Chanakya National Law University is all set to introduce BBA LLB course from this academic session, widening the placement avenue of law graduates.

Students taking admission to the varsity in July on the basis of the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) would be able to opt for the five-year integrated course. The law aspirants pursuing the course would have an edge over their BA LLB counterparts because the dual degree in business and law would enable them find jobs not only at legal firms but also in corporate houses.

Of the total intake of 140 students, as many as 60 would be admitted to the BBA LLB course. The rest would have to pursue the BA LLB course.

Chanakya National Law University (CNLU) would be the first in the state and the fourth in the country to offer the five-year BBA LLB course. The three varsities that offer the course are National Law University, Jodhpur, National Law University Odisha, Cuttack, and Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar.

Anshuman Pandey, a lawyer at Patna High Court, said: “Students who opt for the BBA-LLB course would be able to pursue different career options. As the course covers management studies, they can work in corporate sectors and business firms as well.”

The difference between the BA LLB and the BBA LLB is that while the former covers humanities subjects and law, the new course would include management and business studies in addition to the legal lessons. The course has been designed keeping in mind the emerging needs of a fast growing economy. The growing influx of multinationals has also created a demand for managers with legal degrees. The module will enable students to study courses related to market requirements. It will also equip the law graduates with the requisite knowledge of different subjects. Pandey added: “The BBA LLB course would be preferable for students looking to work in corporate sectors as law officers or legal managers. In the field of law, the new course would help them get jobs as income tax lawyers or taxation lawyers.”

For the students, the cheer is obvious. A third-year CNLU student said: “The launch of the new course would be helpful for students, as the placement cell would be strengthened. Not many firms turn up at our college now during the recruitment season. Hopefully, the introduction of the new module would help law graduates lap up better jobs.”

Confirming the introduction of the BBA LLB course from this session, CNLU vice-chancellor (VC) A. Lakshminath said: “A team from the Bar Council of India recently visited the varsity and assessed the infrastructure to start the BBA LLB course. The panel is likely to give its nod for starting the module soon in addition to the existing BA LLB programme.”

Sources said the idea behind starting the new course at the CNLU is to provide more options to students. The VC said: “The BBA LLB course would be a management linked course. The placement cell would also be strengthened to help students.”

The placement percentage of the institution at present is 30.