Author: Soumita Basu 

Abstract: The concept of fair use has acted as a means of utilizing copyrighted works without obtaining requisite licenses and payment of adequate licensing fees. However, it is debatable whether such use of copyrighted works for the purposes of teaching and student coursework shall amount to copyright infringement or can be considered acceptable under the fair use exception of copyright law. The author in this article has attempted to analyze the implications of photocopying works on the parties to whom the lawfully obtained copyrights of such works belong. The paper distinguishes and examines the rights and liabilities of different stakeholders in the discussed matter of conflict. The article in the for the purpose of the said analysis also examines the landmark judgement of The Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University of Oxford v Rameshwari Photocopy Services in which the court has for the first time elaborately dealt with issue of the act of photocopy amounting to copyright infringement of the original works while also dealing with the issue of making available extensive coursework from expensive books to a considerably large group of students can be effectively executed by providing photocopies of such coursework prepared from a collection of chapters or works of different books. The author in this article has attempted to address the issue and analyzed  the arguments put forward by all stakeholders like photocopy shop owners, publication houses, universities and students. The issue had direct effect on the education system and availability of feasible access of coursework to students at the same time honouring the rightfully obtained copyrights of publishers while harmoniously construing the exception of fair use to provide an amicable solution to all stake holders.