NLUJ-LAAC is organising the National Legal Aid Innovation Competition 2026 as part of the 3rd NLUJ-LAAC Stakeholders’ Summit.
About National Law University, Jodhpur
National Law University, Jodhpur (NLUJ) is a law school established in 1999 and located in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. The university focuses on legal education, research, practical skills, social justice, and human rights.
About the Legal Aid and Awareness Committee
The Legal Aid and Awareness Committee (LAAC), under the aegis of National Law University, Jodhpur, works towards promoting legal awareness and providing free legal assistance to disadvantaged sections of society. Through initiatives including Project PRISM, Project Saahas, Smart Village, Project Unnati, and Project CARE, the Committee addresses socio-legal challenges through community engagement and grassroots interventions.
About the Opportunity
The National Legal Aid Innovation Competition is being organised as part of the 3rd NLUJ-LAAC Stakeholders’ Summit, 2026. The Summit seeks to strengthen clinical legal education through legal aid cells and provide a platform for discussions on challenges in delivering free and quality legal aid.
The competition invites law school teams to identify access-to-justice gaps and develop research-based, feasible interventions to address them.
Number of Positions
Each institution may register one team consisting of 3–5 undergraduate law students. Each team must be accompanied by one Faculty Coordinator.
Location
The 3rd NLUJ-LAAC Stakeholders’ Summit will be held at National Law University, Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
Deadline
The registration deadline is August 20, 2026. The registration window is open from August 1 to August 20, 2026.
Eligibility Criteria
- The competition is open to students of UGC and BCI-recognised law schools.
- Registration must be completed through the participating institution’s Legal Aid Clinic.
- Only one team may register from each institution.
- Each team must consist of 3–5 undergraduate law students.
- All team members must belong to the same participating institution and be authorised as its sole representatives.
- Each team must be accompanied by one Faculty Coordinator.
Themes
The competition covers the following recommended themes:
- Role of Legal Aid Clinics in Connecting Victims to the Criminal Justice System through DLSA and Other Institutions.
- Role of Legal Aid Clinics in Assisting Juveniles as Children in Conflict with Law or as Victims.
- Role of Legal Aid Clinics in Providing Gender-Inclusive Legal Aid.
- Role of Legal Aid Clinics in Data Governance.
- Role of Legal Aid Clinics in Bridging the Digital Divide to Ensure Access to Justice.
Competition Structure
Stage I – Proposal Submission
Teams must submit an online proposal comprising a Concept Note and a video presentation of a maximum of two minutes.
The Concept Note must identify an access-to-justice gap from the recommended themes, explain the adopted research methodology and basis for identifying the gap, and outline the objectives, implementation plan, feasibility, beneficiaries, timeline, resources, partnerships, and roles of stakeholders.
Screening & Shortlisting
Proposals will be screened by an Expert Independent External Committee. Evaluation will consider the identified access-to-justice gap, the quality of the Concept Note, research methodology, feasibility analysis, and the video presentation. The decision of the Committee will be final and binding.
Stage II – Report Submission
Teams qualifying in Stage I will submit a comprehensive report on the identified access-to-justice gap. The report must incorporate empirical findings, doctrinal legal analysis, relevant secondary literature, and primary research, including field data, surveys, and interviews, along with recommendations.
Final Presentation
Shortlisted teams will present their reports and proposed interventions before an Expert Evaluation Panel and key stakeholders during the Stakeholders’ Summit.
Awards
- The winning team will receive ₹30,000.
- The runners-up will receive ₹20,000.
- The second runners-up will receive ₹15,000.
- Winning teams will receive Certificates of Merit.
- Teams that submit the final report, present before the Evaluation Panel, and attend all three Summit sessions will receive Certificates of Participation.
Opportunities
- Winning teams may receive internship opportunities with select collaborators, subject to the Rules and SOP of the Competition.
- Outstanding reports and videos may be published on the website of the Legal Aid and Awareness Committee.
- Winning teams will receive mentorship from experts to further develop and scale innovative legal aid projects.
- Participants will have an opportunity to be part of a national conversation on legal aid through law schools.
- Participants will have an opportunity to attend the 3rd Stakeholders’ Summit with capacity-building and networking sessions.
Fee Structure
The competition application fee is ₹1,500 per team and is payable by all registering teams at the time of registration.
Teams shortlisted for the report submission round must pay ₹4,500 per team for Summit accommodation, boarding, food, and internal travel arrangements for three days. A Faculty Coordinator accompanying a qualified team must pay a registration fee of ₹2,500.
The Stage II fees are payable only upon qualification for the Report Submission Round.
Timeline
- Call for registrations: August 1–20, 2026.
- Screening process: August 20–31, 2026.
- Time allotted for submission of reports: August 31–September 25, 2026.
- Review of submitted reports: September 26–October 8, 2026.
- 3rd NLUJ-LAAC Stakeholders’ Summit: October 10–11, 2026.
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Contact
Email: laac@nlujodhpur.ac.in
Dhruv Singhal: +91 7042668604
Kairav Shah: +91 9619048491
Shreya Bothra: +91 7014425032
Application Procedure
Interested institutions must complete the registration by filling out the prescribed Google Form.
Registration will be considered complete only after successful payment of the registration fee and submission of the duly filled registration form. Upon verification of the registration form and payment, the Organizing Committee will send a confirmation email serving as the official confirmation of registration.
The registration deadline is August 20, 2026.
