The National Law School of India Review (NLSIR), NLSIU Bengaluru, has announced the inaugural Chief Justice E.S. Venkataramiah Memorial Best Essay Prize, a national essay competition open to undergraduate law students across India.
Opportunity Details
- Organiser: National Law School of India Review (NLSIR), NLSIU Bengaluru
- Competition: Chief Justice E.S. Venkataramiah Memorial Best Essay Prize
- Theme: “Does the Constitution Choose an Economic Model? Directive Principles and the Question of Ideological Neutrality”
- Eligibility: Undergraduate law students across India
- Word Limit: 8,000–10,000 words, inclusive of footnotes
- Language: English
- Submission Deadline: October 10, 2026
- Submission Fee: None
- Prior Registration: Not required
Theme
The inaugural edition examines whether the Constitution is neutral between competing economic models, particularly in the context of the Directive Principles concerning property, distribution and the common good.
Participants are expected to use Property Owners’ Association v. State of Maharashtra (2024) as a starting point to examine whether and to what extent the Constitution embeds, permits, or rejects particular economic visions.
Essays should go beyond a case comment and may engage with comparative constitutional perspectives, political theory and economic theory.
Eligibility
The competition is open to all undergraduate law students, including students enrolled in:
- Five-year integrated law programmes
- Three-year LL.B. programmes
Students must be enrolled at a law school recognised by the Bar Council of India (BCI) at the time of submission.
Submission Guidelines
Entries must:
- Be original, unpublished and single-authored
- Be written in English
- Clear anti-plagiarism checks
- Include a bonafide certificate confirming undergraduate law enrolment
- Follow Times New Roman, 12-point font, 1.5 spacing and A4 formatting
- Follow the OSCOLA citation style
- Comply with the NLSIR Style Guide and applicable policies
Abstracts or proposals are not required and will not be considered separately.
Prize
The winning entry will receive:
- Cash Prize of ₹25,000
- Citation plaque bearing the winner’s name
- Publication in NLSIR
Shortlisted entries will be evaluated by a panel of eminent academics and practitioners with relevant subject-matter expertise.
How to Apply
Submissions can be made directly through the official submission form. The form will begin accepting entries from September 1, 2026.
Deadline: October 10, 2026
View the NLSIR Repository and Style Guide
For queries, contact [email protected].
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