Government Law College, Thiruvananthapuram

Law college in Kerala

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Government Law College, Thiruvananthapuram

Other name

| GLC Trivandrum

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Motto| Fiat Justitia Ruat Caelum
Type| Government College
Established| 1875; 149 years ago (1875)
Principal| Dr. R. Biju Kumar
Undergraduates| 880
Postgraduates| 30
Location|

Thiruvananthapuram

Kerala

Highland Bungalow, Barton Hill P.O 695035

India

8°30′31″N 76°56′34″E﻿ / ﻿8.5085°N 76.9427°E﻿ / 8.5085; 76.9427
Campus| Urban
Language| English
Affiliations| University of Kerala
Bar Council of India
Website| glctvm.ac.in
Entrance to the college

Government Law College, Thiruvananthapuram also known as GLC Trivandrum, is an institution for legal education at graduate and post-graduate levels in Kerala. Established by the then Maharaja of the state of Travancore in 1875, it is one of the oldest law colleges in India, and is affiliated to the University of Kerala. Alumni of the college consists of judges of the Supreme Court of India including Justice Fathima Beevi, judges of various High Courts, statesmen and noted academicians like N. R. Madhava Menon.

## History[edit]

The government of His Highness Ayilyam Thirunal Rama Varma, the Maharaja of Travancore, on 31st January 1875, sanctioned "the Organisation of a Law Class in connection with His Highness The Maharaja's College at Thiruvananthapuram to enable candidates from Travancore to present themselves for the Law Examination of the University of Madras and to encourage others to pursue the study of law systematically". The order sanctioning the scheme directed that it shall be worked on the same lines as the class attached to the Presidency College at Madras. Mr. W. E. Ormsby, Barrister-at-law, then a judge of Sadur Court of Travancore was appointed Professor of Law in H. H. College. He opened the class on 9th February of the same year. In 1877, H. H. College was affiliated to the University of Madras in the Faculty of Law.

The class was thus continued till 1894, when in conformity with important alterations in the by-laws of the Madras University regarding the B.L. Degree Examination, the institution was re-organised on an entirely different footing. The law class which till then was working as a part of H. H. College and the professors whereof were treated as members of that college, was raised to the status of an independent college under the designation of "His Highness Maharaja's Law College, Thiruvananthapuram". A complete set of rules was also sanctioned by the Government for the control and regulation of work in the college. The rules prescribed the qualification required for the members of the teaching staff.

The college was maintained by His Highness's Government and the management of the college was vested in the Principal acting directly under the orders of Dewan of Travancore till the end of 1908. In 1909, the college was placed under the Director of Public Instruction and in 1910, it was placed under the control of the High Court. With the inauguration of University of Travancore in 1938, the college was transferred to the control and supervision of the University.

In August 1949, the college was shifted to Ernakulam to fit in with the new set up arising out of the integration of erstwhile State of Travancore-Cochin and the location of the High Court of the united state at Ernakulam. In 1954, it was again brought to Thiruvananthapuram, leaving at Ernakulam, a sister college and was housed in the current premises in the Highland Bungalow on the Barton Hill.[1] Under the University Act of 1957, the college was transferred to the control of Government of Kerala. In 1961, the Government made the college a permanent institution.

In 1962-63, a full-time Post-graduate course was introduced with M. L. Degree and LL.M course was started in 1971. Three Year LL.B course was started from 1967-68 & Five Year LL.B. course was introduced from the academic year 1984-85.

## Campus[edit]

The Government Law College, Thiruvananthapuram is housed in the Highland Bungalow of Mr. Walthew Clarance Barton (1834-1903), the first Chief Engineer of the erstwhile state of Travancore. Many new blocks were later added in the 5 acre beautiful green campus in the heart of the city.

## Academics[edit]

### Admissions[edit]

Admissions to both undergraduate and post graduate programs at the Government Law College Thiruvananthapuram are through an entrance examination conducted by Commissioner for Entrance Examination, Government of Kerala.[2]

### Academic programmes[edit]

B.A., LL.B (Integrated)

Government Law College Thiruvananthapuram offers an undergraduate five-year integrated LL.B. program which, upon completion, qualifies the student to sit for the bar to practice law in India.

This course is a double degree Integrated course comprising B.A (English) and LL.B degrees. The bachelor's degree in B.A. and Law shall consist of regular course of study for a minimum period of 10 Semesters in Five Years and shall consist of 14 papers in B.A. and 31 papers in Law.[3]

LL.B (3 year Course)

Government Law College also offers a three-year LL.B. program which, upon completion, qualifies the student to sit for the bar to practice law in India. The course of study for the bachelor's degree in Law (LL.B) shall consist of regular course of study for a minimum period of 6 semesters in three years and shall consist of 20 compulsory papers, 4 compulsory clinical papers and 6 optional papers in Law.

Masters in Law (LL.M)

Government Law College offers post graduate Law degrees in two lines of specialization: Constitution Law & Criminal Law. The normal duration of the LL.M. programme shall be four semesters. Government Law College Thiruvananthapuram was one of the few colleges to run a LL.M Programme in Constitution Law.[4]

LL.M (Evening Batch)

Sanction accorded by Government of Kerala and orders issued to start a 20 student batch from 2015-16.

### Library[edit]

Government Law College Thiruvananthapuram library is one of the oldest law library in the country. The College Library is an important resource center, primarily intended to provide undergraduate and postgraduate readers with the books they need for their studies. The Government Law College library is known for its rare collection of books and treatise on various subjects not limited to law. It holds over 27,000 books and 5000 periodicals.

### Research Block[edit]

Research Center[5] in Law status has been accorded to Government Law College Thiruvananthapuram by the University of Kerala. The college has requested for the formation of a chair named Malloor Govinda Pillai Chair on Criminal Law . A proposal for formation of Justice K.K Mathew Chair on Constitutional Law is also pending with the government.[6]

## Student life[edit]

### Hostel[edit]

The Hostel Block inaugurated by the then President of India, Shri.Fakaruddin Ali Ahmed as a men's Hostel[7] is now converted as a Women's Hostel. The admission is made by the Warden for students from second year of study onward. The male students are now accommodated in a separate block at University Hostel for Men at Palayam, Thiruvananthapuram.

### National Service Scheme[edit]

The National Service Scheme is an Indian government-sponsored programme under the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports of the Government of India. Government Law College Thiruvananthapuram has two NSS Units. In 2012, Best Programme Officer of N.S.S. for University of Kerala was awarded to Assistant Professor K. Hareendran of Government Law College Thiruvananthapuram. The N.S.S. unit has been actively involved in many social service activities in rural area[8] and has organised many legal aid and legal literacy programs in addition to forest conservation, environmental protection and blood donation camps

### Student Publications[edit]

Government Law College Thiruvananthapuram magazine is brought out annually by the college union. The Student Editor is chosen by an electoral college consisting of all students of the college, and the Staff Editor is nominated by the Staff Council headed by the college Principal. Dr. N.R. Madava Menon was the student editor during 1954-55.

Internal Quality Assurance Cell (I.Q.A.C.) is soon coming out with a student edited in-house journal devised to escalate the quality and to upsurge the academic talents of the student community. The Student Law Journal is aimed for the promotion of reading, writing and research among students and act as a powerhouse in outsourcing the craft and in optimizing the quality of the student community.[9]

## Notable alumni[edit]

This article's list of alumni may not follow Wikipedia's verifiability policy. Please improve this article by removing names that do not have independent reliable sources showing they merit inclusion in this article AND are alumni, or by incorporating the relevant publications into the body of the article through appropriate citations. (January 2018)

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### Judiciary[edit]

* Fathima Beevi, former judge, Supreme Court of India, (first female Supreme Court judge) and 11th Governor of Tamilnadu State
* K. K. Mathew, former judge, Supreme Court of India
* Cyriac Joseph, former judge, Supreme Court of India
* Padmanabhan Subramanian Poti, former Chief Justice of Kerala and Gujarat High Courts
* B. Kemal Pasha, former judge, High Court of Kerala
* T. V. Anilkumar, former judge, High Court of Kerala
* P. Habeeb Mohamed, former judge, The High Court of Travancore (princely state)
* Sathish Ninan, Judge, High Court of Kerala
* P. Somarajan, Judge, High Court of Kerala
* C. S. Dias, Judge, High Court of Kerala
* A. Badharudeen, Judge, High Court of Kerala
* K. Babu, Judge, High Court of Kerala

### Legislature[edit]

* V. R. Krishnan Ezhuthachan, Member of Cochin Legislative Council
* A. Sampath, Former Member of Parliament
* V. D. Satheesan, Leader of Opposition, Second Vijayan Government
* Jose K. Mani, Member of Parliament
* M. I. Shanavas, Member of Parliament
* R. Sankara Narayanan Thampi, first speaker of Kerala Legislative Assembly
* K. M. Seethi, former speaker of Kerala Legislative Assembly
* Mathew Kuzhalnadan, member of Kerala Legislative Assembly
* N. Sakthan, former speaker of Kerala Legislative Assembly
* T.V. Rajesh, member of Kerala Legislative Assembly
* P. C. Vishnunath,Member of Kerala Legislative Assembly
* K. K. Ramachandran Nair, Former Member of Kerala Legislative Assembly
* P. Aisha Potty, Former Member of Kerala Legislative Assembly
* D. Damodaran Potti, former speaker of Kerala Legislative Assembly
* K. A. Damodara Menon, Freedom Fighter, Journalist and politician

### Government[edit]

* C. Achutha Menon, former Chief minister of Kerala
* R. Sankar, former Chief minister of Kerala
* P. K. Vasudevan Nair, former Chief minister of Kerala
* K.T. Achuthan, Former Minister for Transport & Labour, Pattom Ministry
* E. Ikkanda Warrier, 3rd Prime Minister of Cochin
* P. T. Chacko, Former Home Minister of Kerala
* Ramesh Chennithala, former Home Minister of Kerala
* Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, former Home Minister of Kerala
* K. C. Joseph, former Minister of Rural Development & Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala
* M. Vijayakumar, former Minister of Law, Government of Kerala
* C. Kesavan, former Chief minister of Travancore-Cochin (princely state)[10]
* M. N. Govindan Nair, former minister, Government of Kerala
* T. M. Jacob, former minister, Government of Kerala
* Mathew T. Thomas, former minister, Government of Kerala
* G. Sudhakaran, former minister, Government of Kerala
* E. Ahamed, former Minister of State, External Affairs[11]
* M. B. Rajesh, Minister for Excise, Government of Kerala
* Kodikunnil Suresh, former Minister of State, Labour
* N. K. Premachandran, former minister, Goverment of Kerala

### Bureaucrats[edit]

* N. R. Madhava Menon, former Central Secretariat Service officer, founder of National Law School of India University, West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences and former director of National Judicial Academy (India)
* V. Joseph Thomas IPS, former Director General of Kerala Police
* Abdul Sathar Kunju IPS, former Director General of Kerala Police
* Malayattoor Ramakrishnan, former IAS officer and award-winning writer
* T P Sundararajan, former IPS officer and Assistant Director of Intelligence Bureau

### Malayalam Film Industry[edit]

* Resul Pookutty, Oscar winning Sound Designer
* Bheeman Raghu, Actor and police officer
* Anoop Menon, Actor and scriptwriter
* Shankar Ramakrishnan, Actor and scriptwriter
* Karamana Janardanan Nair, Actor
* Sudeep Kumar, Singer

### Others[edit]

* K. M. Mathew, former Chief Editor, Malayala Manorama

* Aiyappan Pillai, Senior Lawyer in Bar Council of India, One of the First Councillor of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.

* Joy Thomas, President Kerala Cooperation Consumer Federation Limited.

* K. C. Kesava Pillai, Poet Laureate of Travancore and was known for Kesaveeyam, a mahakavya in Malayalam, two attakathas and several bhajans and kirtans

## Popular culture[edit]

Shaji Khailas directed and Ranji Panicker scripted, Suresh Gopi starring block buster film Thalasthanam revolves around the politics of Government Law College Thiruvananthapuram.

Shooting also took place in Government Law College for K. Madhu directed Jayaram starring movie Randam Varavu.

## See also[edit]

* Government Law College, Ernakulam
* Kerala Law Academy Law College, Thiruvananthapuram
* University of Kerala

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Heritage Walk explores Barton Hill". The Hindu. 23 February 2015 - via www.thehindu.com.
2. ^ "Microsoft Word - 5 year LLB 2014-15 Prospectus" (PDF). Retrieved 31 January 2020.
3. ^ "Prospectus" (PDF). www.cee-kerala.org. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
4. ^ "Microsoft Word - LLM 2014 Prospectus" (PDF). Retrieved 31 January 2020.
5. ^ "Law College approval order" (PDF). research.keralauniversity.ac.in. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
6. ^ Nizar, Nebil (15 November 2013). "GLC Thiruvananthapuram accorded research centre status". www.livelaw.in.
7. ^ "Authorities shut down Government Law College men's hostel | Thiruvananthapuram News - Times of India". The Times of India.
8. ^ M, Athira (6 February 2013). "Lending a helping hand". The Hindu - via www.thehindu.com.
9. ^ "GLCT - IQAC". glctvpm.com.
10. ^ "Info". pib.nic.in. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
11. ^ "Proud moment for Government Law College with 10 alumni in poll fray - timesofindia-economictimes". articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com. Archived from the original on 7 May 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2022.

## External links[edit]

* Official website