Jurisprudence

"The philosophy and theoretical framework of law; the study of legal principles and the body of legal knowledge develop..."

Definition

The philosophy and theoretical framework of law; the study of legal principles and the body of legal knowledge developed through court decisions and scholarly interpretation

⭐ Significance for UPSC

Critical for GS2 (Constitution, judiciary). Use: 'constitutional jurisprudence', 'rights jurisprudence', 'environmental jurisprudence' (NGT + Supreme Court on public trust doctrine), 'feminist jurisprudence' (GS1 social issues). Helps elevate answer quality when discussing how courts have developed and expanded constitutional rights over time.

Example / Context

The Supreme Court's jurisprudence on privacy rights evolved from Gobind v. State of MP (1975) to the nine-judge bench in Puttaswamy v. Union of India (2017), which unanimously recognised privacy as a fundamental right.

Mains GS Relevance

GS Paper 2

Polity, Governance, IR, Social Justice

Subject