Reviewed case brief
The Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University of Oxford v. Rameshwari Photocopy Services
2016 SCC OnLine Del 5128
The Delhi High Court held that the preparation and distribution of course packs containing photocopied portions of copyrighted textbooks for educational use at Delhi University did not constitute copyright infringement, falling within the fair dealing exception under Section 52(1)(i) of the Copyrigh
- Court
- Delhi High Court
- Year
- 2016
- Subjects
- Intellectual Property Law
- Reviewed
- 2026-06-18
Rule established
Photocopying of copyrighted material for bona fide educational purposes by students or educational institutions falls within the fair dealing exception under Section 52(1)(i) of the Copyright Act
Facts
- Rameshwari Photocopy Services operated a licensed photocopy shop on the campus of Delhi University
Issues
Held
- Section 52(1)(i) provides a broad exception for **reproduction of any work by a teacher or pupil** in the course of instruction
Ratio decidendi
Section 52(1)(i) of the Copyright Act, 1957 provides a fair dealing exception for reproduction of works in the course of instruction by educational institutions. This exception is not limited by any quantitative threshold and applies regardless of whether the copying is done directly by a student or through an agent such as a photocopy shop. The provision reflects the legislative intent to balance copyright protection with the constitutional commitment to education and access to knowledge.
How to use it in an exam
- Deploy when discussing fair dealing and educational exceptions in Indian copyright law
Editorial source
2016 SCC OnLine Del 5128; verified via SCC Online
Educational summary only. Read the reported judgment or an authorised law report before relying on the case professionally.