The National Law School of India Review (NLSIR), the flagship student-edited, double-anonymous peer-reviewed law journal of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru, has announced the inaugural Chief Justice E.S. Venkataramiah Memorial Best Essay Prize. The NLSIR essay competition is open to undergraduate law students across India.
About NLSIR
The National Law School of India Review (NLSIR) is NLSIU’s flagship student-edited, bi-annual, double-anonymous peer-reviewed law journal. Now in its 38th year, NLSIR publishes rigorous doctrinal, normative and theoretical legal scholarship and features contributions from leading academics and legal practitioners.
About the NLSIR Essay Competition
The NLSIR Chief Justice E.S. Venkataramiah Memorial Best Essay Prize has been instituted in memory of Justice E.S. Venkataramiah, former Chief Justice of India and former faculty member of NLSIU.
The NLSIR competition will be conducted annually around a contemporary and significant legal theme. Shortlisted essays will be evaluated by eminent academics and practitioners with relevant subject-matter expertise.
Theme for NLSIR Essay Competition 2026
“Does the Constitution Choose an Economic Model? Directive Principles and the Question of Ideological Neutrality”
The inaugural NLSIR theme is inspired by Property Owners’ Association v. State of Maharashtra (2024), the nine-judge Constitution Bench decision concerning Article 39(b), private property and the constitutional treatment of material resources.
Participants are encouraged to use the case as a starting point for a broader discussion of constitutional theory rather than submitting a mere case comment. NLSIR particularly encourages engagement with comparative constitutional perspectives and political or economic theory.
Eligibility
The NLSIR Best Essay Prize is open to:
- Undergraduate law students enrolled in a 5-year integrated law programme; or
- Students enrolled in a 3-year LL.B. programme;
- Students must be enrolled at a Bar Council of India (BCI)-recognised law school in India.
Submission Guidelines
For the NLSIR Essay Competition, submissions must:
- Be original and unpublished;
- Be single-authored;
- Be written in English;
- Include a bonafide certificate signed by the Registrar, Vice-Chancellor or appropriate authority confirming the author’s enrolment;
- Follow the NLSIR Style Guide and applicable repository policies;
- Use OSCOLA citation style;
- Be formatted in Times New Roman, 12-point font with 1.5 line spacing;
- Be submitted on A4-sized pages;
- Contain 8,000–10,000 words, inclusive of footnotes.
No abstract or proposal is required.
Word Limit
8,000–10,000 words, inclusive of footnotes.
Registration Fee
No registration fee.
There is also no requirement for prior registration before submission.
Submission Deadline
10 October 2026
The NLSIR submission form opens on 1 September 2026.
Prize
The winner of the NLSIR Chief Justice E.S. Venkataramiah Memorial Best Essay Prize will receive:
- ₹25,000 cash prize
- Publication in the National Law School of India Review (NLSIR)
- Citation plaque bearing the winner’s name
Competition Duration
The NLSIR essay competition is intended to be conducted annually, with the competition cycle taking place between July and September each year.
Important Points
- The competition is organised by NLSIR, the National Law School of India Review.
- Only undergraduate law students from BCI-recognised law schools are eligible.
- The essay must be single-authored.
- The essay must be original and unpublished.
- The prescribed word limit is 8,000–10,000 words including footnotes.
- OSCOLA citation style must be followed.
- There is no registration fee.
- The deadline for submission is 10 October 2026.
- The winning essay will be considered for publication in NLSIR in addition to the cash prize and citation plaque.
Official Information
For complete submission requirements and updates, refer to the official NLSIU announcement for the NLSIR Chief Justice E.S. Venkataramiah Memorial Best Essay Prize.
Application Procedure
Eligible students should prepare their essay in accordance with the NLSIR submission requirements and submit it through the official NLSIR/NLSIU submission form once submissions open on 1 September 2026.
Participants should ensure that the essay, bonafide certificate and formatting comply with the requirements prescribed by NLSIR before submission.
