UPSC Law Syllabus for Civil Services (IAS) Mains Exam 2024- PDF Download, Important Topics, Weightage

UPSC Law Syllabus For Civil Services (IAS) Main Exam 2024: The Union Public Service Commission has released the information about the UPSC CSE exam which is to be held on 15 September 2023. The preliminary examination will be conducted by the organization on May 26, 2024. The candidates have started preparing for the preliminary examination. For the main examination, the candidates can check out the major information about the UPSC CSE Syllabus 2024 for the Law paper which is an optional subject. The people who will successfully pass the preliminary examination will be liable to take the main examination. After the main examinations are conducted, the interview round will be conducted by the organization. 

There are 48 subjects available in the main examination to choose from for the candidates. The candidates are required to choose the subject of the choice and each optional subject includes 2 papers, that is paper 1 and Paper 2. Both of these papers will be 250 marks making a total of 500 marks for the Law paper also. It is important to check out the major information about the syllabus for UPSC IAS mains Law paper 2024. The article given below talks about the major information related to the syllabus for paper 1 and Paper 2 if you have chosen law as your optional subject: 

Also Read: UPSC CSE 2024 Exam Day Instructions

UPSC IAS Mains Law Syllabus 2024

Two papers will be conducted for the UPSC IAS Main Law subject. The candidates need to prepare for both of the papers by taking into consideration the syllabus which is released by the organization on the official website. The candidates can check out the information about the paper-wise syllabus for a law subject from the details mentioned below:

Paper I

Paper one consists of two topics: constitutional and administrative law and international law. The students can check out the details related to both of the topics from the tables given below:

Constitutional and Administrative Law

The candidates can check out the major information about the topics included in this section from the table provided below and prepare themselves accordingly:

Relationship between directive principles, fundamental rights, and fundamental duties	Governor and his powers
Emergency provisions	Constitutional position of the President
Constitution and Constitutionalism: The distinctive features of the Constitution	Constitutional relation with the Council of Ministers
Fundamental rights - Legal Aid; Public interest litigation	Principles of natural justice - Emerging trends and judicial approach
Supreme Court and High Courts: Powers, functions and jurisdiction Appointments and transfer	Centre, States and local bodies: Eminent domain - State property - common property - community property and Local Bodies Administrative relationship among State, Union, and Local Bodies Distribution of legislative powers between the States and the Union Legislative powers, privileges and immunities
Services under the Union and the States: Recruitment and conditions of services; Administrative tribunals Constitutional safeguards Union Public Service Commission and State Public Service Commissions - Functions and Power Election Commission - Functions and Power	Separation of powers and constitutional governance
Amendment of the Constitution	Delegated legislation and its constitutionality
Ombudsman: Lokayukta and Lokpal	Judicial review of administrative action

​International Law

The following topics are included in this section by the UPSC organization so the candidate must start their preparation for the exam accordingly:

Nature and definition of international law	Improvement and Protection of the human environment: International efforts
Relationship between international law and municipal law	The territorial jurisdiction of States, extradition and asylum
Law of the sea: Inland waters Contiguous zone High seas Exclusive economic zone Territorial sea Continental shelf	Individuals: Procedures and Human Rights available for their enforcement; Nationality, statelessness
Peaceful settlement of disputes - different modes	Fundamentals of international humanitarian law - contemporary developments and International conventions and
Lawful recourse to force: aggression, self-defence, intervention	Nuclear - non-proliferation treaty, Legality of the use of nuclear weapons; CTBT, ban on the testing of nuclear weapons
United Nations: Its principal organs, powers, functions and reform	Treaties: Formation, application, termination and reservation
State-sponsored terrorism, international criminal court, International terrorism, hijacking	WTO, TRIPS, GATT, New international economic order and monetary law: IMF, World Bank

Also Read:  UPSC CSE 2024 Prelims Exam Day Instructions

Paper-II

Law of Crimes

The candidates will be giving their main examination really soon so they must start their preparation for the law subject by taking into consideration the following topics presented by the organization:

Preparation and criminal attempt	Offences against the human body
General exceptions	Law of Crimes
Criminal liability General principles: Men's rea in statutory offences, Men's rea and actus reus	Offences against Property
Abetment	Joint and constructive liability
Offences against public tranquillity	Criminal conspiracy
Vicarious liability including State liability	Plea bargaining
Offences against the State	Emerging trends and Kinds of punishment as to abolition of capital punishment
Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988	Protection of Civil Rights Act 1955 and subsequent legislative developments
Liability based upon strict liability and fault; Absolute liability	Defamation
Offences against women	-

Law of Torts

The following topics are included in this section by the UPSC organization so the candidate must start their preparation for the exam accordingly:

• Nature and definition.
• Liability based upon fault and strict liability; Absolute liability.
• Vicarious liability including State liability.
• General defences.
• Joint tort feasors.
• Remedies.
• Negligence.
• Defamation.
• Nuisance.
• Conspiracy.
• False imprisonment.
• Malicious prosecution.
• Consumer Protection Act, 1986.

Law of Contracts and Mercantile Law

The candidates can check out the major information about the topics included in this section from the table provided below and prepare themselves accordingly:

• Nature and formation of contract/E-contract.
• Factors vitiating free consent.
• Void, voidable, illegal and unenforceable agreements.
• Performance and discharge of contracts.
• Quasi-contracts.
• Consequences of breach of contract.
• Contract of indemnity, guarantee and insurance.
• Contract of the agency.
• Sale of goods and hire purchase.
• Formation and dissolution of the partnership.
• Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.
• Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996.
• Standard form contracts.

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Contemporary Legal Developments

The candidates will be giving their main examination really soon so they must start their preparation for the law subject by taking into consideration the following topics presented by the organization:

Purpose/Prospects of Information Technology Law Concept including Cyber Laws	Trial by media
Right to Information Act	Public Interest Litigation
Major statutes concerning environmental law	Competition Law- Concept, purpose/ prospects
Intellectual property rights - Concept, types/prospects	Alternate Dispute Resolution - Concept, types/prospects

Also Read: UPSC CSE 2024 Expert Tips and Last-Minute Strategy

UPSC CSE 2024: Overall Exam Pattern

The candidates can check out the information about the overall UPSC CSE Exam Pattern 2024 for the main exam from the table given below:

Paper	Subject	Marks
Paper A	Indian Language	300
Paper B	English	300
Paper I	Essay	250
Paper II	GS I (General Studies)	250
Paper III	GS II	250
Paper IV	GS III	250
Paper V	GS IV	250
Paper VI	Optional Subject I	250
Paper VII	Optional Subject II	250

UPSC CSE 2024 Optional Paper Exam Pattern

• The paper will be conducted for a total of 3 hours duration. 
• The total marks for paper I and Paper II each will be 250. That means the overall marks for 2 optional papers will be 500.
• The students will have to choose one subject for the optional paper. The students will have to attempt two papers for one optional subject (Paper I and Paper II).

UPSC Law Syllabus For Civil Services IAS Main Exam 2024: Best Books 

The candidates who want to appear for this optional subject can get the major information about the books that are required in order to prepare for this subject from the pointers given below:

Important Books	Publisher Name
International Law	S. K Kapoor
Our Constitution	PM Bakshi
Introduction to the Constitution of India	D.D Basu
Constitution of India	VN Shukla
International Law	Malcolm N Shaw
Indian Penal Code	KD Gaur
Mercantile Law	R.K. Bangia
Law of Tort	Autochthon Pillai

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