Shiksha Poll Reveals Law Aspirants’ Back-Up Career Choices in 2025 – UPSC, MBA & Beyond
Building a career in Law is a dream for many students, based on years of preparation, dedication, and a strong sense of justice. Sadly, Law is a highly competitive field, and not every applicant ends up with a successful legal career. However, the good thing is that many students shift their interests and future goals in between, discovering a new passion along the way.
Moreover, to understand what Law aspirants consider as their “Plan B”, Shiksha recently conducted a poll survey, asking Law aspirants about their backup plans if Law does not work out. The results revealed that they are keeping diverse and ambitious options open. Continue reading the article for the complete analysis of the poll.
UPSC – The Most Popular Alternative
Out of 100% votes, 35% Law aspirants opted for the UPSC exams option if their Law career goals do not work out. The percentage of votes going to the UPSC option was not surprising since the Law students have a strong base in subjects like governance, constitution, political science, etc., essential for UPSC preparation.
There are possibilities that AI and automation can significantly modify the Law structure of India, primarily by automating the repetitive manual tasks like legal research and document review. This can ease off the work for lawyers so that they can focus on other important tasks like strategic and client facing aspects of legal practice, rather than completely replacing their roles. However, law students should start learning skills that can help them to work with AI.
A significant part of legal studies involves analyzing cases, identifying legal issues, and constructing well-reasoned arguments. Developing these skills can be particularly challenging for students, as it requires logical thinking, clarity, and attention to detail.
Also, Law students often encounter ethical issues and dilemmas during their studies. Understanding the ethical responsibilities of a legal professional and how to navigate these challenges can be complex and requires careful judgment.
The full form of UPSC is Union Public Service Commission, a central recruiting agency run by the Government of India. It conducts several exams and interviews to shortlist and appoint candidates for various positions. The most popular exam conducted by the UPSC is the CSE (Civil Services Examination), used to recruit candidates for positions such as the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Foreign Service (IFS).
Why UPSC may appeal to Law students
Here are some reasons why UPSC exams can appeal to Law students:
- It leverages their understanding of the Indian Constitution and legal frameworks.
- It offers a stable, respected, and impactful career in public service.
- It widens their career scope beyond legal practice to policy-making and governance roles.
MBA – A Close Second
MBA programs were the second-most popular choice among Law aspirants, with 27% votes out of 100% as a backup plan. An MBA is a PG-degree program designed to offer advanced skills and knowledge in business management and leadership. With various specializations, an MBA can open doors to leadership roles in corporate, consulting, finance, and entrepreneurship.
Why an MBA may appeal to Law students
Here are some reasons why MBA courses can appeal to Law students:
- It expands career prospects beyond legal practice.
- It equips students with managerial, financial, and strategic thinking skills.
Journalism – The Last Option
The lowest percentage of votes received by the Journalism option, with only 16% Law aspirants considering Journalism as their backup plan. Journalism is a subset of the mass communication and media field, involving the gathering, creation, evaluation, and presentation of news.
In my opinion, it's a good decision if you see your career beyond conventional legal practice. It also depends on what MBA specialisation you choose. An BA degree can definitely give you more career options and high-paying roles, especially with a BA LLB degree. Don't take switching careers as a waste of time and effort; everything you have learned, every skill you acquired, and every degree you earned count.
Since Law students are well-versed in research, fact-checking, and presenting arguments, skills like investigative journalism, legal reporting, and policy analysis are present in them.
Why Journalism may appeal to Law students
Here are some reasons why Journalism courses can appeal to Law students:
- It provides the opportunity to influence public opinion and inform society.
- It has the scope for investigative work and storytelling.
- Students can get roles in print, television, and digital media with legal expertise as a niche.
Open to Explore – Keeping Options Flexible (23%)
Lastly, the remaining 23% students opted for the “open to explore” option, indicating that not every law aspirant has a fixed Plan B. This can also mean that they are willing to evaluate emerging fields, learn a new skill, or may switch to careers in technology, design, public relations, or even start-ups.
Why the “open to explore” option may appeal to Law students
Here are some reasons why many Law students have not stuck to any plan B yet:
- Exploration will give flexibility to adapt to changing job markets.
- It will give opportunities to align career decisions with evolving interests.
- It will give the ability to explore interdisciplinary roles that combine legal knowledge with other fields.
Final Thoughts
The poll run by Shiksha paints a clear picture of what Law aspirants think. They are ambitious, adaptable, and opt for roles that need communication, leadership, and critical thinking skills. While the topmost choice among Law aspirants has been UPSC, their second preferred option is MBA, the third is open to explore, and meanwhile, the last option is Journalism.
Taking up law as a career brings multiple benefits. Some of them are listed below: