CLAT 2025 and beyond: What’s new in degree, diploma and certificate law courses

NEW DELHI: Premier law universities in India such as National Law University (NLU) Delhi have launched several degrees, diplomas and certificate law courses in the past year. These range from postgraduate LLM degrees in mediation and conflict resolution to diplomas in insolvency and certificate courses in dispute resolution.

Some universities have also launched undergraduate LLB and BA-LLB courses. For several of the degree courses, admission is through the Common Law Admission Test, or CLAT exam. CLAT 2025 for UG and PG programmes is on December 1.

Here’s a list of 16 newly-launched programmes with their eligibility criteria, duration and course features.

Law degrees accepting CLAT

A few law schools have launched degrees this year. This includes Shiv Nadar School of Law which has started its inaugural batch after getting approval from the Bar Council of India (BCI). The Maharashtra National Law University has a new postgraduate programme in mediation and conflict resolution.

Bachelor of Arts in LLB – BA LLB

Institution: Shiv Nadar School of Law

Duration: 5 years

Eligibility: Class 12 (top 10% rank) or CLAT exam score

Shiv Nadar School of Law, established this year, has launched its law courses with a five-year BA LLB course. The institution, which has been approved by the Bar Council of India, is taking 45 students in its initial batch. It is hoping to expand to 120 seats in the coming years.

LLM in Mediation and Conflict Resolution

Institution: Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), Mumbai

Duration: 2 years

Eligibility: Graduate in any discipline with valid CLAT exam score

The Maharashtra National Law University has restructured its postgraduate programme in mediation, initially launched in 2020-21. The institute said the newly launched version has incorporated feedback from students and faculty. The course will touch on various aspects of mediation and conflict resolution, including international disputes and online mediation.

Law courses without CLAT

Joint Masters’ and LLM in Intellectual Property Law and Management

Institution: NLU Delhi

Duration: 2 years

Eligibility: Four-year Bachelor’s with honours or postgraduation

The Joint Masters’ and LLM in Intellectual Property Law and Management is offered by NLU Delhi in collaboration with the WIPO. Participants from non-legal backgrounds will receive a Masters’ certificate after the course and participants from legal backgrounds will receive an LLM.

Online law courses – diploma and certificate

Apart from NLU Delhi, which has launched close to a dozen online certificate courses of varying durations, other universities have launched short-term programmes too. These include Andhra University, Aligarh Muslim University and Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (RGNUL) Patiala, Punjab. These certificate law courses cover a wide range of fields, including intellectual property rights, sports, entrepreneurship, international business and more.

Of these, Andhra University’s course is a blended-learning programme; the rest are all online.

PG Diploma in Intellectual Property Rights

Institution: Andhra University

Duration: 1 year

Eligibility: Graduate in any discipline

The law course focuses on hands-on training in intellectual property rights, patents, industrial designs, trademarks, copyright and geographical indications. The course is offered in collaboration with a patent service company.

Diploma in Business and Law for Entrepreneurs and Start-ups

Institution: NLU Delhi

Duration: 1 year

Eligibility: Graduate in any discipline

The diploma course focuses on equipping participants with practical insights into the what, how, and why of law for entrepreneurs. The course covers all the major aspects applicable to a start-up to operate in India including raising external funding to scale business.

Diploma in Insolvency and Bankruptcy: Law and Practice

Institution: NLU Delhi

Duration: 1 year

Eligibility: Graduate in any discipline

The course focuses on the legal and practical aspects of insolvency and bankruptcy and the processes of early identification of financial distress. Participants will learn to practise insolvency law by drafting, pleadings and negotiations with different parties.

Advance Certificate in Corporate Insolvency: Law and Practice

Institution: NLU Delhi

Duration: 6 months

Eligibility: Graduate in any discipline

This is a six-month course focusing on providing participants the understanding of corporate laws with regard to insolvency. The course focuses on the legal and practical aspects of insolvency.

Certificate Course on Transnational Competition Law

Institution: Aligarh Muslim University

Duration: 3 months

Eligibility: Graduate in any discipline

The online law course focuses on the importance of extra-territorial application of competition law as well as cooperation among international competition authorities. It also focuses on multilateral cooperation initiatives undertaken by the Competition Commission of India and is available on the government MOOC platform, SWAYAM.

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Certificate Course in Introduction to Contracts, Business Law, Basics of Entrepreneurship

Institution: NLU Delhi

Duration: 3 months

Eligibility: Graduate in any discipline

The 3-month course focuses on drafting of contracts, familiarising participants with business law and the basic legal frameworks of forming start-ups.

Certificate Course in Business Transactions and Regulations

Institution: NLU Delhi

Duration: 3 months

Eligibility: Graduate in any discipline

The course focuses on the regulations that govern commercial interactions between parties, including contracts, sales, purchases, and other business dealings.

Certificate Course in Dispute Resolution

Institution: NLU Delhi

Duration: 3 months

Eligibility: Graduate in any discipline

This law course focuses on providing candidates with understanding of Indian private international law including the acceptance or denial of jurisdiction by Indian courts, application of foreign law in Indian courts, and enforcement of foreign judgments or decrees in Indian courts.

Certificate Course in Human Resources, Intellectual Property, Compliances, Policy

Institution: NLU Delhi

Duration: 3 months

Eligibility: Graduate in any discipline

The course focuses on the laws around company guidelines that outline how employees must handle and protect the company's intellectual property.

Certificate in Venture Capital, Securities Regulation, Corporate Governance

Institution: NLU Delhi

Duration: 3 months

Eligibility: Graduate in any discipline

The course focuses on the series of security laws and regulations with regard to venture capital funding in the corporate sector.

Certificate in Group and Cross-Border Insolvency Laws

Institution: NLU Delhi

Duration: 3 months

Eligibility: Graduate in any discipline

The course focuses on the laws around cross-border insolvency complexities, international regulations, and collaborative legal practices.

Certificate in Insolvency and Bankruptcy of Individuals and Guarantors

Institution: NLU Delhi

Duration: 3 months

Eligibility: Graduate in any discipline

The course focuses on the legal practices around insolvency processes for individuals, guarantors, and partnership firms.

Certificate Course in Sports Law and Dispute Resolution

Institution: Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (RGNUL) Punjab

Duration: 3 months

Eligibility: Graduate in any discipline

The course, offered by RGNUL, will focus on navigating dispute resolution in the sports industry both at national and international level. It will focus on contractual and commercial aspects of sports law, online gaming regulations and gender-related discrimination issues in sports.