⚖️ OPTIONAL — LAW

Papers: VI & VII · 500 marks. GS overlap: HIGH for GS-II (polity, constitution, governance), moderate for GS-III (environment law, IPR) and GS-IV. Best for: LLB/law graduates. Non-law candidates should be cautious — the subject requires case-law knowledge and legal reasoning.

⚠️ Verify against the current UPSC notification at upsc.gov.in.

PAPER I — CONSTITUTIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE LAW; INTERNATIONAL LAW

Constitutional and Administrative Law

1. Constitution and Constitutionalism: the distinctive features of the Constitution.
2. Fundamental Rights: public interest litigation; legal aid; legal services authority.
3. Relationship between Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles and Fundamental Duties.
4. Constitutional position of the President and relation with the Council of Ministers.
5. Governor and his powers.
6. Supreme Court and High Courts: (a) appointments and transfer; (b) powers, functions and jurisdiction.
7. Centre, States and local bodies: (a) distribution of legislative powers between the Union and the States; (b) local bodies; (c) administrative relationship among Union, States and local bodies; (d) eminent domain — State property, common property, community property.
8. Legislative powers, privileges and immunities.
9. Services under the Union and the States: (a) recruitment and conditions of service; constitutional safeguards; administrative tribunals; (b) Union Public Service Commission and State Public Service Commissions — power and functions; (c) Election Commission — power and functions.
10. Emergency provisions.
11. Amendment of the Constitution.
12. Principles of natural justice: emerging trends and judicial approach.
13. Delegated legislation and its constitutionality.
14. Separation of powers and constitutional governance.
15. Judicial review of administrative action.
16. Ombudsman: Lokayukta, Lokpal etc.

International Law

1. Nature and definition of international law.
2. Relationship between international law and municipal law.
3. State recognition and state succession.
4. Law of the sea: inland waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, continental shelf, exclusive economic zone, high seas.
5. Individuals: nationality, statelessness; human rights and procedures available for their enforcement.
6. Territorial jurisdiction of States, extradition and asylum.
7. Treaties: formation, application, termination and reservation.
8. United Nations: its principal organs, powers, functions and reform.
9. Peaceful settlement of disputes — different modes.
10. Lawful recourse to force: aggression, self-defence, intervention.
11. Fundamental principles of international humanitarian law — International conventions and contemporary developments.
12. Legality of the use of nuclear weapons; ban on testing of nuclear weapons; Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, CTBT.
13. International terrorism, State sponsored terrorism, hijacking, international criminal court.
14. New international economic order and monetary law: WTO, TRIPS, GATT, IMF, World Bank.
15. Protection and improvement of the human environment: international efforts.

PAPER II — LAW OF CRIMES; LAW OF TORTS; LAW OF CONTRACTS AND MERCANTILE LAW; CONTEMPORARY LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS

Law of Crimes

1. General principles of criminal liability: mens rea and actus reus, mens rea in statutory offences.
2. Kinds of punishment and emerging trends as to abolition of capital punishment.
3. Preparation and criminal attempt.
4. General exceptions.
5. Joint and constructive liability.
6. Abetment.
7. Criminal conspiracy.
8. Offences against the State.
9. Offences against public tranquillity.
10. Offences against human body.
11. Offences against property.
12. Offences against women.
13. Defamation.
14. Offences relating to the Prevention of Corruption Act.
15. Offences relating to the Protection of Civil Rights Act.
16. Plea bargaining.

Law of Torts

1. Nature and definition.
2. Liability based upon fault and strict liability; absolute liability.
3. Vicarious liability including State liability.
4. General defences.
5. Joint tort feasors.
6. Remedies.
7. Negligence.
8. Defamation.
9. Nuisance.
10. Conspiracy.
11. False imprisonment.
12. Malicious prosecution.
13. Consumer Protection Act.

Law of Contracts and Mercantile Law

1. Nature and formation of contract/E-contract.
2. Factors vitiating free consent.
3. Void, voidable, illegal and unenforceable agreements.
4. Performance of contracts.
5. Dissolution of contractual obligations, frustration of contracts.
6. Quasi-contracts.
7. Remedies for breach of contract.
8. Contract of indemnity, guarantee and insurance.
9. Contract of agency.
10. Sale of goods and hire purchase.
11. Formation and dissolution of partnership.
12. Negotiable Instruments Act 1881.
13. Arbitration and Conciliation Act 1996.
14. Standard form contracts.

Contemporary Legal Developments

1. Public Interest Litigation.
2. Intellectual property rights: concept, types/prospects.
3. Information Technology Law including cyber laws: concept, purpose/prospects.
4. Competition Law: concept, purpose/prospects.
5. Alternate Dispute Resolution: concept, types/prospects.
6. Major statutes concerning environmental law.
7. Right to Information Act.
8. Trial by media.

BOOKLIST

STRATEGY

• Case law is the currency of this optional. Cite landmark judgments by name in nearly every answer — this is what separates high scorers.
• Read Bare Acts — precise statutory language earns marks.
• Structure: legal provision → judicial interpretation → case law → critical analysis → contemporary relevance.
• Keep a running file of recent Supreme Court judgments — the "contemporary legal developments" section demands currency.
• Strong overlap with GS-II makes it efficient for law graduates.

Pros: excellent GS-II synergy; objective (law is either correct or not); valuable for administrative career. Cons: requires legal training; case-law memory load is heavy; not advisable for non-law candidates.