NLIU Bhopal Announces National Article Writing & Presentation Competition On Labour & Employment Laws 2026

The competition is a flagship academic initiative aimed at advancing legal scholarship and fostering informed debate on contemporary issues in labour and employment law, while strengthening engagement between academic research and professional legal practice.

The competition will be conducted in two phases.

• Phase I: Manuscript Submission and a four-stage double-blind editorial review conducted by the CLL Editorial Board and Trilegal.
• Phase II: Presentation and Defence Round, where authors of the top 15 manuscripts present their research before a panel of senior Trilegal members and leading academicians.

1. Technology, AI Governance & Digital Workforce Transformation

2. Data Governance, Algorithmic Management & Workplace Surveillance

3. Platformisation of Work, Gig Economy Regulation & Worker Protections

4. Corporate Restructuring, M&A and Workforce Integration

5. New Labour Codes, Industrial Relations & Collective Bargaining

6. Future of Work : Reimagining Work & Employment Policies

1. Strategic labour due diligence in M&A transactions

2. Commercial structuring and cost allocation in employee transfers during

mergers/demergers

3. Post-merger compensation harmonisation and HR cost modelling

4. Restructuring-driven downsizing and associated commercial and reputational risks

5. Key Employee Retention Packages (KERP) in acquisitions and insolvency processes

6. Outsourcing and automation mandates with contractual risk allocation

7. Contractual safeguards in digital HR and hiring platform procurement

8. Automation-led cost efficiencies and workforce transition strategy

9. Compliance transitions under the Industrial Relations Code, 2020

10. Fixed-term employment contracts and social security under new labour codes

11. Gig worker classification and social protection frameworks

12. Collective bargaining rights and trade union recognition in platform economy

13. AI-driven performance evaluation and algorithmic bias mitigation

14. Remote work policies and cross-border employment compliance

15. ESG disclosures on workforce diversity and labour practices

16. Arbitration, dispute resolution and legal remedies in employment and gig work contracts

Submissions can be made under any of the following categories:

1. Articles: 4,000 to 10,000 words
2. Essays and Short Articles: 2,000 to 4,000 words
3. Case Comments: 2,500 to 5,000 words
4. Book Reviews: 1,500 to 3,000 words
5. Legislative Comments: 2,000 to 4,000 words

All submissions must meet high academic standards and adhere to the following:

Editorial Requirements

• Abstract: Every submission must include an abstract of 250-300 words that reflects the essence of the paper without referring to the full text.
• Plagiarism Policy: The competition maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy towards plagiarism. Submissions with an overall similarity index above 15% will be flagged or rejected.
• Co-authorship: Permitted for up to two authors.

Formatting Standards

• Format: MS Word (.doc or .docx)
• Font: Times New Roman
• Body Text: Size 12, 1.5 line spacing, justified alignment
• Footnotes: Size 10, single-spaced, justified alignment
• Citation Style: Strictly conform to OSCOLA (4th Edition)

Mode of Submission

• Submissions must be made only through the Google Form: https://forms.gle/cYDqPWFsswhbZSCQA

• Eligibility: Authors must be pursuing LL.B. (Hons.) / LL.B. / LL.M. from any recognized university for the academic year 2025-2026.
• Registration Fees:
• INR 650 for single-author submissions.
• INR 1,100 for co-authored submissions.
• Awards: Winners, Runners-Up, and Second Runners-Up will receive internship opportunities with Trilegal, cash prizes, and exclusive legal research database subscriptions.

• Registration Opens: December 16, 2025
• Submission Deadline: January 22, 2026
• Announcement of Results (Phase I): February 22, 2026
• Final Presentation Round (Phase II): March 08, 2026

Any query must be addressed to ntclel.cll@gmail.com with the subject line "Query: NTC-LEL 2026 Submission".

· Ms. Sakshi Sharma (Convenor, CLL): +91 84619 26245

· Mr. Vivek Rajurkar (Co-Convenor, CLL): +91 94049 02301

· Mr. Ali Asghar (Secretary, CLL): +91 76938 80552

For more information, click here for brochure