law, Human Rights Law, Media Law, Criminology, Insurance Law and International Trade Law. Your choice here often shapes your LLM specialisation.
What about university-specific lists? Many students search for a ballb subject list from kuvempu university, anna university, periyar university or thiruvalluvar university. In Tamil Nadu, five-year law colleges are generally affiliated to the Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University, not to anna university, periyar university or thiruvalluvar university. In Karnataka, most law colleges come under Karnataka State Law University, so kuvempu university students usually follow the KSLU syllabus. Among universities in delhi, National Law University Delhi, GGSIPU and Jamia Millia Islamia offer BA LLB. The BCI core subjects stay the same everywhere; only paper order and electives differ.
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BA LLB Semester-Wise Syllabus (10 Semesters)
Most universities spread ba llb subjects across ten semesters, usually five or six papers each. This is a representative plan based on the BCI framework.
| Sem 1 | English I, Political Science I, Sociology I, History I, Legal Methods |
| Sem 2 | English II, Political Science II, Economics I, Law of Contract I, Law of Torts |
| Sem 3 | Political Science III, Economics II, Law of Contract II, Family Law I, Constitutional Law I |
| Sem 4 | Sociology II, History II, Family Law II, Constitutional Law II, Criminal Law (BNS) |
| Sem 5 | Property Law, Jurisprudence, Administrative Law, Public International Law, Elective I |
| Sem 6 | Law of Evidence (BSA), Company Law, Environmental Law, Labour Law I, Elective II |
| Sem 7 | Civil Procedure Code, Criminal Procedure (BNSS), Labour Law II, Taxation Law, Elective III |
| Sem 8 | Interpretation of Statutes, Land Laws, Drafting & Pleading, Elective IV |
| Sem 9 | Professional Ethics, ADR, Elective V, Elective VI |
| Sem 10 | Moot Court & Internship, Dissertation, Elective VII |
The BCI also requires at least 20 weeks of internship across the course, with records kept by your college. Plan internships with trial courts in early years and with law firms or High Court advocates later.
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FAQs: Toughest BA LLB Subjects and Exam Tips
Q1. Which BA LLB subjects are the toughest?
Students most often name Jurisprudence, Civil Procedure Code, Law of Evidence, Property Law and Interpretation of Statutes. They are abstract or packed with sections, so they need steady revision rather than last-week cramming.
Q2. What are the BA LLB subjects 1st year students study?
Usually English, Political Science, Sociology, History or Economics, plus Legal Methods, Law of Contract I and Law of Torts. The exact mix depends on your university.
Q3. Is the ballb subject list the same in every university? The core law papers are the same because the Bar Council of India prescribes them. Arts papers, electives and semester order vary between universities.
Q4. How should I prepare for BA LLB exams?
- Learn the bare act first, then the textbook.
- Quote at least two landmark cases in every long answer.
- Write answers in the IRAC format: Issue, Rule, Application, Conclusion.
- Solve the last five years' question papers of your own university.
- Make one-page charts of sections for Evidence, CPC and BNSS.
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Q5. Can I do an LLM or PhD after BA LLB?
Yes. A BA LLB makes you eligible for a one-year LLM, and an LLM then opens the path to a PhD in law. Strong grades in your electives and a published paper help your applications.
Q6. Do BA LLB students need to write a dissertation?
Most universities include a research paper or dissertation in the final year, often linked to an elective. Start choosing a topic in semester eight so you have time to research it properly.
