Pune: The Symbiosis International University (SIU) has decided to replace its two year full time postgraduate programme in law with a one year full time Master of Law (LLM) course from the ensuing academic session 2013-14. As per sources, the new course will offer specialization in six different areas of legal studies.
Dr Vidya Yeravdekar, Acting vice-chancellor of SIU said that the new course will be introduced in accordance with the guidelines prescribed by the University Grants Commission (UGC). She further added that from 2013-14 onwards, the University will offer only the one year course through the Symbiosis Law School, which is a key constituent of the University.
Talking about the University’s decision, Shashikala Gurpur, Director of the Symbiosis Law School said that SIU has re-modelled its current two-year LLM programme into a one-year programme without dispensing with any of its existing benchmarks. Meanwhile, the UGC has left it up to the universities whether or not to retain the two-year LLM course along with the new one.
The one-year LLM course will be interdisciplinary with an orientation for advanced studies and research of law. Students will have options in terms of specialization, cross specialization courses that combine innovation, legal acumen and theoretical insights. Also, the course will have a total 26 credits out of which, four credits will be for compulsory component, six for optional courses and 10 for total courses. The total marks for the entire course will be 1,300.
The specialization studies will cover business and corporate law, constitutional and administrative law, innovation, science and technology law, legal pedagogy and research, criminal and security law and human rights. The University will admit 60 students for the programme on the basis of merit obtained in national level entrance examination, followed by assessment in the form of group exercises, personal interactions and writing samples, Ms Yeravdekar also said.
