SACJ, WBNUJS is organising a national criminal law essay writing competition with registration open until September 20, 2026.
About West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences
The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata is a national law university committed to legal education, research and scholarship. The University encourages interdisciplinary engagement and critical inquiry into contemporary legal and social issues.
About SACJ, NUJS
The Society for Advancement of Criminal Justice is a student-run academic society at WBNUJS. Established in 2004, the Society promotes research, discussion and awareness on contemporary issues in criminal law and the criminal justice system.
SACJ organises guest lectures, workshops, competitions and other academic initiatives to encourage meaningful engagement with criminal justice.
About the Competition
SACJ, WBNUJS is organising the NUJS SACJ National Criminal Law Essay Writing Competition 2026.
The competition aims to provide students and research scholars with a platform to critically examine emerging issues in criminal law and criminal justice. Submissions should go beyond a descriptive discussion of the law and present independent research, critical analysis and well-reasoned arguments.
Themes
Participants may write on either of the following themes:
- Manosphere, Online Radicalisation and Rape Culture
- The Criminalisation of Dissent and Weaponisation of Public Order Laws
Eligibility Criteria
- Students enrolled in any undergraduate, postgraduate or Ph.D. programme may participate.
- Participants must be enrolled in an Indian university at the time of registration.
- Individual and co-authored submissions are permitted.
- A maximum of two authors is allowed per submission.
Submission Guidelines
- The maximum word limit is 3,000 words.
- Essays must be original and unpublished.
- Detailed formatting, citation and submission requirements will be provided in the official competition guidelines.
Important Dates
- Release of Topics: August 31, 2026
- Last Date for Registration: September 20, 2026
- Last Date for Submission: October 5, 2026
- Announcement of Results: November 1–5, 2026
Registration Fee
- Single Authorship: ₹300
- Co-Authorship, up to two authors: ₹500
Prizes
The competition carries a total cash prize pool of ₹15,000 for the top entries.
Further details regarding the distribution of the prize pool and other recognitions will be provided in the official competition guidelines.
Contact
Email: sacj@nujs.edu
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Application Procedure
Interested participants may register through the following:
Participants should complete the registration process and follow the submission requirements provided in the official competition guidelines.
The registration deadline is September 20, 2026, and the essay submission deadline is October 5, 2026.
