LAW SCHOOL REVIEW KNOW ABOUT : UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF LEGAL STUDIES PANJAB UNIVERSITY, CHANDIGARH

About the College:

University Institute of Legal Studies (UILS) was established as constituent department of Panjab University, in the academic session 2004-05. It has a unique blend of tradition and modernity. Its mission is to equip the students with the skills to comprehend and diagnose the intricacies of various legal and other inter-disciplinary issues and devise solutions to these problems through analysis and reasoning. The stimulating and interactive academic environment of the Institute helps to hone the ‘DRAIN’ .Drafting, Research, Advocacy, Interviewing and Negotiation- skills of the students. To accomplish this, the Institute arranges a number of curricular and extra-curricular activities. Students are trained in essence of the substantive laws, techniques of procedural laws, methods of client counselling and skills in legal and social sciences research etc. The college has a strong anti-ragging infrastructure.

The Moot Court Competitions, Client Counselling Sessions, Quiz Contests, Seminars, Group Discussions and Extension Lectures etc. are a regular feature of the academic calendar of the Institute. The Institute also exposes its students to the ‘law in action’ through compulsory internships with Hon’ble Judges of Supreme Court, Punjab and Haryana High Court, eminent lawyers, legal firms, various commissions and NGOs, etc. The Institute’s own Legal Aid Clinic, which provides free legal services to the economically weaker sections of the society as a part of community outreach programme of the Institute, also offers opportunities to the students to work in co-ordination with practicing lawyers. The endeavour behind this action ‘process’ is to enable the students to understand that the legal professionals, besides their professional responsibilities have a significant bearing on a wide range of persona and transactions as well. It has been ranked in top law colleges of the country.

College Infrastructure:

The Institute provides state-of-the-art infrastructure to facilitate a sound learning experience for its students. It has an independent four storied building consisting of 18 modern spacious classrooms, well furnished separate Common Rooms for boys and girls, an Administrative Office, a Conference Hall, a well-equipped ‘Computer Lab’ with 75 computers backed by free internet connectivity and Wi-Fi facility and a fully functional library with a varied collection of books, journals and other e-resources. UILS has also recently established a well equipped Legal Aid Clinic, a modern Moot Court Hall and Language Laboratory to enhance the professional and communication skills of the students.

A new building is also coming up to cater to the growing demand of the legal education.

Academics and Courses:

The Law School provides for a 5 year Integrated B.A.LL.B.(Hons.) and B.COM.LL.B. (Hons.) Course alongwith a Master of Laws (1 year course). The department is well equipped with academic infrastructure. The teachers and professors use appropriate examples and technical sessions to deal with the complex legal problems. The students get to interact with leading advocates on how to deal with practical legal problems and as to how to behave in the courts. The knowledge imparted by these advocates come in handy during the moot court competitions – international, national and intra department. The academics of the Law School are worth vouching for. Equal stress is laid on theoretical and practical studies. The Law school surely provides for an academics that a student always wishes to have.

In the time of COVID 19 the department has been really active in conducting online classes for all the years so as to not to waste the formative years of the students.

Admission Procedure and Fee Structure:

The fee structure is varying for different years and nears around 5 lacs for each year. For admission to 1st Semester of B.A./B.Com. LL.B (Hons.) 5 years Integrated Course, Panjab University conducts an entrance test. The merit list for admission is prepared out of 200 marks, based on cumulative score of the candidate in entrance test and qualifying examination as per the details given below 50% of 200 (100 marks for Entrance Test)
50% of 200 (100 marks for the Qualifying Examination)

Eligibility Criteria:

1. B.A.LL.B (Hons.) 5 years Integrated Course Candidates should have passed 10+2 examination with at least 50% marks (45% marks in case of SC/ST) from any recognized Board/University (However, the candidates qualifying 10+2 through Open Universities system directly without having any basic qualification for prosecuting such studies are not eligible for admission in the law courses…” Bar Council of India communication No. Le:Cir: 02/2010 dated 20.12.2010).
2. B.Com. LL.B (Hons.) 5 years Integrated Course: Candidates should have passed 10+2 examination in commerce with at least 50% marks (45% marks in case of SC/ST) from any recognized Board/University (However, the candidates qualifying 10+2 through Open Universities system directly without having any basic qualification for prosecuting such studies are not eligible for admission in the law courses…” Bar Council of India communication No. Le:Cir: 02/2010 dated 20.12.2010).
3. The candidate must not be above 20 years of age as on the last date fixed for submission of application for Entrance Test of B.A. / B.Com. LL.B. (Hons.) 5 Years Integrated Course of the year in which admission is sought in the First Semester (22 years in case of SC/ST and other backward communities’) Clause 28 of Schedule III of Bar Council of India Rules of Legal Education, 2008.
4. The admission shall be on the basis of both the academic merit and entrance test.

Hostel Facility:

The students of the department are offered proper hostel facilities as are all students of the Panjab University. Girls and Boys have different hostels. There are seventeen Residence Halls for students on the campus, 8 each for boys and 9 for girls and a Working Women Hostel. These Halls, which accommodate more than 6000 students, are named after eminent men and women, historical personalities and personages: Mehar Chand Mahajan, G.C. Chatterji, Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar, Vallabh Bhai Patel, Lala Lajpat Rai, Justice Teja Singh Samundari, Swami Vivekananda, Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, Mata Gujri, Laxmi Bai, Sarojini Naidu, Kasturba Gandhi, Savitri Bai Phule, Mother Teresa, Bebe Nanaki, Florence Nightingale and Amrita Pritam who played an important role in shaping the destiny of world and left footprints on the sands of time. The University Hostels take pains to give its students a neat and clean environment and a comfortable place to live in. There are Wardens/Hostel Staff on duty round the clock. Each hostel has a dining hall and canteen, several desert and water coolers, a visitors’ lounge, and invariably an outdoor court for badminton, volley ball etc. The mess provides a balanced diet at reasonable rates. The Common Room is fairly well equipped with current magazines and newspapers. There is provision for indoor games, LCD TV and music system. Internet connectivity through wi-fi and cybre cafés been provided.

Architecturally, the hostels are aesthetically laid out with plenty of open space and a lot of greenery. The rooms are comfortable, fitted with fan, lights and hard furniture. Each wing of the hostel has several verandahs and balconies. Comforts are important but they are not enough. Man is a social animal and needs to interact with others. The resident students are encouraged to participate in cultural and social activities. Colourful evenings of song and dance are not unusual on the campus. Talent shows, dramatics and literary events are organized from time to time. The inmates of a hostel are encouraged to live in harmony, like one big family, lending each other a helping hand whenever required, mutually cooperating to make hostel life a rich and fruitful experience. There is no doubt that during these formative years in the hostel, life-long bonds are created and friendships cemented. This is a time, which will stand out in the memory as a golden period. University experience is an important milestone in an individual’s life, the stepping-stone to an adult life of responsibility and care. The hostels of Panjab University try to provide an ideal atmosphere for a healthy, all round development of personality and a launching pad for a glorious career ahead. Living in a hostel presupposes high degree of integrity, consciousness, cooperation, tolerance and hard work for a bright future and good image of our institution.

Campus Life:

The Campus Life is one thing to vouch for. The environment is conducive for healthy competition. All the students live as a family. There is no ragging on the campus as the anti-ragging sentiment is high and the seniors treat their juniors as one among themselves. Right from the first year, the students start forging alliances and deep bonds with the senior year students as these bonds help in growth and development of the individual and the department on a whole. The campus life of the department is something that should not be missed and the students who really want to study law must give UILS a chance for the same. It is a ground where the students can grow right from a seedling to a big tree in their later lives.

Placement:

In today’s fast changing world, building an effective career strategy is very important. UILS has a fully functional Placement Cell that acts as an interface between the legal profession and the students. The cell works consistently to generate placement and training opportunities for the students. It organizes workshops and training programmes to enable the students of UILS to become successful professionals. The cell also facilitates the selection of the students with various legal firms, advocates, companies and NGOs etc. Every year, the students of UILS get placement at high earning institutions. Many students of the department go on to crack the judiciary and civil services examinations as well.

College Events:

Round the year, many events are conducted by the department, International , National and Intra departments events are the highlight of UILS. The ARGUENDO or the national Law Fest of the department is one to witness. It includes trial advocacy, client counselling and an annual UILS Fete. The National MEDIATION competition is held every year where students from across the country participate. The SURANA AND SURANA ENVIRONMENT MOOT COURT COMPETITION is also held in the department which provides an edge for the organisational team of the department. The SPORTS FEST is also conducted to make the students understand the value of health. The CULTURAL ACTIVITIES like Rangoli making. Dance competitions, etc help the students to channelize their energy in areas other than law. The LITERARY SOCIETY, the CRIMINAL JUSTICE PRACTICUM CELL, the LEGAL AID SOCIETY also conduct many National level competitions such as conferences and  Case comment competitions along with the Legislative drafting competitions. The committee related to trade laws also conducts the International conferences on various topics. Thus the UILS department is whole lot in one building which helps the students to grow and nurture their personalities.