St. Joseph’s College of Law invites undergraduate research papers on higher education, democracy, social justice, AI, and digital inclusion.
About St. Joseph’s College of Law
St. Joseph’s College of Law (SJCL), Bengaluru, is approved by the Bar Council of India and affiliated with Karnataka State Law University, Hubbali. The institution commenced its legal education programme in the academic year 2017–2018 and is the first Jesuit law college in South Asia.
The College is committed to developing competent and ethically grounded legal professionals who contribute to social transformation and uphold constitutional values.
About the Conference
St. Joseph’s College of Law is organising a National Undergraduate Conference on the theme “Reimagining the Right to Higher Education and Democratic Participation in a Changing World” on October 9, 2026.
The conference will provide an interdisciplinary platform for undergraduate students to examine the relationship between higher education, democracy, youth leadership, constitutional governance, technology, human rights, and inclusive development.
The conference welcomes original research examining contemporary legal, social, and policy challenges surrounding higher education and democratic participation.
Conference Objectives
- Promote undergraduate research on contemporary legal, social, and policy issues.
- Encourage interdisciplinary scholarship on education, democracy, and leadership.
- Foster constitutional values, social justice, and responsible citizenship.
- Examine challenges arising from artificial intelligence, digital technologies, and governance.
- Encourage innovative solutions for inclusive and sustainable democratic futures.
Conference Themes
Theme I: The Right to Higher Education: Constitutionalism, Equality and Educational Justice
- Constitutional rights
- Human rights
- Right to Education and higher education
- Academic freedom
- Educational reforms
- Access and inclusion
- International perspectives
Theme II: Youth Leadership and Democratic Governance
- Civic engagement
- Student leadership
- Constitutional values
- Public policy
- Electoral participation
- Democratic innovation
- Local governance
Theme III: Reservation, Equity and Social Justice
- Reservation debates
- Merit and equality
- Representation
- Faculty diversity
- Campus discrimination
- Private institutions
Theme IV: Artificial Intelligence, Technology, and the Future of Education
- AI ethics
- Digital learning and use of AI
- Classroom education in the age of AI
- Doctrinal research and AI
- Empirical research and AI
- AI as teachers
Theme V: Digital Inclusion and Educational Access
- Digital divide
- Internet access
- Online learning
- Digital literacy
- Educational infrastructure
- Technology and equality
Who Can Participate?
The conference is open to undergraduate students from:
- Law
- Political Science
- Public Policy
- Sociology
- Economics
- Management
- Commerce
- Psychology
- Education
- Media Studies
- Computer Science
- Artificial Intelligence
- Other allied disciplines
Important Dates
- Abstract Submission Deadline: September 8, 2026
- Notification of Abstract Selection: September 12, 2026
- Last Date for Registration: September 16, 2026
- Full Paper Submission Deadline: September 28, 2026
- Conference Date: October 9, 2026
Presentation Mode
In-Person Presentation
Participants based in Bengaluru are required to attend the conference in person.
Venue: St. Joseph’s College of Law, No. 18, Field Marshal Cariappa Road (formerly Residency Road), Shanthala Nagar, Ashok Nagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka – 560025.
Hybrid Option
Participants residing outside Bengaluru may opt to present their papers online.
Submission Guidelines
- Authors must submit an abstract of 300 words along with 5–6 keywords.
- Abstracts must be submitted in MS Word format (.doc/.docx).
- Abstract submission is to be made through the registration process specified by the organisers.
- The full paper must contain 3,000–4,000 words, inclusive of footnotes.
- Submissions must follow the Bluebook 20th Edition citation style.
- Main text must be in Times New Roman, font size 12, with 1.5 line spacing.
- Footnotes must be in font size 10.
- Submissions must be original, unpublished, and not under consideration elsewhere.
- A maximum of two authors is permitted per paper.
- Co-authors must register separately.
- Similarity must remain below 10%.
- Plagiarism or unacknowledged AI-generated content will result in disqualification.
- Only authors whose abstracts are accepted will be permitted to present their papers.
- Selected papers may be considered for publication, subject to peer review.
Awards and Recognition
The conference will recognise outstanding scholarly contributions through:
- Best Paper Award
- Second Best Paper Award
- Third Best Paper Award
Awards will be determined by an expert evaluation panel based on originality, research methodology, analytical quality, relevance to the conference theme, and effectiveness of presentation.
Registration Fee
- SJCL Undergraduate Students: ₹300
- Non-SJCL Undergraduate Students: ₹500
The registration fee should be paid only after receiving acceptance of the abstract. Participants are advised not to make payment before receiving the acceptance email.
ALSO READ: Call for Papers at GLS Law Journal, GLS University
Contact Details
For queries regarding the conference, participants may contact:
Email: research@sjcl.edu.in
REGISTER:
Conference Date: October 9, 2026
Abstract Submission Deadline: September 8, 2026
