S. Vishnu Sharma
Top 20 Government Law Colleges in India is a story about various educational institutions to study law. Law courses are offered at the graduate and postgraduate levels at these institutions. Some of these top 20 Government Law Colleges in India also offer doctorate (PhD) courses and students who are interested in delving deeper into various nuances of the law can opt for a research degree.
These educational institutions are located across India and enjoy a great deal of popularity. College denotes an institution for higher education, and, a couple of these are universities. Programmes offered at these top 20 government law colleges in India are LLB, LLM, integrated law courses and doctorate (PhD).
A graduation degree in law is popularly known as LLB in India and there is no dearth of students who wish to study it that is where the role of these top 20 government law colleges in India becomes crucial. The Law program offered at the postgraduate level is popularly known as LLM which is of a one to two-year duration.
Eligibility to apply for studying LLB (Bachelor of Legislative Law) in these top 20 LLB colleges in India is a pass in graduation in any discipline with the required percentage of marks from a recognized institution. Students who wish to apply for LLM (Master of Laws) have to complete their graduation in the relevant discipline which is LLB.
A few institutions however may also permit students with graduation in other streams also to apply. Some of these top 20 LLB colleges in India also offer integrated law programs like BA LLB or BBA LLB which are of five-year duration.
Top 20 Government Law Colleges in India List 2023
The eligibility to apply for integrated law programs in these top 20 government law colleges in India is a pass in plus two in any stream from a recognized educational institution. The process to apply to these top 20 government law colleges in India may vary from one another.
Candidates can visit the individual websites of these top 20 government law colleges in India for more details. They can visit the organizations in person also for obtaining information regarding admission. The details about the top 20 government law colleges in India are available in the tabular format below along with the courses offered and their location:
| Serial Number | Name of the institution | Courses available | Location |
| 1 | Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law
Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (RGNUL), Punjab, was established by the State Legislature of Punjab by passing the Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Punjab Act, 2006 (Punjab Act No. 12 of 2006). The University has also set up Centre for Advanced Study in Criminal Law (CASCL), Centre for Consumer Protection Law and Advocacy (CCPLA), Centre for Advanced Study in International Humanitarian Law (CASH). RGNUL offers B.A.LL.B. (Hons.)Five-Year Integrated Program where under Social Sciences subjects like Economics, English, History, Political Science and Sociology are taught as major and minor subjects along with Law subjects in the first three years of study. The verdant and spacious campus of RGNUL at Sidhuwal, Bhadson Road, Patiala spreads across an area of 50 Acres of land. The state-of-the-art Campus has an Administrative-cum-Academic Block, Library, Auditorium, Sports Complex, Boys and Girls Hostels, Guest House, Community Hall, Health Centre, Residences, Stadium, Gymnasium, Canteen and facility area. RGNUL is a residential campus. This is also one among the top 20 government law colleges in India. |
· B.A.LL.B. (Hons.)
· LL.M. · LL.M. (Executive) · PGDIPA · PhD · LL.D. |
Patiala |
| 2 | Faculty Of Law, Jamia Millia Islamia
The Faculty of Law, Jamia Millia Islamia was established in 1989. At the outset a three year LL.B. programme was introduced. Over the past two decades, the faculty has made significant progress in terms of restructuring of courses and syllabi, introducing new courses in order to give due emphasis to the expanding horizons of the legal profession. The Faculty of Law has established a Legal Services Clinic with a whole range of legal aid programs in the agenda. In fact, the students of our faculty have undergone training for Para-Legal Volunteers under the aegis of the National Legal Services Authority. This is one among the top 20 Government Law Colleges in India. |
LL.M. (Regular) / LL.M. (Self-Financed)
L.L.M. (Executive) Self-Financed Program PG Diploma in Labor Law PG Diploma in Air Space Law B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) (Self-financed) Ph.D.(Law) |
New Delhi |
| 3 | National Law University
National Law University-Jodhpur (NLUJ) is one of India’s leading Law Schools situated at the vibrant and colorful city of Jodhpur, Rajasthan. NLU Jodhpur has constantly been ranked as one of the Top 10 Law colleges in India. Since its establishment in 1999, NLUJ has endeavored to produce exceptional lawyers and legal scholars aimed at pushing and challenging the existing boundaries of knowledge. The University offers unique five year integrated undergraduate programs i.e. B.B.A., LL.B.(Hons.), B.A., LL.B.(Hons.) to generate especially skilled global legal professionals. These integrated programs offer highly demanding honors courses in various facets of law such as Constitutional Law, Business Law, Trade Law, International Law, Criminal Law and Intellectual Property Rights Law. NLUJ attracts top quality students coming from diverse social, cultural and religious backgrounds from all corners of India. Students passing out from NLUJ work in top law firms in India and abroad, some practice in courts and while some have entered the field of legal academics. This is also one among the top 20 Government law colleges in India. |
LL.M. (Corporate Laws and IPR )
BA LLB BBA LLB MBA Insurance PhD |
Jodhpur |
| 4 | Faculty of Law, Banaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University is an internationally reputed temple of learning, situated in the holy city of Varanasi. This creative and innovative university was founded by the great nationalist leader, Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, in 1916 with the cooperation of great personalities like Dr. Annie Besant, who perceived it as the University of India. School of Law is the focus point as far as law courses are concerned. It is one of the earliest faculties established in the Banaras Hindu University. Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, the founder of this university, served for many years as Dean of the Law School. The legal luminaries like Sir Ras Behari Ghosh and Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru, were the earlier Deans. This is also one among the to 20 government law colleges in India. |
B.A. LL.B. (H)
LLB (H) LLM-1 Year LLM-2 Year PhD PG Diploma |
Varanasi |
| 5 | National Law UniversityNational Law University Odisha (NLUO), Cuttack was established by Act 4 of 2008 by the Odisha State Legislature and started imparting education in Law from the Academic Year 2009-10. NLUO was established keeping in mind a clearly enunciated vision.
Institution aspires to work for the advancement of learning, teaching, research, diffusion of knowledge in the field of law. It also desires to undertake all such things as are incidental, necessary or conducive to the attainment of all or any of the objects of the University, as an institution of higher learning and research and an institution of excellence. This is also one among the top 20 Government law colleges in India. |
BA LLBBBA LLB
LLM PhD |
Cuttack |
| 6 | National Law University and Judicial AcademyThe National Law University and Judicial Academy, Assam (NLUJAA) has been established by the Government of Assam by way of enactment of the National Law School and Judicial Academy, Assam Act, 2009 (Assam Act No. XXV of 2009).
Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court is the Chancellor of the University. NLUJAA promotes and makes available modern legal education and research facilities to students and scholars drawn from across the country, including the North East, coming from different socio-economic, ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds. This is also one among the top 20 government law colleges in India. |
BA LLB HonsLLM
PhD |
Guwahati |
| 7 | University School of law and Legal Studies
University School of Law and Legal Studies envisages advancement of institutional expertise in the area of legal research and education by augmenting academic and professional excellence, developing critical and relentless engagement with legal theory and practice, synergizing law, legal research, legal education and action to further the quest for justice. It aspires to aspires to open new vistas in the arena of law, legal studies, theoretical and clinical legal education through an incessant endeavor towards developing academic potential, critical analytical ability, advocacy, counseling and mediation skills so as to fully equip the students with learning which is intellectually stimulating, socially vital and professionally enriching. This is also one among the top 20 government law colleges in India. |
BA LLB HonsBBA LLB Hons
LLM PhD |
New Delhi |
| 8 | Dr. B R Ambedkar National Law UniversityThe University is situated in the Rajiv Gandhi Educational City, Rai, Sonepat where more than thirteen renowned educational institutions and universities have been established and are functional.
The location provides a perfect positive and friendly environment for education besides overall development of students. Great institutions have everything impressive about them. The organization has firmly resolved to impart advanced legal education, practical legal skills and inter disciplinary understanding, keeping in view the requirements of a just and equitable society. This is also one among the top 20 government law colleges in India.
|
BBA LLBPG Diploma in Corporate Law | Sonipat |
| 9 | Gujarat National Law UniversityGujarat National Law University in Gandhinagar in Gujarat also stands tall among the law teaching institutions in this country.
This institute managed to create its own identity in the field of law education and found a place among Top 20 government law colleges in India. GNLU is the statutory university established by the Government of Gujarat under the Gujarat National Law University Act, 2003. The University is recognized by the Bar Council of India (BCI) and the University Grants Commission (UGC) (2f & 12B). The University is also a member of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI), International Association of Law Schools (IALS), Asian Law Institute (ASLI) and Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute. |
BA LLB HonsBSW LLB Hons
BCom LLB Hons BBA LLB Hons LLM PG Diploma in Biotechnology, Law and Policy PG Diploma in Intellectual Property Rights PG Diploma in Medical Law, Policy and Ethics Ph.D. Program |
Gandhinagar |
| 10 | Maharashtra National Law UniversityMaharashtra National Law University Mumbai (MNLU Mumbai) is one of the premier national law universities established in the State of Maharashtra to promote world class legal education and research.
MNLU Mumbai is a vibrant institute that explores the curious legal dimensions of public policy, ethics, business, and also a plethora of issues in order to produce quality legal scholarship, capable of facing the real world challenges. From its very inception, MNLU Mumbai has aimed to attain excellence in all aspects of legal training and education. This is also one among the top 20 government law colleges in India. |
B.A., LL.B. (HONS.)LL.M. (REGULAR)
LL.M.(PROFESSIONAL) LL.M.(EXECUTIVE) LL.M.(INVESTMENT AND SECURITY LAWS) IN ASSOCIATION WITH NISM LL.M. IN INSOLVENCY LAW (EXECUTIVE) PH.D. |
Mumbai |
| 11 | Karnataka State Law University
Karnataka State Law University with its headquarters at Navanagar, Hubballi was established in January 2009 under the Karnataka State Law University Act, 2009, (No.11 of 2009) as a Peoples’ University. Its’ aspiration is to provide quality legal education, totally socially relevant and accessible to everyone. KSLU is a mono faculty University having 107 Law Colleges under its affiliation and having jurisdiction over the entire Karnataka State. The University Library has acquired quality books and good number of volumes of reports to meet the requirement of students and members of faculty. This is also one among the top 20 government law colleges in India. |
BA LLBBBA LLB
LLM |
Hubli |
| 12 | Faculty of Law, Aligarh Muslim UniversityThe Faculty of Law, Jamia Millia Islamia was established in 1989. At the outset a three year LL.B. program was introduced.
Over the past two decades, the faculty has made significant progress in terms of restructuring of courses and syllabi, introducing new courses in order to give due emphasis to the expanding horizons of the legal profession. The NIRF rating for 2020 gave this institution a rank of 9 among the law colleges. In its continuous endeavors to provide the best of the education has earned this educational institution a place among the Top 20 Government Law colleges in India. |
Ph.D.(Law)LL.M. (Regular) / LL.M. (Self-Financed)
L.L.M. (Executive) Self-Financed Program PG Diploma in Labor Law PG Diploma in Air Space Law B.A. LL.B. (Hons.)/B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) (Self-financed) |
Aligarh |
| 13 | Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law, IIT KharagpurThe Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law (RGSOIPL) in IIT Kharagpur is a unique law school that was set up in 2006 with a vision of building scientists and engineers into Intellectual Property Lawyers.
The School imparts education and skill development in several areas of law with an interdisciplinary focus. Faculty of the School are a unique mix of academicians from technical and legal backgrounds with practical experience in different areas of law. This is also one among the top 20 government law colleges in India. |
LLB
LLM |
Kharagpur |
| 14 | Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University Dr.Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, was established by an Act of Govt. of Uttar Pradesh in 2005, U.P. Act No.28 of 2005 and came into being on 4 January 2006 to meet up the new challenges in legal field and to strengthen the vision that was given by the establishment of first National Law School of the country. Institution aspires to advance and disseminate learning and knowledge of law and legal processes and their role in national development. It is located in the South-West part of the Lucknow City, the University has 40 acres of sprawling campus in LDA’s Kanpur Road Scheme. The Campus is a complete township having accommodation facilities for 1500 students and over 100 number of teaching and non-teaching staff members. This is also one among the top 20 government law colleges in India. |
BA LLB
LLM PhD |
Pune |
| 15 | Faculty of Law, University of DelhiThe name of this institution is synonymous with high quality education. It is among the top ranked educational institutions in the country and attracts students from all corners of the country.
Fame of the institution has reached the foreign shores also. This is a place to pursue law at graduation, post-graduation levels. Students who wish to delve deeper into various nuances of law can pursue doctorate also. This is also one among the top 20 government law colleges in India. |
LLB
LLM PhD |
Delhi |
| 16 | Dr. Ambedkar Govt. Law CollegeDr. Ambedkar Government Law College, Chennai, a 130-year-old prestigious institution, established by the British in 1891, has its location in the exclusive High Court complex.
The college has the distinction of being the second oldest college in the country and the first law college in South India. First it was named ‘Madras Law College’ and then in 1991 it was renamed as Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College. The college is affiliated to Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University and is functioning as per the rules and regulations of the All India Bar Council and is of international standard. This is also one among the top 20 government law colleges in India. |
BA LLBLLM | Chennai |
| 17 | The WB National University of Juridical SciencesThe National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata is an academic community committed to the pursuit of knowledge, wisdom, discovery, and creativity.
Its mission is to provide student-centric education and foster personal and intellectual growth to prepare students for productive careers, meaningful lives, and responsible citizenship in a global society. This is also one among the top 20 government law colleges in India. |
BA LLB HonsLLM | Kolkata |
| 18 | NALSAR University of LawThis institution has managed to carve a niche for itself in the field of law studies and found a place among the top 20 government law colleges in India.
The educational institution is also known as National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR) University. This is situated in Shamirpet of Telangana state in southern India and was established in 1988 by an Act of the State Legislative Assembly (Act 34 of 1998) by the state of Andhra Pradesh. The university offers undergraduate and postgraduate programs in law and postgraduate programs in business administration. It is one of the autonomous law schools in India. |
BA LLB (Honors)LLM | Hyderabad |
| 19 | National Law UniversityThe primary objective of the University is to evolve and impart comprehensive and interdisciplinary legal education that is socially relevant.
Through this education, we aim to promote legal and ethical values and foster the rule of law and the objectives enshrined in the Constitution of India. Furthermore, the University works toward dissemination of legal knowledge and its role in national development, so that the ability to analyze and present contemporary issues of public concern and their legal implications for the benefit of the public is improved. These processes strive to promote legal awareness in the community and to achieve political, social and economic justice. This is one among the top 20 government law colleges in India. |
BA LLB HonsLLM
LLM (Pro) PhD |
New Delhi |
| 20 | National Law School of India UniversityEstablished in 1986, NLSIU was the first National Law University to be established in India.
The premier institution was set up with a mission to pioneer legal education reforms, and to anchor the transformation of the Indian legal system through research and policy interventions. Consequently, the National Law School of India University was one of the first institutions in the country to introduce the five-year integrated law degree at the undergraduate level with the commencement of the first batch in 1988. And for over 30 years now, the institution has irrefutably remained a leader in the field of legal education in the country. This long-standing record has been possible due to the strong collaborations between legal academics, the Bar, the Bench and the State Government of Karnataka. This is also one among the top 20 government law colleges in India. |
BA LLBLLB
LLM PhD |
Bengaluru |
Conclusion (Top 20 Government Law Colleges in India)
The above mentioned are the top 20 government law colleges in India and the process to gain admission in them may involve great deal of hard work. The process commences with ensuring the fulfillment of required eligibility conditions.
Students willing to apply to anyone or more of these top 20 government law colleges in India have to ensure they are fulfilling all the eligibility conditions before venturing to submit applications. Doing this may bring down the chances of rejection at a later stage.
Post submission of applications to these top 20 government law colleges in India, applicants may require to pass entrance tests. Some of these top 20 government law colleges may admit students based on the scores in well-known exams like CLAT, LSAT or AILET.
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Students who do not pass these above mentioned exams may have to appear for entrances conducted by the respective institutions. Candidates who cannot attend these well-known exams have to likely appear in exams conducted by the respective educational institutions. Some of these top 20 government law colleges in India may be conducting their own entrance exams.
Post passing the entrance exams with required qualifying marks, candidates can take part in further admission process which comprises counselling or group discussion or interview. The schedule for further admission process may vary from one institution to another, respective websites of these top 20 government law colleges in India can be referred for more information.
Candidates can obtain the information from the respective prospectus of these top 20 government law colleges in India which would be released by the time the admission process commences. These top 20 government law colleges in India are known for high standards in teaching and learning.
Ctet 2026 (July)
Central Board Of Secondary Education (Cbse)
05 Jul 2026