DU LLB Entrance Legal Aptitude and Legal Awareness Syllabus

Legal Aptitude and Legal Awareness syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Legal Aptitude and Legal Awareness in DU LLB Entrance, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Indian Constitution and Constitutional Framework

   6 topics

   • Preamble and Nature of the Constitution
     • Keywords: Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic, Republic
     • Whether Preamble is part of the Constitution
     • Basic Structure Doctrine (Kesavananda Bharati)
   • Fundamental Rights (Articles 12-35)
     • Right to Equality (Articles 14-18)
     • Right to Freedom (Articles 19-22)
     • Right against Exploitation and Religious Freedom
     • Right to Constitutional Remedies and Writs (Article 32)
   • Directive Principles of State Policy and Fundamental Duties
     • Articles 36-51 and their classification
     • DPSP vs Fundamental Rights conflict
     • Article 51A Fundamental Duties
   • Union and State Executive, Legislature and Judiciary
     • President, Prime Minister and Council of Ministers
     • Parliament and State Legislatures
     • Supreme Court and High Courts
   • Emergency Provisions and Amendment Procedure
     • National, State and Financial Emergency
     • Article 368 and types of amendments
   • Landmark Constitutional Cases
     • Maneka Gandhi, Minerva Mills, S.R. Bommai
     • Recent leading judgments
2. 2

   Law of Torts

   5 topics

   • General Principles of Tortious Liability
     • Damnum sine injuria and injuria sine damno
     • Mental elements: malice, intention, motive
   • Specific Torts
     • Negligence and duty of care
     • Nuisance, trespass and defamation
   • Strict and Absolute Liability
     • Rylands v. Fletcher rule and exceptions
     • M.C. Mehta absolute liability principle
   • Vicarious Liability and General Defences
     • Master-servant and principal-agent liability
     • Volenti non fit injuria, act of God, necessity
   • Consumer Protection and Remedies
     • Consumer Protection Act framework
     • Damages and injunctions
3. 3

   Law of Contracts

   5 topics

   • Formation of a Valid Contract
     • Offer, acceptance, consideration
     • Capacity to contract and free consent
   • Void, Voidable and Unenforceable Agreements
     • Coercion, undue influence, fraud, misrepresentation, mistake
     • Unlawful and void agreements
   • Performance and Discharge of Contracts
     • Performance, novation and frustration
     • Doctrine of frustration (Section 56)
   • Breach and Remedies
     • Damages, specific performance, injunction
     • Quantum meruit
   • Special Contracts
     • Indemnity and guarantee
     • Bailment, pledge and agency
4. 4

   Criminal Law and Family Law Basics

   4 topics

   • General Principles of Criminal Liability
     • Actus reus and mens rea
     • Stages of crime and inchoate offences
   • General Exceptions and Defences
     • Private defence, necessity, mistake of fact
     • Insanity, intoxication and consent
   • Key Offences
     • Offences against the human body
     • Offences against property
   • Personal and Family Law
     • Marriage, divorce and maintenance across personal laws
     • Succession and inheritance basics
5. 5

   Legal Maxims, Important Legislations and Current Legal Affairs

   4 topics

   • Common Legal Maxims
     • Audi alteram partem, res ipsa loquitur, ratio decidendi
     • Obiter dicta, ubi jus ibi remedium, ignorantia juris non excusat
   • Important Recent Legislations
     • Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and allied new criminal codes
     • Significant socio-legal statutes
   • Landmark Judgments and Legal Current Affairs
     • Recent Supreme Court and High Court rulings
     • Constitutional and rights-based developments
   • Legal Reasoning and Principle Application
     • Applying a given legal principle to facts
     • Assertion-reason and conclusion-based questions

Legal Aptitude and Legal Awareness flashcards for DU LLB Entrance

19 of 51 cards from the Legal Aptitude and Legal Awareness deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What does the Preamble to the Indian Constitution declare India to be?

   A SOVEREIGN, SOCIALIST, SECULAR, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC, securing to all citizens Justice, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.

2. Which two words were added to the Preamble by the 42nd Amendment (1976)?

   'Socialist' and 'Secular' (and 'integrity' to 'unity of the Nation').

3. Is the Preamble part of the Constitution and can it be amended? (per Kesavananda Bharati)

   Yes, the Preamble is part of the Constitution and can be amended under Article 368, but its basic structure cannot be altered.

4. Which Article defines 'State' for the purpose of Fundamental Rights, and why does it matter?

   Article 12 defines 'State' (Government, Parliament, Legislatures, local and other authorities) so that Fundamental Rights can be enforced against these bodies.

5. What does Article 13 declare about laws inconsistent with Fundamental Rights?

   Any law inconsistent with or in derogation of Fundamental Rights is void to the extent of the inconsistency.

6. State the scope of Article 14.

   Equality before the law and equal protection of the laws within India; permits reasonable classification but prohibits class legislation and arbitrariness.

7. List the six freedoms guaranteed under Article 19(1).

   (a) Speech & expression, (b) Assembly peaceably without arms, (c) Form associations/unions, (d) Move freely throughout India, (e) Reside and settle anywhere in India, (g) Practise any profession or carry on any trade/business.

8. What protection does Article 20 provide to accused persons?

   Protection against (1) ex-post-facto laws, (2) double jeopardy, and (3) self-incrimination.

9. What is the expanded meaning of 'life and personal liberty' under Article 21 after Maneka Gandhi?

   Right to life means a life with dignity; any procedure depriving life/liberty must be just, fair and reasonable, not merely a procedure established by law.

10. Which Article guarantees the right to free and compulsory education and for which age group?

    Article 21A guarantees free and compulsory education to all children aged 6 to 14 years.

11. What does Article 32 provide, and what did Dr. Ambedkar call it?

    The right to constitutional remedies—moving the Supreme Court for enforcement of Fundamental Rights; Ambedkar called it the 'heart and soul' of the Constitution.

12. Name the five writs available under Articles 32 and 226.

    Habeas Corpus, Mandamus, Prohibition, Certiorari, and Quo Warranto.

13. How do Fundamental Rights differ from Directive Principles in terms of enforceability?

    Fundamental Rights (Part III) are justiciable/enforceable in court; Directive Principles (Part IV) are non-justiciable but fundamental to governance.

14. In which Part and Article are the Directive Principles of State Policy contained, and which country inspired them?

    Part IV, Articles 36-51; inspired by the Irish Constitution.

15. Under which Article and Amendment were the Fundamental Duties added, and how many are there now?

    Article 51A, added by the 42nd Amendment (1976) on the Swaran Singh Committee's recommendation; originally 10, now 11 duties.

16. Who is the executive head of the Union, and who exercises real executive power?

    The President is the nominal/constitutional head; real executive power is exercised by the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister.

17. What is the composition of the two Houses of Parliament and their maximum strengths?

    Lok Sabha (House of the People, max 552) and Rajya Sabha (Council of States, max 250).

18. How is the President of India elected?

    Indirectly, by an electoral college of elected members of both Houses of Parliament and of State Legislative Assemblies, by proportional representation with a single transferable vote.

19. What is the difference between the original and appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court?

    Original jurisdiction (Art 131) covers disputes between the Centre and States or among States; appellate jurisdiction hears appeals from High Courts in constitutional, civil and criminal matters.

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