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Vignan Institute of Law invites teams for its national moot court competition on AI and criminal justice.
About the Organisation
Vignan’s Foundation for Science, Technology and Research (VFSTR) is a recognised higher education institution known for its multidisciplinary academic programmes and emphasis on innovation-driven learning. The University has consistently worked toward integrating professional education with technological advancement and practical training, enabling students to engage with contemporary developments across emerging fields.
Vignan Institute of Law (VIL), established in 2020 under VFSTR, aims to promote legal education that combines doctrinal foundations with practical exposure. The institute focuses on developing advocacy skills, research competence, and professional ethics among students through experiential learning platforms such as moot court competitions, legal research initiatives, and academic conferences.
Through national-level competitions and academic engagement activities, the institution seeks to encourage students to explore evolving intersections between law, technology, and governance. The Inter-University Moot Court Competition represents one such initiative designed to strengthen advocacy training and promote analytical engagement with contemporary legal challenges.
About the Competition
The VIL 1st Inter-University Moot Court Competition, 2026 is a national-level advocacy event designed to provide law students with a platform to demonstrate their research, drafting, and oral advocacy skills through simulated courtroom proceedings. Moot court competitions play a critical role in legal education by enabling participants to engage with complex legal questions in structured adversarial settings that closely resemble real litigation environments.
This competition is structured in a hybrid format, combining online preliminary rounds with offline advanced rounds, thereby allowing wider participation from institutions across India while ensuring in-person advocacy exposure during the final stages.
Participants will engage with a contemporary moot proposition addressing emerging issues in criminal justice systems shaped by technological advancements. The competition encourages students to analyse evolving jurisprudence involving artificial intelligence and forensic technologies while developing arguments grounded in constitutional principles, evidentiary frameworks, and criminal procedure law.
The event is particularly valuable for students interested in criminal litigation, technology law, constitutional adjudication, and forensic regulation.
Theme of the Moot Proposition
The moot proposition focuses on contemporary legal challenges involving:
- Forensic law and evidentiary reliability
- Artificial intelligence in criminal investigations
- Facial recognition technology and surveillance frameworks
- Constitutional safeguards in criminal justice systems
Participants will analyse legal questions arising from the intersection of emerging technologies and procedural fairness in criminal law administration.
Eligibility Criteria
Participation in the competition is open to:
- Students enrolled in three-year LL.B. programmes
- Students enrolled in five-year integrated LL.B. programmes
- Students studying in institutions recognised by the Bar Council of India
Each participating team must consist of:
- Two speakers
- One researcher
Teams must obtain institutional approval prior to registration.
Mode of Competition
The competition will be conducted in hybrid mode as follows:
- Preliminary Rounds: Online
- Quarter-Finals: Online
- Semi-Finals and Final Round: Offline
This format ensures accessibility during initial rounds while providing courtroom-style advocacy experience in the advanced stages.
Also Read: How to Prepare a Memo of Appearance
Registration Fee
Registration fee: ₹3,000 per team
Payment details are available in the official registration form.
Awards and Prizes
The competition offers a total prize pool of ₹65,000 along with trophies and certificates. Awards include:
Winner: ₹30,000
Runner-up: ₹20,000
Best Speaker: ₹5,000
Second Best Speaker: ₹2,500
Best Memorial: ₹5,000
Second Best Memorial: ₹2,500
Certificates of merit will be awarded to winners across categories, and all participants will receive certificates of participation.
Recognition at national moot court competitions significantly strengthens advocacy portfolios and enhances prospects for internships, clerkships, and litigation careers.
Important Dates
Release of Brochure: 16 March 2026
Last Date for Registration: 31 March 2026
Last Date for Clarifications: 2 April 2026
Memorial Submission Deadline: 8 April 2026
Preliminary Rounds (Online): 10 April 2026
Quarter-Finals (Online): 11 April 2026
Semi-Finals and Finals (Offline): 25 April 2026
Teams are encouraged to complete registration early to ensure timely submission of memorials and clarification requests.
Who Should Participate
This competition is particularly suitable for:
- Law students interested in criminal litigation practice
- Participants exploring artificial intelligence regulation
- Students preparing for national moot court circuits
- Candidates interested in forensic evidence law
- Applicants seeking courtroom-style advocacy experience
Participation provides structured exposure to emerging legal issues at the intersection of criminal justice and technological innovation.
Application Procedure
Teams must register through the official Google Form and complete the payment process as instructed. Institutional approval is required as part of the registration submission.
For queries, contact:
Mr. B. N. S. Sriram – +91-7416407832
Mr. Ritul Aryan – +91-7485829185
Mr. Lalit Narayan Mishra – +91-6203314063
Mr. Y. Jaya Krishna – +91-8187856581
