This article is written by Unnat Akhouri.

Since our childhood, we have witnessed the tremendous craze for government jobs. People have been dedicating years of intense preparation to get into these jobs, owing to the stability and respect associated with them. Law graduates, therefore, are no exceptions. Amidst the rants of low income initially in litigation and long working hours in the corporate sector, choices such as judicial services, civil services, and other alternatives come to their rescue. With a considerably great pay package and the immense amount of respect associated with these jobs, the number of aspirants has been on the rise, exponentially.

Judicial services happen to be the most prominent choice of law graduates, because of the job profile. Each state conducts its own examination for the state judiciary, and lakhs of candidates prepare for the same. The selected candidates also carry a vision for being promoted to a higher post in the long run. However, having said this, it is reasonable to not bet everything on a single horse, which means that it is important to keep a Plan B (C and D are advisable as well), so that one’s’ life isn’t on hold because of keeping the only option at hand. Also, it is equally important to explore other areas as well, and not just going on the conventional lines, because it has been rightly said that-

I took the road less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.

Therefore, this article aims at making you familiar with different government jobs, which are suitable for a law graduate, apart from the judiciary. The article is consistently talking about the exams with a reference to the judiciary exams because the syllabus and level of preparation required are almost the same (an exception being the excessively lengthy pattern of UPSC). A dedicated effort for the judiciary exams, when combines with the other small differences in these exams will do the thing. For example, one can prepare for the judiciary exams and alongside get acquainted with the state/local regulations which will cover the syllabus for APO as well.

APO

The first in this list is the exam for Assistant Prosecution Officer, which is conducted by different states for their own judicial wing. The work profile for this post includes analyzing all the chargesheets and other pieces of evidence in light of the relevant provisions in the law, among other duties as well. The syllabus for this examination is on the similar lines of judicial examination, with importance being accorded to the legal topics such as Evidence, Criminal laws (including procedural laws), and the relevant state laws with respect to the same topics. 

However, this examination also tests the candidates on language, such as UP APO does for the Hindi Language. Therefore, it is advisable to look for the examination conducted by different states, along with the language component, and pick those in which you are comfortable. 

JLO

Junior Legal Officer (JLO) is yet another exam which falls under the category of a lucrative government job. The responsibilities of a JLO include providing assistance to the law officer of a particular department and conducting other law-related works. The examination is primarily focused on the concepts of Constitutional law, CPC, Cr.P.C., and the Evidence Act. The drafting skills of the candidates are also tested in the exam.  Similar to the exam for APO, JLO grills the candidates on their language skills as well, which include both English and Hindi. 

UPSC

This name doesn’t require any sort of introduction, because UPSC (or civil services) happens to be one of the most sought after examinations in India. With over 15 lakh candidates sitting each year with an aim to crack this test, it is definitely one of the most competitive examinations currently. However, the pattern for this exam is comparatively on the lengthier side. The papers test the candidates intensively on the ‘General Studies’, which can range from any topic. The four long papers on general studies besides the preliminary exam on the same along with logic and maths make this examination way difficult, but not impossible. 

Additionally, one needs to opt for an optional subject as well, and it is advisable that law students shall stick with ‘law’ since they have been in touch with it. This optional paper would include most of the legal topics such as criminal law, torts, administrative law, and international law. One can expect questions from contemporary legal development as well, that are the topics like IPR and technology.

CLAT PG

CLAT PG exam can be considered as a panacea, as it can be a gateway for either your LLM at India’s top universities or the step towards a job as a legal officer in the PSUs, as they recruit the top rankers directly, after an interview. 

This examination comprises the core subjects which are taught in law school such as constitutional law, criminal law, contracts, taxation among the other subjects. Therefore, a strong base of these subjects during college would prove beneficial. Nonetheless, the pattern is simple for this exam, so preparation won’t be an issue. 

UGC NET

The gateway for being eligible for the post of ‘Assistant Professor’ and securing a fellowship, UGC NET can be considered as a great option. With the subjects being in clear consonance with UPSC, the pattern is way easier than the same. This is because of the lesser emphasis on General Studies given by UGC NET. Rather, the paper focuses more on the logical and analytical ability of the candidates, along with the proficiency in the topics of law. 

Having discussed the above exams in-depth, it is very important for the candidates to select the right combination (taking into account the work profile) for them. Someone who is not much inclined towards practicing core law can opt for UGC NET and UPSC, while those interested in dealing with legal intricacies can opt for exams like JLO, APO, and CLAT PG. 

Unconventional take

There are other alternatives as well, which are not much talked upon. These include the exam for the legal officer in Banks (IBPS SO, RBI Grade B legal officer, and SBI SO), which can provide a mix of corporate culture and benefits of a government job. One more amazing option happens to be the SEBI Legal officer’s exam, which can be attempted by candidates attracted towards the intricacies of the Capital Market. These exams focus more on the analytical skills of the candidates, along with subjects like banking and finance laws, capital markets, and criminal laws. It is advisable to read the detailed information about these exams and opt for them if one doesn’t want to follow the regular exams listed previously. 

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