Essay Writing Competition (First Edition) by Kautilya Society, NUSRL Ranchi with ADR [Prize Pool Rs 10,000; ISBN Book Publication]

The Kautilya Society is a student-led initiative established through a collaborative partnership between the National University of Study and Research in Law (NUSRL), Ranchi and the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, New Delhi. The Society seeks to bridge the divide between legal academia and real-world policy development, and provides students with opportunities to engage in research, participate in dialogue and contribute to reform-oriented public discourse.

NUSRL, Ranchi was established by an Act of the State Legislature, prompted by the vision of the constitutional forefathers that law, the legal system and legal institutions have an overarching role in the human, social, political and economic development of the nation. The University was established to develop a holistic perspective of legal education in all its ramifications, particularly advocacy, judicial and legal institutional services, legislation, law reforms and research in these areas.

The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) was established in 1999 by a group of professors from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad. In 1999 they filed a Public Interest Litigation before the Delhi High Court seeking disclosure of the criminal, financial and educational background of candidates contesting elections. On the basis of that petition, the Supreme Court in 2002, and subsequently in 2003, made it mandatory for all candidates contesting elections to disclose their criminal, financial and educational background before the polls by filing an affidavit with the Election Commission. ADR conducted its first election watch in 2002 for the Gujarat Assembly Elections, and has since conducted election watches for almost all state and parliamentary elections in collaboration with the National Election Watch.

Kautilya Society NUSRL, in collaboration with the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), has announced the Essay Writing Competition (First Edition) on the theme "Governance, Democracy & Constitutional Vision - India @2047".

The competition seeks to nurture rigorous legal and policy scholarship that critically engages with questions of democratic governance, constitutional vision and India's rise as a globally significant democratic polity. Participants are encouraged to explore emerging sub-themes at the intersection of democratic theory, electoral reform, constitutional governance, regulatory accountability and India's trajectory in the international order.

The competition aims to provide a platform for students to present fresh perspectives and contribute to academic and policy discourse at this defining moment in India's democratic journey.

Central theme: Governance, Democracy & Constitutional Vision - India @2047.

• Constitutional Governance and the Democratic Rule of Law
• Electoral Reforms: Towards Greater Transparency and Accountability
• Federalism and Inter-Governmental Relations in a Changing India
• Regulatory Quality and Evidence-Based Policy Making
• India's Democratic Rise: Geopolitics, Soft Power, and Global Governance
• Criminalisation of Politics: Challenges and Legal Remedies
• Political Finance and Campaign Finance Reforms
• Digital Democracy: Technology, Misinformation, and Electoral Integrity
• Social Justice, Representation, and Inclusive Governance
• Judicial Independence and the Quality of Constitutional Adjudication

The sub-themes are indicative only. Participants may explore any other topic within the broader domain of the central theme, subject to its relevance and originality.

• The competition is open to students enrolled in undergraduate or postgraduate law courses in any recognised university in India.
• Only individual submissions are accepted. Co-authorship is not permitted.
• Only one submission per participant shall be entertained.
• Submissions must be in English only.

• Word limit: 3,000 to 5,000 words, inclusive of references.
• The title should not exceed 12 words.
• Font: Times New Roman. Font size: 12. Line spacing: 1.5. Alignment: justified. Margins: 1 inch on all sides.
• The submission must be original and unpublished work, not submitted or accepted for publication elsewhere.
• The name or names of the author must not appear anywhere in the essay, to ensure blind review.
• The similarity (plagiarism) index must be below 15 percent. Submissions exceeding this limit shall be summarily rejected.
• AI-generated content must not exceed 10 percent of the submission. Submissions exceeding this threshold shall be disqualified.
• Referencing style: endnotes as per OSCOLA 5th Edition (Times New Roman, size 10, line spacing 1.0). Endnotes should be used only where necessary.
• The file must be submitted in MS Word format (.docx).
• Essays violating any of the submission guidelines shall be summarily rejected.

The registration fee is Rs 200 per participant and is non-refundable. Registration must be completed through the Google registration form with a detailed screenshot of the payment attached to the form. The essay must be submitted separately through the essay submission form. Both registration and essay submission must be completed on or before 25 July 2026. Late or incomplete submissions shall not be considered under any circumstances.

The bank account details for payment, as published in the official brochure, are as follows.

• Name of Account: NUSRL RANCHI
• Name of the Bank: Bank of India
• Account Number: 490710110003104
• Type of Account: Savings Account
• IFSC Code: BKID0005900
• Branch: NUSRL Campus

• Relevance and Originality: 10 marks
• Legal and Policy Analysis: 10 marks
• Depth of Research: 10 marks
• Language and Structure: 10 marks
• Style and Clarity: 10 marks
• Total: 50 marks

The decision of the panel of judges shall be final and binding.

• Winner: Rs 5,000 and a Certificate of Merit
• First Runner-Up: Rs 3,000 and a Certificate of Merit
• Meritorious Entries: Rs 2,000 and a Certificate of Merit
• Top 10 entries: publication in an edited book carrying an ISBN, along with a Certificate of Merit
• Special articles: two articles will be published on the Association for Democratic Reforms blog

Publication of the top ten essays in the ISBN edited book is subject to editorial review, quality standards and publication feasibility.

Complete the registration form and attach a screenshot of the Rs 200 payment, then submit the essay through the separate essay submission form. Both steps must be completed on or before 25 July 2026. Results will be declared on 31 August 2026.

For clarification or further enquiries about the submission guidelines, themes or the submission process, write to kautilyasociety@nusrlranchi.ac.in with the subject line "Essay Competition - Query".