International Conference "From Welfare to Rights: Reimagining Disability Justice in India"

The School of Law, Bennett University invites you to its International Conference on "From Welfare to Rights: Reimagining Disability Justice in India", to be held on 7th and 8th September 2026 in hybrid mode. Organised by the Centre for Disability Rights, School of Law, Bennett University, in collaboration with Dharmashastra National Law University (DNLU), Jabalpur, the conference offers an interdisciplinary platform to examine the shift in India's disability discourse from a welfare-and-charity framework to a rights-based paradigm grounded in dignity, autonomy, accessibility, and substantive equality.

If your work touches constitutional law, disability rights, policy, or social justice, this is a space to present original research, engage with scholars and practitioners, and have selected papers published in an ISBN book.

The School of Law at Bennett University (Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh) was established in 2017 and is promoted by Bennett, Coleman and Co. Ltd. (The Times Group). The Centre for Disability Rights (CDR) at the School is an academic, research, and policy-oriented initiative dedicated to advancing the rights, dignity, inclusion, and empowerment of persons with disabilities, drawing on the Constitution of India, the UNCRPD (2006), and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

The conference is hosted in collaboration with Dharmashastra National Law University, Jabalpur, established by the Government of Madhya Pradesh in 2018. SCC Online serves as the Knowledge Partner.

The conference invites well-researched original papers on the following themes (sub-themes are indicative, not exhaustive):

Theme I: Constitutional Rights and Disability Justice

• Disability and substantive equality under Article 14
• Non-discrimination and the expanding scope of Article 15
• Dignity and personal liberty under Article 21
• Reasonable accommodation as a constitutional obligation

Theme II: Disability Law and Institutional Frameworks

• Judicial interpretation of the RPwD Act, 2016
• Constitutional remedies and enforcement mechanisms
• Institutional accountability under disability law
• India's obligations under the UNCRPD

Theme III: Autonomy, Accessibility and Legal Empowerment

• Legal capacity, guardianship, and supported decision-making
• Mental health law and constitutional autonomy
• Accessibility as a justiciable right
• Disability and access to justice

Theme IV: Inclusion, Participation and Equal Opportunity

• Disability and the right to education
• Employment rights and labour law protections
• Reservation for persons with disabilities: scope and limits
• Intersectional discrimination and disability

Theme V: Comparative Perspectives and Emerging Disability Jurisprudence

• Disability within criminal law and fair trial standards
• Comparative constitutional approaches to disability rights
• From welfare constitutionalism to transformative justice
• The future of disability jurisprudence in India

Participation is open to students, research scholars, academicians, and industry experts from law and other social sciences streams. The conference also welcomes legal practitioners, policymakers, government officials, civil society and NGO representatives, and disability rights advocates from India and abroad.

For UG, PG, and Ph.D. students, there is no bar on the number of participants from the same college, university, or institution.

Abstract

• Should not exceed 500 words and must indicate the theme of the proposed research with relevant keywords.
• Must include a cover page with: sub-theme of the paper, title of the paper, name(s) of the author(s), e-mail address, postal address, and contact number.
• Email your abstract to cdr@bennett.edu.in before the abstract deadline.
• Subject line: Abstract Submission for International Conference on From Welfare to Rights: Reimagining Disability Justice in India.
• Document name format: Author Name_Title of the Paper.

Full paper (for authors whose abstracts are accepted)

• Word count: approximately 5,000 to 8,000 words.
• Submit in MS Word (.doc or .docx) format only; all papers undergo a rigorous double-blind review.
• Co-authorship is permitted, with a maximum of two authors.
• Formatting: Title (Times New Roman 16, centered, bold); Heading (TNR 14, left, bold); Sub-heading (TNR 12, left, bold); Main text (TNR 12, 1.5 spacing, justified); Footnotes (TNR 10, 1.0 spacing). Citations in Bluebook (21st edition) style.
• Plagiarism in any form and the use of AI are strictly prohibited and will disqualify the submission. A similarity index of up to 10% is permissible.
• The mode of full-paper submission will be communicated by official email to authors whose abstracts are accepted.

Selected full papers will be published by reputed publishers in an ISBN book. All presenters receive a Certificate of Paper Presentation, and all attendees receive a Certificate of Participation. The best paper will be awarded a Best Paper Presenter Certificate. Online participants are issued e-certificates.

This is a paid conference. Registration fees (also payable by co-authors) are:

• Academicians / Faculty (India): INR 1,500 single authorship; INR 1,000 per author for co-authorship. International academicians: USD 30.
• Research Scholars / NGO authors (India): INR 1,000 single authorship; INR 800 per person for co-authorship. International scholars: USD 15.
• Students, UG and PG (India): INR 600 single authorship; INR 500 per person for co-authorship. International students: USD 10.

Registration and payment must be completed by the registration deadline via the official payment link.

1. Last date of abstract submission: 15th July 2026
2. Notification of abstract acceptance: 18th July 2026
3. Last date of registration and payment: 25th July 2026
4. Full paper submission deadline: 15th August 2026
5. Conference: 7th to 8th September 2026 (hybrid)

Email your abstract (max 500 words with cover page) to cdr@bennett.edu.in by 15th July 2026, using the prescribed subject line and file-name format. If your abstract is accepted, you will be notified by 18th July 2026, after which you complete registration and payment by 25th July 2026 and submit your full paper by 15th August 2026. The full-paper submission mode is communicated by official email to accepted authors.

• Abstract within 500 words, with theme and keywords
• Cover page: sub-theme, title, author name(s), email, postal address, contact number
• Correct subject line and file-name format
• Emailed to cdr@bennett.edu.in before 15th July 2026
• If accepted: registration and payment completed by 25th July 2026
• Full paper 5,000-8,000 words, MS Word, Bluebook (21st ed.), similarity index up to 10%, no AI