Which of the following universities were permitted to offer honorary LLD…

Concept

A university’s power to confer a degree depends on the legal authorization in force at the relevant date.

For a historical permission question, institutional existence alone is insufficient; the governing enactment must name or cover the institution.

Application

1. Act No. I of 1884 expressly empowered the universities at Calcutta, Madras and Bombay to confer an honorary degree of Doctor in the Faculty of Law.

2. Thus, the three universities covered by the permission were Calcutta, Bombay and Madras.

3. Allahabad was established later, in 1887, and Panjab was not one of the three universities named in this 1884 enactment.

Cross-check and contrast

• Madras, Allahabad and Panjab substitutes two institutions outside the named trio for Calcutta and Bombay.

• Bombay, Madras and Allahabad retains two members of the named trio but adds Allahabad.

• Calcutta, Bombay and Madras reproduces all three universities named in the 1884 enactment.

• Calcutta, Allahabad and Panjab retains one member of the named trio and adds two institutions outside it.

Therefore, the supported combination is Calcutta, Bombay and Madras only.