UPSC Law Syllabus 2024, Optional Law Syllabus PDF Download

UPSC Law Syllabus 2024

The UPSC law optional syllabus covers key areas like constitutional law, administrative law, contract law, tort law, criminal law and jurisprudence. Topics include fundamental rights, union-state legislative relations, statutory interpretation, delegated legislation, law of torts, IPC and CrPC codes, legal theory and legal maxims. Aspirants must focus on case studies, constitutional amendments and landmark judgements.

You can download the UPSC CSE Law Optional paper Syllabus from the direct link given below.

UPSC Law Syllabus 2024 Overview

There is a list of optional subjects for mains in which there are 48 subjects, from which candidates can choose according to their choice. Law is one of the optional subjects for the Civil Services Exam conducted by UPSC. The optional paper is conducted for 250 marks. The UPSC CSE optional subject Law Syllabus 2024 has two papers, Paper 1 and Paper 2.

Optional Law Syllabus for UPSC CSE 2024

The UPSC law optional paper is a popular choice among aspirants with backgrounds in law, finance, trade, administration or management. It complements preparation for General Studies, providing opportunities to score well in both Prelims and Mains. Key areas include constitutional law, administrative law, jurisprudence, IPC and CrPC.

If you opt for Law optional in UPSC mains, prepare it thoroughly. Go through the UPSC CSE Syllabus and previous years’ Law papers. Also study relevant Law books for UPSC preparation.

UPSC CSE Law Syllabus 2024 Paper 1

A. Constitutional and Administrative Law:

1. Constitution and Constitutionalism:
   • 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:
   • Relation with the Council of Ministers.
5. Governor and his powers.
6. Supreme Court and the High Courts:
   • Appointments and transfer.
   • Powers, functions, and jurisdiction.
7. Centre, States, and local bodies:
   • Distribution of legislative powers between the Union and the States.
   • Local Bodies.
   • Administrative relationship among Union, State, and Local Bodies.
   • Eminent domain-State property-common property-community property.
8. Legislative powers, privileges, and immunities.
9. Services under the Union and the States:
   • Recruitment and conditions of services.
   • Constitutional safeguards.
   • Administrative tribunals.
   • Union Public Service Commission and State Public Service Commissions—Power and functions.
   • Election Commission—Power and functions.
10. Emergency provisions.
11. Amendment of the Constitution.
12. Principle 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.

B. 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, and 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:
    • Aggressions, self-defense, 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, CTST.
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.

UPSC CSE Law Syllabus 2024 Paper 2

A. 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. Preparations 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 tranquility.
10. Offences against the human body.
11. Offences against property.
12. Offences against women.
13. Defamation.
14. Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
15. Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955, and subsequent legislative developments.
16. Plea bargaining.

B. 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 tortfeasors.
6. Remedies.
7. Negligence.
8. Defamation.
9. Nuisance.
10. Conspiracy.
11. False imprisonment.
12. Malicious prosecution.
13. Consumer Protection Act, 1986.

C. 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 and discharge of contracts.
5. Quasi-contracts.
6. Consequences of breach of contract.
7. Contract of indemnity, guarantee, and insurance.
8. Contract of agency.
9. Sale of goods and hire purchase.
10. Formation and dissolution of partnership.
11. Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.
12. Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996.
13. Standard form contracts.

D. 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.

Literature of the following languages :
(i) A candidate may be required to answer some or all the Questions in the language concerned.
(ii) In regard to the languages included in the Eighth Schedule to Constitution, the scripts will be the same as indicated in Section II (B) of Appendix I relating to the Main Examination.
(iii) Candidates should note that the questions not required to be answered in a specific language will have to be answered in the language medium indicated by them for answering papers on Essay, General Studies and Optional Subjects.

Developing conceptual clarity on legal doctrines and principles and the ability to logically apply these to hypothetical scenarios is important. Regular practice of previous years’ question papers and mock tests to improve answer writing skills is highly advised to score well in the law optional paper.

Important Links	Important Links
UPSC CSE 2024 Apply Online	UPSC CSE 2024 Notification
UPSC CSE Eligibility Criteria	UPSC CSE Syllabus
UPSC CSE Exam Pattern	UPSC CSE Selection Process

UPSC CSE Law Syllabus 2024 FAQs