hello, there are a lot of people recommending you to do an MBA right now. That's not necessarily the best idea.

1) CAT is one of the most competitive exams in India. You have a four year gap in your resume and have no work ex to show for it. Even if, hypothetically, you were to get into a Tier-2/3 MBA college, that will be a waste of time and resources. You will graduate with an enormous education loan that you will not be able to pay off in time. This situation would only arise if employers with good paying salaries are willing to give you a shot (which is unlikely).

2) The smartest thing for you to do now, given that you have invested 4 years in preparing for UPSC (hopefully which has been a genuine utilisation of time) is to prepare for other easier government exams. You can try out - Railway Recruitment Board, SBI PO, SSC CGL, IBPS Clerk, NABARD, state PCS exams, judiciary papers etc.

In the meanwhile, please do not compromise on work experience. Join a coaching centre as a law faculty.

Idk what the original comment was, but man, just check your privilege at the door and stop invalidating other people’s experience.

I really hope and pray for people like you to have extended durations of discomfort doing some dogshit job like lawyering which is really just a family business for the privileged class, in order to just create some financial comfort for you and your family.

Maybe then you’ll understand.

Someone is saying things that are harsh. The responses to those harsh points are being published, but not the harsh points themselves! No understanding of the moderation guidelines at all... how can someone publish lies about LLM admission procedures and people who get into American JD programmes, but not say something which is put a bit harshly? In any case, neither set of things helps people think - if that is really the guideline you go by! So if you publish the one, why not the other? Also, publishing one side of the story may not be all that helpful. How does this platform have any credibility at all anymore?

Are you writing this because you failed law school and therefore couldn't get into any LLM anywhere in the world? So much bitterness! Moderators, why do you allow such misinformation to circulate? Please don't give me this nonsense about "marketplace of ideas"! Someone might actually try this misrepresentation. Is Legally India also run by Elon Musk now? Seems to be!

Do you think they won't try to verify? Do you seriously think they don't ask for recommendation letters? What is wrong with you? If you spread lies, can you at least please spread logical ones?

1. The best bet is to do MBA and if you get 85ish percentile also, it will fetch you college where you will be placed at around 10LPA. This is also going to be a fresh start so you can be cautious from the beginning itself.

2. Second, start teaching law in coaching centres and or schools - subject like legal aptitude and or constitutional law, political science, static gk should be a cakewalk for you these levels. UPSC coaching another option if you are real good at any subject and have good teaching abilities, remember you don't need so much teaching abilities for being a school/clat coaching teacher.

3. Do not go for judiciary or any other Govt exam, it's kinda unpredictable.

4. Start practising at your hometown's court, build connections. learn for a few months, find good mentors, take help.

5. Startup - small startups.

6. Tier 3/4 law firms/offices.

7. Read point 3 again, reconsider if you can study and write such exams simultaneously with aforementioned jobs.

Thanks. There is always a hope, keep grinding bro :)

If you dislike people so much why become a lawyer? You should have picked a line that affords you a choice to not interact with others. Your comment is regrettable, I'm sure you're very intelligent, but i don't think in the real world I would be interested in interacting with you.

Litigation is a good option for you. The fact that you're 28 years old is immaterial. Many people complete their graduation, work for a few years, and do the 3-year law course. In that view starting litigation at 28 is not so crazy. Of course, the average LI user, does the 5-year law course, so to them it may look like getting into litigation at 28 seems insane. But not only does it not matter that you're 28 but also there is nothing very unusual about starting litigation at 28.

do llm from US uni, say in your sop that you were part of an ngo for the last 4 years where you were using your legal skills to help homeless people get affordable housing, and also running a night school for runaway kids. Get some photos clicked, put out a podcast, blog if you can, make a paper and e-trail. get yourself a couple of awards (self paid). you shall get 100% scholarship.

Nothing has been wasted and you do have ample time to make it big in any other field that you choose to take up. At this point, you need to be strategic and research well about what your ideal career your feel would be based on your current interests.

Narrow down to certain fields and this could include academia as well. Speak to people who are well into their career fields because not only will this give you guidance but also a possibility of a job offer somewhere.

I hope things work out for you. And also all the work you have put in the last 4 years won't go to waste and that's a fact!

Be consistent and confident.

Don't listen to these naysayers. Most of them are just arrogant entitled pricks. See, here's the deal, you took a risk and it didn't pay off. End of story. Don't stick to the past. Be honest about it, every single person tries for various competitive exam, nothing wrong with it. Atleast you weren't doing drugs or in jail, people even bounce back from it. Now focus on the future.

Now decide where you want to go.

Litigation.. join a chamber quickly, apply everywhere, speak to everyone, work for 6 months without pay if you can.

Judiciary... Start litigating first, get one year experience and then without telling anyone, start preparing for judiciary. Or you can practice till 35, and try for HJS.

MBA... Give CAT, but don't be hopeful for a top IIM because of the gap, instead find any decent MBA universities.

Academia... Masters+NET+PhD is more than enough, however it's another 5-6 years.

The best bet is working in litigation for a few years, cover you gap with work experience, then decide if you want to go for MBA or judiciary or even law firms.

All the best OP. Don't listen to anyone who tells you otherwise. People have changed careers and lives in their 30s, 40s and 50s. You can too.

Why would anyone take paid advice from a person who couldnt clear in 4 years? Clearly they had the wrong strategy considering the syllabus is the same for everyone? And there are several Ex-IXS Officer established academics in most cities, and a lot of material already available for free or cheap on yt.

As someone who attempted Civils thrice after doing Law, I can tell you from experience that all you need is a little clarity in terms of how you want to approach your career.

If it’s litigation, you’d want to start at a place that does good trial court work, learn the basics for a couple of years and then move to a senior.

If it’s firm/corporate, you’ll have to start with smaller firms and try to switch to better ones once you have some experience behind you.

If you are not burnt out with preparing for competitive exams, Judiciary is another option.

So, just get some clarity to where your interest aligns and find a good mentor. All the best!

Hi everyone,

I started preparing as soon as I graduated with a law degree 4 years back from a tier 3 law school. As the title suggests, I couldn't make it. Now that I'm sick of trying to make it work and realise my IFS dream, I feel completely lost as to which way to go in life. Got 2 silly internships to my name so no chance of landing a job at a decent law firm. I'm 28 now and hardly know anything about litigation. Please, please help me with some advice. Thank you.