The Government Law College Calicut was started in 1970. It is the third Government Law College in the State and is affiliated to the University of Calicut.
Facilities for the study of Law in Kerala date back to 1875, when part-time Law Classes were started in Trivandrum as part of the Maharaja’s College, Trivandrum with the intention of preparing students for the Law examinations of the Madras University. A separate college for Law was started in Trivandrum in 1894 and it got affiliated to the Travancore University when it was established in 1937. Consequent to the integration of Travancore and Cochin in 1949, the Law College was shifted to Ernakulam. In 1954, the Government started another Law College in Trivandrum which was subsequently affiliated to the University of Kerala. Till the state re-organisation, facilities for legal studies to the students of Malabar area were provided by the Madras Law College. In Madras, Law classes were formerly conducted at the Presidency College where even from 1855 there were Law’s Professors. The Law College at Madras was established in 1891. In 1953 a department of legal studies under a Director of Legal studies was established with the view of promoting legal education.
On first of November, 1956 the United Kerala State was born consisting of the T. C. State and Malabar area. The establishment of the Calicut University in 1968 necessitated the establishment of Law College in the Malabar area where there were a number of Arts, Science and Commerce Colleges.
Accordingly, a new Government Law College started functioning at Calicut in the building adjacent to the Training College where the Government Arts and Science College was formerly functioning. The first year LL .B. class was started during the academic year. 1970-71 and the first batch law graduates came out in 1973. After 1973 the college became a full fledged institution having an average of 300 students on the rolls every year. In 1976, LL. M. course was started initially as a part-time course which was converted to full time course when the college was shifted to the new buildings. Five year LL.B. course was introduced during the academic year 1984-85.
College Building:–The college was housed in the building adjacent to the Training College, as a temporary measure. A new college complex including hostels for men and women was being constructed at Vellimadukunnu. The main building was completed by April, 1982 and the College was shifted to the new building with effect from June 1, 1982. The college became a full fledged institution having an average of 730 students on the rolls.