The Centre for Law Society, Gujarat National Law University (GNLU) is organizing a national-level essay competition in collaboration with the Chambers of Ratan K. Singh and under the able guidance of Padma Shree Prof. Upendra Baxi. The competition aims to provide a platform to students to express their views on the correlation between the complexities of the society and the objective of crafting an effective law.

The theme of the competition is “New Legal Paths for Seeking Social Justice”. The following sub-themes have been identified as requiring academic consideration in the Indian context:

1. Reconsidering Socio-Economic Parameters for Defining Caste
2. Securing Rights Conducive to Social Change: Third Gender Rights in India
3. Escaping Persecution: National Register of Citizens as a Measure to Counter Illegal Immigration?
4. Era of Land Reforms: Balancing Industrial Development and Agricultural Interest  
5. Challenging the Leviathan: Sedition Law in India
6. Death By Incarceration: A Limitation on the Term of Punishment
7. Domestic Violence Laws: More Misuse Than Use
8. Freedom of Expression v. Religious Sensitivities: Are Blasphemy Laws the way out?
9. Is the soft law vehicle of CSR sufficient for domestic corporates to discharge their responsibility towards the society?
10. Should MNCs be held criminally responsible for human rights violations?

Prizes:

• Category: Law Students

1st Prize – INR 15, 000/ Internship at Thomson Reuters Foundation/ Certificate Course by LAWyersclubindia.com and iPleaders

2nd Prize – INR 7, 500/ Internship at Fox Mandal & Co./ Certificate Course by LAWyersclubindia.com and iPleaders

3rd Prize – INR 2, 500/ Internship at Fox Mandal & Co./ Certificate Course by LAWyersclubindia.com and iPleaders

• Category: Non-law Students

1st Prize – INR 15, 000/ Internship at Jindal Steel & Power Ltd. 

2nd Prize – INR 7, 500/ Internship at Jindal Steel & Power Ltd.

3rd Prize – INR 2, 500/ Internship at Jindal Steel & Power Ltd.

• Certificates will be issued to all participants and winners.
• The top 3 essays under each sub-theme will be published as a collection of essays.
• The authors of best entries under each sub-theme will be offered Certificate Courses by LAWyersclubindia.com and iPleaders, provided they fall under the Category of Law Students.  

Eligibility:

1. The competition is open to all undergraduate and postgraduate students enrolled in any discipline in a recognized University/ College/ Institute in India.
2. Co-authorship by a maximum of 2 students is permitted.

Word Limit: 3000 – 5000 words, not including footnotes.

Submission: January 31, 2016. 


The submission guidelines are available here. (Kindly provide link to Information Brochure PDF)

For further details, please visit http://gnlucls.weebly.com/

For any queries, drop an e-mail at gcls@gnlu.ac.in or contact:

1. Mr. Sameer R. Bhat, Student Convenor, GNLU Centre for Law and Society,

Mobile: +91 9998925880; sameer.gnlu@gmail.com

1. Ms. Gayathree Devi K. T., Student Co-Convenor, GNLU Centre for Law and Society,

Mobile: +91 8511970905; gayathree.d@gmail.com