Course Description

Labour Law I is a compulsory core course under the curriculum set by the Bar Council of India. This course introduces students to the fundamental aspects of India’s labour rights legal framework while examining the central paradox of Indian Labour Laws: a system characterized by extensive legislation yet insufficient worker protection.

The course emphasizes the interconnected nature of labour protection elements. Although Labour Law is taught across two trimesters, this course is designed to create meaningful connections between both components. Fundamental labour law concepts are taught in conjunction with Industrial Relations regulations, enabling students to develop both detailed understanding and comprehensive perspective of the discipline. This course establishes the foundation for Labour Law II, which is also mandatory under the Bar Council of India curriculum and will be offered in a subsequent trimester.

This course also endeavours to go beyond the confines of statutes and case-books to situate labour law within the social, political, economic and administrative context within which it operates and highlight the trajectories through which different constituencies of workers in the country engage with state and labour regulations, particularly with respect to their protection needs.

Some of the key questions that the course explores include:

●      How do different categories of workers (formal, informal, contract labour) engage with labour laws?

●      Why does India’s labour law regime remain ineffective in fully protecting workers?

●      How do courts and administrative bodies engage with contracts and interpret and enforce labour protections?

●      What is the relationship between labour rights, economic policies, and industrial growth?