DU SOL B.Com (Hons) Business Law Syllabus Semester 1 (Latest 2026)

This page provides a clear and structured explanation of the Business Law syllabus for B.Com (Hons), Semester 1 under Delhi University – School of Open Learning (SOL).

Course Overview

Business Law in Semester 1 mainly covers the Indian Contract Act, 1872, along with related commercial laws such as the Sale of Goods Act and LLP Act.

Unit-Wise Official Syllabus

As per SOL study material, the subject is divided into five units:

UNIT I: Indian Contract Act, 1872

This is the foundation of the entire paper.

Major Topics:

• Meaning and essentials of a valid contract
• Offer and acceptance
• Consideration
• Capacity of parties
• Free consent
• Legality of object
• Void and voidable agreements
• Contingent contracts
• Quasi contracts

What Students Should Understand:

This unit explains how legally binding agreements are formed and when they become invalid. Case-based questions are common.

UNIT II: Discharge of Contracts and Remedies for Breach

Major Topics:

• Modes of discharge (performance, mutual agreement, impossibility, operation of law)
• Breach of contract
• Remedies for breach:
  • Damages
  • Specific performance
  • Injunction
  • Quantum meruit

Practical Focus:

Questions often test application through small case scenarios.

UNIT III: Introduction to Special Contracts

This unit covers specific types of contracts under the Indian Contract Act.

Major Topics:

• Contract of indemnity
• Contract of guarantee
• Bailment and pledge
• Agency

Students must clearly understand differences between:

• Indemnity vs Guarantee
• Bailment vs Pledge

Comparative questions are common.

UNIT IV: The Sale of Goods Act, 1930

This unit is commercially important.

Major Topics:

• Meaning of contract of sale
• Conditions and warranties
• Transfer of ownership
• Performance of contract
• Rights of unpaid seller

Case-based and rights-related questions frequently appear.

UNIT V: The Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008

Major Topics:

• Meaning and features of LLP
• Incorporation process
• Partners and designated partners
• Rights and duties
• Conversion of firm/company into LLP

Generally more theoretical and definition-based compared to earlier units.

Exam Pattern Explained

1. Theory Examination

• Total Marks: 70 or 75 (depending on academic session structure)
• Duration: 3 hours
• Structure usually includes:
  • 1 compulsory short-answer question
  • 3–4 long-answer questions with internal choices
  • Case-based application questions

Students must confirm exact marking scheme for their batch from the official SOL portal.

2. Internal Assessment

• Total Marks: 25 or 30
• Includes:
  • Assignment submission
  • Internal test (depending on session structure)

Internal marks directly affect final score and should not be ignored.

Question Format (Based on Previous Papers)

Typical question types include:

• Define and explain
• Distinguish between
• Explain with case law (if mentioned in syllabus)
• Practical case-based problems
• Rights and duties-based questions

Business Law is partly theory-based and partly application-based.

Unit-Wise Focus & Practical Weightage Insight

Important Note:
Delhi University does not publish fixed unit-wise weightage. The following analysis is based on previous year question papers.

High-Weightage Areas

• Essentials of valid contract
• Free consent
• Breach and remedies
• Bailment and pledge
• Conditions and warranties (Sale of Goods Act)

These topics frequently appear in long-answer format.

Moderate Weightage Areas

• Contingent and quasi contracts
• Agency
• Rights of unpaid seller

Often asked as either long questions or short notes.

Short-Answer Oriented Areas

• LLP features
• Differences between firm and LLP
• Basic definitions

Usually appear in compulsory sections.

Important Topics for Exams

Students should prioritise:

• Elements of valid contract
• Differences between void and voidable agreements
• Types of damages
• Indemnity vs Guarantee
• Bailment vs Pledge
• Rights of unpaid seller
• Transfer of ownership

Practising case-based questions is essential.

Common Confusions Clarified

1. Void vs Voidable Contract

• Void: Not enforceable from the beginning
• Voidable: Valid until one party rescinds it

2. Indemnity vs Guarantee

• Indemnity: Two parties, primary liability
• Guarantee: Three parties, secondary liability

3. Condition vs Warranty

• Condition: Essential term
• Warranty: Subsidiary term

4. Breach vs Discharge

• Breach leads to remedies
• Discharge ends contractual obligations

These differences are frequently tested in exams.

NEP vs Old Batch Clarification

Under NEP framework:

• Credit structure remains 4 credits.
• Internal assessment structure may vary slightly.
• Case-based application questions are increasingly common.

Core syllabus content remains largely unchanged.

Students should verify whether their batch follows CBCS (old structure) or NEP.

B.Com (Hons) vs B.Com Programme Difference

• Hons students are expected to provide deeper legal explanation.
• Analytical and application-based questions are more frequent in Hons.
• Programme syllabus may be comparatively less detailed.

However, the core acts covered remain similar.

How to Prepare Practically

1. First complete Unit I thoroughly. It forms the base.
2. Then study discharge and remedies (Unit II).
3. Move to special contracts and Sale of Goods Act.
4. Finish with LLP Act.

While writing answers:

• Define the concept
• Mention essential elements
• Explain clearly
• Apply to case (if given)

Law answers should be structured and precise.

Short FAQ

Is Business Law difficult?

It requires conceptual clarity and application. Memorisation alone is not sufficient.

Are case laws required?

If mentioned in syllabus or study material, basic reference may be useful, but focus is on concept application.

Is Unit I more important?

Yes. A large portion of paper is based on Indian Contract Act.

Does SOL reduce syllabus?

No. The syllabus aligns with Delhi University’s prescribed framework.

Final Academic Summary

Business Law in Semester 1 builds foundational understanding of:

• Contract formation
• Legal obligations
• Commercial rights and remedies

The paper tests both theory and application.

Students who:

• Understand core legal principles
• Practice case-based questions
• Write structured answers

generally perform well.

Also Read:

DU SOL B.Com (Hons) Principles of Microeconomics Syllabus – Semester 1

DU SOL B.Com (Hons) Environmental Science Syllabus – Semester 1 (Latest 2026)

DU SOL B.Com (Hons) Management Principles and Applications Syllabus – Semester 1 (Latest 2026)

References:

B.Com (Hons) Semester 1 Syllabus – DU SOL 2026