Call for Extended Abstracts: 8th Research Colloquium & Annual Research Scholars' Day 2026 on Law, Technology and Accountability at RGSOIPL, IIT Kharagpur (30-31 October 2026)

The Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law (RGSOIPL), Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, is organising the 8th Research Colloquium & Annual Research Scholars' Day on 30-31 October 2026 as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of IIT Kharagpur. Established in 2006, RGSOIPL is India's first law school within an IIT and offers the LL.B. (Hons.), LL.M., Ph.D. and a Master's in Public Policy and Governance.

Day 1 (30 October) is the Annual Research Scholars' Day, where research scholars present work in progress and receive structured feedback. Day 2 (31 October) is the 8th Research Colloquium, the thematic day bringing scholars, faculty and practitioners together on the central theme. The event is organised under the Platinum Jubilee Grant Scheme (OR 06) of the Office of the Dean, Outreach, IIT Kharagpur.

The guiding question is: who should be accountable in a technology-driven, fast-changing and dynamic environment, and through what legal mechanism? The brochure identifies five frontiers: artificial intelligence, algorithmic systems, decentralised platforms, synthetic biology and semiconductors.

Indicative sub-themes:

• Algorithmic Liability & Technological Accountability: AI liability, automated decision-making in public administration, adequacy of tort frameworks, explainability as a legal obligation, algorithmic bias in adjudication.
• Data, Privacy & Surveillance Architectures: the DPDP Act 2023 and the GDPR, data fiduciary obligations, consent architecture in platform economies, state surveillance and AI in national security.
• The Regulatory Frontier: AI, Platforms & the Law: the EU AI Act, India's emerging AI policy framework, and sectoral regulation by SEBI (algorithmic trading), IRDAI (InsurTech) and RBI (FinTech).
• Intellectual Property in the Age of Generative AI: ownership of AI-generated output, training data as fair use or infringement, AI-assisted invention and inventorship.
• Emerging Frontiers: Blockchain, Biotech & Beyond: smart contracts, DAOs, jurisdiction over blockchain transactions, gene editing, synthetic biology, CRISPR and AI-generated genomics.
• Chips, Sovereignty & the Courtroom: the legal anatomy of the global semiconductor industry, supply-chain pressure points and India's semiconductor ambitions.

The list is indicative, not exhaustive; submissions on any allied question within the central theme are welcome.

Research scholars, faculty and practitioners are invited to submit Extended Abstracts on the central theme or any sub-theme. Registration is also open to those who wish to attend without submitting: research scholars, students, faculty, legal practitioners, regulators and policymakers, and members of the technology industry.

• Length: 500-800 words including citations (title, keywords and cover page excluded).
• Front matter: title, sub-theme and up to five keywords at the head of the abstract.
• Structure (ideally): Introduction, Literature Review, Data and Methodology, Results and Discussion, Conclusion.
• Formatting: Times New Roman 12 pt, 1.5 line spacing, justified, 1-inch margins.
• Citations: OSCOLA (latest edition) as footnotes, 10 pt, single-spaced.
• Cover page: a separate cover page with name(s), designation, affiliation, email and contact number. The abstract itself must carry no identifying detail (blind peer review).
• Authorship: maximum two authors per abstract.
• File: Microsoft Word (.docx), named Surname_ExtendedAbstract_RC2026.docx.

AI policy: generative AI may be used only for minor language or formatting improvements (including formatting references). It must not be used for ideation, literature review, argument development, drafting or citation generation, and any use must be disclosed in the abstract itself (tool, version, purpose and manner of use). Violations may lead to rejection or retraction.

Abstracts undergo blind peer review. Acceptances are issued on a rolling basis, and the organisers state that acceptance is communicated by email within 48 hours of submission. Early submission is highly encouraged as it secures an earlier decision and more time to prepare the presentation.

Registration is required for presenters and for participants attending without a submission. Fees are paid through the Continuing Education Programme (CEP) portal, IIT Kharagpur, and are exclusive of GST and other applicable taxes.

• Category 1, Students / Research Scholars: Rs 750 (India), USD 15 (SAARC, other than India), USD 50 (Non-SAARC)
• Category 2, Faculty / Industry: Rs 1,500 (India), USD 50 (SAARC, other than India), USD 100 (Non-SAARC)

The fee covers a conference kit and food and beverages served at the venue. It does not cover accommodation, and no travel allowance is provided. Limited rooms at the IIT Kharagpur Guest House are available on additional payment, first come first served, on request to the Organising Committee.

The programme includes workshops, round table discussions, plenary sessions, paper presentation sessions, poster presentations and a World Café. A session-wise schedule will be shared with registered participants ahead of the event.

A Best Paper Award and a Best Presentation Award (each a certificate and prize) will be given. Presenters of accepted abstracts receive a Certificate of Presentation and a Certificate of Participation; every registered participant receives a Certificate of Participation.

Submit the abstract: upload the .docx file through the official Google Form by 15 October 2026. Abstracts sent by email are not considered.

Register: open the CEP portal of IIT Kharagpur, select the 8th Research Colloquium & Annual Research Scholars' Day 2026 from the list of events, register in the applicable category following the registration manual on the CEP home page, pay the fee and retain the acknowledgement. Last date for registration: 28 October 2026.