When is the master not liable for the torts committed by his servant?

The law is settled that a master is vicariously liable for the acts of his servants acting in the course of employment. Unless the act is done in the course of employment, the servant’s act does not make the employer liable. In other words, for the master liability to arise, the act must be a wrongful act authorised by the master or a wrongful and unauthorised mode of doing some act authorised by the master. If the servant, at the time of the accident, is not acting within the course of employment but doing something for himself, the master is not liable.