The University of Delhi is a Central University functioning under the Act of Parliament. It is recognized as an institution of national importance by the Constitution of India. It was established in 1922. The Faculty of Law was established in 1924 by University of Delhi and is an accredited legal institution by the Bar Council of India for its LL.B. degree. The Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) Degree Course was initially treated as a two year part-time Course and the teaching was conducted in the morning with ten teachers. The evening classes commenced in the year 1942. Two new courses, viz. Degree of Bachelor of Civil Laws (B.C.L.) and Certificate of Proficiency (Law) were made full-time Courses, though classes were held both in the morning as well as in the evening. With the enactment of the Advocates Act, 1961, the Certificate of Proficiency (Law) Course was abolished. The B.C.L. Degree Course was also discontinued in the year 1966.
In 1944, one year Master of Laws (LL.M.) was introduced. The LL.M. Course was made a full-time two-year Course in the year 1947. This course continues till date. Students taking admission in LL.M. (Two-years) course are required to file an affidavit declaring that they are not engaged in any trade, profession, business, or employment, etc. Mid-Sixties saw the introduction of two year course titled Master of Comparative Laws (M.C.L.) for foreign students. Around the same time LL.M. (Three Year) was introduced to enable working persons to acquire the LL.M. degree by studying the same courses of LL.M. (Two Year) spread over a period of three years.
The year 1966 was memorable in the history of the Faculty of Law and legal education in the country. The then Dean, Prof. P.K. Tripathi and his team of dedicated teachers adopted and implemented almost all the recommendations of the Gajendra gadkar Committee on Legal Education, 1964 (appointed by the then Vice-Chancellor, Dr. C.D. Deshmukh). The two-year LL.B. Course was converted into three year (six semesters) Course. With Prof. Upendra Baxi joining the Faculty of Law in 1975, it became the hub of social-legal approach to the study of law promoting understanding of law in the context of society and the interplay of law and society.
The Faculty of Law was initially located in the Prince’s Pavilion in the Old Vice Regal Lodge Grounds, where presently the Anthropology Department is housed. In 1963 it was moved to its present location on Chhatra Marg, North Campus, University of Delhi. The Faculty of Law held all evening and morning classes of LL.B., LL.M. and M.C.L. in the Law Faculty building on Chhatra Marg prior to 1970. With the demand for increase of seats in LL.B., Law Centre-I was established in the year 1970 with 600 seats.
The year 2015 saw allocation of another five story building to Law Faculty, namely, Umang Bhawan, by the University of Delhi. Umang Bhawan is at a walking distance of about 500 meters from the main premises of Faculty of Law. Umang Bhawan is equipped with all the modern amenities like elevators, CCTV cameras, spacious and modern classroom with multi-media facilities, etc. LL.B. classes of Law Centre-I and Law Centre-II and LL.M. are held in the new building. LL.B. classes for Campus Law Centre are held in the main building and those of Ph.D. scholars are held in the Seminar hall – 2 in the main building.
Currently there are 3320 ( 2888 + 420 ) seats of LLB course including the supernumerary seats. The Seat Matrix is matter sub-judice in Joginder Sukhija v. Union of India [ WP(C) 5118 of 2017] and is the subject to the final decision of the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi.
Seats in LLM Course is 143 (125 + 18) inclusive of supernumerary seats and of PHD course 31 (27 + 4).
See detailed Seat matrix.