law optional preparation strategy, importance of law for UPSC, important books for law, important topics for law, UPSC law preparation strategy, what is law
Law Preparation Strategy for UPSC Main Examination Optional
Law is one of the optional subject UPSC offers for the optional. Law is not a famous as an optional subject like other subjects such as polity, history etc. hence there are many candidates who have taken the law as an optional subject & cleared the exam with an awesome rank.
So our article will tell you law as an optional subject & some tips or strategies for the preparation of this subject.
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What is Law?
Law is a system of rules that are created and enforced through social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior. Law is a system that regulates and ensures that individuals or a community adhere to the will of the state. State-enforced laws can be made by a collective legislature or by a single legislator, resulting in statutes, by the executive through decrees and regulations, or established by judges through precedent, normally in common law jurisdictions.
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Benefits of Law
- Law is a scoring subject. If you prepare well for the exam you can easily score well in this exam. As everyone has a basic understanding of the law, you just have to read it thoroughly.
- You can easily learn about the law while learning the current affairs. You can learn about law from newspapers & from news channels also. You can prepare for two exams at a time.
- Another thing is law tests your understanding not your capacity to mug up. So you need to clear the base of your topic rather than mugging up the things.
- The syllabus of this exam is short as compared to other optional subjects. So you can easily cover the entire syllabus in a short time.
- There are some topics which you will find in general studies also. Topics like RTI, the exercise of discretion, citizen-official interface etc. are important for both the papers.
- There is a limited number of questions came in UPSC CSE. The questions will be repeated many times, so this makes the questions predictable & gives you another advantage.
- UPSC law exam does not test your deep knowledge related to the law if you have basic understanding & you read some more information you can easily attempt the exam. UPSC does not go towards the tough portion of the law.
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Important Topics of Law
- Nature, definition & sources of international law. Basis, subjects of international law, sanctions.
- The relationship between international law & municipal law.
- State recognition & state succession, the difference between de facto and de jure recognition, theories of recognition of state and recognition of the government, the difference between types of State succession and implications of non-recognition.
- International terrorism, hijacking, state-sponsored terrorism, international criminal court.
- Legality of the use of nuclear weapons, ban on the testing of nuclear weapons, NPT, CTBT.
- Jurisdiction of ICJ, veto system and provisions of UN charter.
- Jus cogens, rebus sic stantibus, the principle of pacta sant servanda and reservation in the treaty.
- Law of the sea, continental shelf & its determination.
- Inland waters, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone, continental shelf, high seas and territorial sea.
- Transit passage and freedom of the high sea.
- Nationality, statelessness, human rights and procedures for their enforcement, the legal position of the individual under international law, the role of UN in promoting human rights.
- Asylum, the difference between territorial and extra-territorial asylum, territorial jurisdiction on high seas and warships, and the concept of opposability, extradition, and diplomatic immunity.
- The territorial jurisdiction of states, extradition, and asylum.
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- First, start with reading a basic book like Indian Polity by M Laxmikanth. This will give an idea about the law.
- Another book which will help you during your preparation is Indian Constitutional Law by M. P. Jain.
- The fundamental right is an important topic for this exam. This topic is very vast & dynamic so you have to read some cases related to that so that you can easily understand the topic. To know more about it you can also read the newspapers like The Hindu or The Indian Express.
- Constitutional amendment
- Emergency provisions, judicial review of the imposition of a state emergency.
- Legislative powers, privileges and immunities.
- The doctrine of pleasure.
- The relationship between fundamental rights, duties and directive principles.
- The constitutional position of the President, relation with the Council of Ministers, pardon power, discretionary power.
- Distribution of legislative powers between the center and the states, local bodies, administrative relationship between these three, scheme of distribution of legislative powers.
- Appointments, transfers, powers, functions, and jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and High Courts; collegium system.
- Principles of natural justice.
- Separation of powers and constitutional governance.
- Judicial review of administrative action.
- Ombudsman – Lokayukta, Lokpal.
- Delegated legislation and its constitutionality.
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Reference Material/ Books
Paper 1 is more conceptual rather than technical. This paper has three segments: Constitutional Law, Administrative Law & International Law. The books which will be helpful during your preparation for Paper 1 are:
Introduction to the Constitution of India – D.D Basu
- Our Constitution – Subhash C. Kashyap
- Administrative Law – I.P. Massey
- The Constitution of India (Bare Act) – PM Bakshi
- Constitution of India- VN Shukla
- An Introduction to Public International Law – S. K. Verma
- International Law- S. K Kapoor
- International Law – Malcolm N Shaw
Paper 2 tests your deep understanding & knowledge of the law. This paper has 2 segments: Law of Torts & Law of Crimes & Mercantile Law, Law of Contracts 7 Contemporary Legal Developments. The books for paper 2 are:
- Indian Penal Code- KD Gaur
- Indian Penal Code – Autochthon Pillai
- Indian Penal Code-Ratanlal and Dhirajlal
- Mercantile Law – R.K. Bangia
- Principles of Mercantile Law- Avtar Singh
- Indian Contract Act Specific Relief Act- Pollock and mulla
- Law of Tort – Autochthon Pillai
- Jurisprudence – P.K. Tripathi and Dias
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If you have any doubt or need guidance you can comment below, our team will try to answer it.