ABOUT US

SHODH is the Research Society of Campus Law Centre, Faculty of Law, University of Delhi, established as a student-led academic institution devoted to the advancement of rigorous legal research, critical scholarship, and policy-oriented inquiry. The Society emerged from a collective recognition of the need for a structured and sustainable research ecosystem within the Campus Law Centre. One that would cultivate intellectual discipline, methodological rigour, and scholarly independence among law students.

The foundational vision of SHODH was nurtured under the patronage and guidance of Prof. (Dr.) Alka Chawla, the then Professor-in-Charge of Campus Law Centre, whose academic leadership and mentorship served as the founding light of the Society. Under this guiding influence, SHODH evolved through sustained academic deliberations, institutional consultation, and a shared commitment to building a faculty-guided yet student-driven research platform grounded in integrity and excellence.

The name SHODH finds its roots in Sanskrit and signifies inquiry, investigation, and the pursuit of truth through systematic reasoning. In the context of legal education, the term embodies more than research as an academic exercise. it represents a disciplined process of questioning, analysing, and refining ideas to arrive at principled conclusions. SHODH thus reflects the Society’s core belief that law, policy, and justice must be informed by research that is rigorous, reflective, and socially conscious. This philosophy is encapsulated in the Society’s guiding motto: “शोधेन ज्ञानं ज्ञानेन प्रगति”—Through research comes knowledge; through knowledge comes progress. The motto articulates a linear yet profound intellectual progression: research gives rise to knowledge, and knowledge, when applied with responsibility and vision, becomes the foundation of societal and institutional progress. It underscores SHODH’s commitment to scholarship that is not merely descriptive, but transformative. capable of informing legal reform, constitutional discourse, and public policy.

The symbolic identity of SHODH and its journal, the Campus Law Centre – Journal for Legal and Policy Research (CLC-JLPR), further reinforces this ethos. The emblem integrates three enduring symbols: the elephant, representing wisdom, memory, and intellectual strength; the eagle, symbolising vision, foresight, and the ability to perceive broader perspectives; and the scales of justice, denoting balance, fairness, and reasoned adjudication. Together, these elements convey the belief that justice is sustained not by authority alone, but by wisdom guided by vision and anchored in informed judgment. The symbolism reflects SHODH’s foundational premise that fairness in law is achieved through research (Shodh), enriched by knowledge (Gyan), and directed towards progress (Pragati). Functioning as an autonomous student initiative within the Campus Law Centre, SHODH operates through a comprehensive academic, editorial, and administrative framework governed by duly adopted bye-laws. These governing principles ensure institutional continuity, transparency in decision-making, and adherence to the highest standards of academic ethics. Membership in the Society is drawn from students of the Campus Law Centre through a structured selection process that emphasises academic merit, research aptitude, and editorial competence, fostering a culture of excellence and intellectual responsibility.

SHODH serves as the institutional foundation for the publication of the CLC-JLPR, an annual, peer-reviewed academic journal dedicated to publishing high-quality legal and policy scholarship. The Journal features original research articles, essays, case comments, legislative analyses, and book reviews authored by scholars, practitioners, judges, and researchers from across the legal fraternity, alongside selected student contributions. All submissions undergo a stringent double-blind peer-review and editorial process to ensure methodological rigour, scholarly depth, and academic credibility. Through SHODH and the CLC-JLPR, the Society seeks to make a meaningful contribution to India’s legal and policy discourse by encouraging interdisciplinary perspectives, engagement with constitutional values, and research that bridges theory and practice. Anchored in inquiry, guided by knowledge, and committed to progress, SHODH stands as a testament to the enduring role of research in shaping just and informed legal institutions.

Faculty:

Prof. (Dr.) Alka Chawla
Prof. (Dr.) Gunjan Gupta
Prof. (Dr.) Raman Mittal
Dr. Neha
Dr. Seema Singh