Standard Indian Legal Citation (SILC) is an India-centric citation system developed to provide the Indian legal community with a single citation methodology that takes into account India’s rich legal traditions and history.

Background:

Journals & law schools across India are using differing citation standards, causing significant disparity and irregularity.     Indian legal institutions have witnessed a significant spurt in research output and the creation of journals: in the past 5 years alone, leading law schools have established nearly 30 academic journals. While this is an excellent development for Indian Legal academia, a number of differing standards are being used across the nation for citation and research, causing significant disparity and irregularity. Major journals in India currently follow citation systems that have not been developed indigenously. Legal institutions and universities have varying citation standards for project submissions and in-class work, some universities lack clear citation guidelines and rules altogether. SILC hopes to unify academics, professionals, and students across the nation in their research practices.

SILC is being developed by Indian academicians, students, and professionals, many of whom have served as journal editors. SILC is advised by some of India’s leading lawyers & international experts. A full list of advisors can be found at www.silcmanual.com.

Aim & Objectives:

SILC hopes to usher in an era of uniformity in the citation practices of Indian journals, law schools, and by extension, legal documentation in India. We aim to provide a citation system that is simple, easy, and unique to India. SILC hopes to achieve a number of objectives, including: -Providing a citation system that comprehensively covers Indian legal sources and material, not covered by foreign citation systems. -Providing an easy to use and easy to access citation system that will always be free of cost to everyone.     Uniformity in legal citation across India. A free of cost system accessible to all.

-Bringing uniformity in the practices of law journals and law schools across India, and by extension, increase connectivity between law schools and journals in the nation

The difference:

A citation methodology that covers Indian legal sources not found in foreign systems.     SILC provides a comprehensive guide to citing Indian legal sources and material, not covered by foreign citation guides. What does SILC cover that other citation systems do not? Here are a few examples: -Parliamentary committee reports -Parliamentary debates -RBI/SEBI Circulars and notifications -Law Commission reports -Reports by ministries -more; SILC contains an entire chapter of Indian legal sources.

Leading Advisors:

SILC is being developed with the advice and close guidance of some of India’s leading lawyers, as well as international experts including Mr. Rajiv K. Luthra (Managing Partne, Luthra & Luthra Law Offices), Prof. M.P. Singh (former Chair, Judicial Academy, Delhi), and leaders across India. A list of advisors can be found at our Advisors page.

Why Switch?

By switching to SILC you will become part of a national movement towards creating simple and uniform citation that is tailored specifically for Indian law and research. India requires more uniformity and connectivity between law journals, SILC provides an opportunity for this to happen. By switching, you would help create the future of uniform legal citation in India. SILC is free--it will help enable more students from various backgrounds to engage in research and help improve the quality of legal research in India. Most journals in the US have a unique citation system (Blue Book), most journals in the UK have a unique citation system (OSCOLA), isn’t it time India had its own system?     It’s time we have our own system-a system tailored for India.

How is SILC being implemented; how can I switch to SILC?

A working draft is being used by professors at leading law schools. Download your copy, free.       SILC has a network of editors across law schools, supportive professors nation-wide, and leading advisors, who are all strategically launching the system. You can be a part of the change by registering as a SILC user at the register page and downloading a free working-draft of SILC for personal use or for use in your classroom. If you have any questions about SILC, please contact an editor.

Editorial Team:

A list of members on the SILC team can be found at our Editors page. SILC has editors at most leading law schools in India including NLSIU, NALSAR, NUJS, NLUD, etc.