MNLU Nagpur To Host Two-Day National Conference On Four Decades of NDPS Act (April 10–11, 2026)
Maharashtra National Law University, Nagpur (MNLU Nagpur) is organising a Two-Day National Conference titled “Four Decades of the NDPS Act, 1985: Jurisprudential Evolution, Contemporary Challenges, and India's Visionary Roadmap Towards a Drug-Free India by 2047”, scheduled to be held on 10–11 April 2026.
The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act) has served as the principal legislative framework governing narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in India for nearly four decades. Over the y
ears, the enforcement and interpretation of the Act have given rise to several complex legal and institutional issues relating to criminal procedure, evidentiary standards, bail jurisprudence, sentencing principles, and the broader constitutional balance between stringent narcotics control and the protection of personal liberty and due process.
In view of these evolving developments, the Conference aims to provide a serious academic and policy platform for examining the jurisprudential evolution of the NDPS regime and the contemporary challenges associated with narcotics regulation in India. The deliberations will bring together members of the judiciary, legal scholars, academicians, practitioners, law enforcement officials, public policy experts, and researchers to engage in meaningful dialogue on the legal, constitutional, and institutional dimensions of narcotics control.
The Conference will be conducted over two days and will feature plenary sessions and technical paper presentations, facilitating discussion on both doctrinal and practical aspects of NDPS law.
As part of the Conference, original and unpublished research papers are invited from academicians, researchers, legal practitioners, policy experts, and students. Submissions may adopt doctrinal, comparative, theoretical, empirical, or interdisciplinary approaches addressing the issues surrounding narcotics law and criminal justice administration in India. Selected authors will have the opportunity to present their papers during the technical sessions of the Conference.
Furthermore, selected papers, subject to peer review and editorial scrutiny, will be considered for publication in a Special Issue of the Contemporary Law Review.
Participants are advised that the mode of citation for all submissions shall follow the MNLU Mode of Citation, which can be accessed through the following link:
https://www.nlunagpur.ac.in/PDF/2019/MNLU Mode of Citation and Guideline for Researchers.pdf
Abstracts must be submitted through the following submission link:
https://forms.gle/T6WDFHQqkUPmseJk7
For details, click here for Brochure
The last date for submission of abstracts is 22 March 2026.
For detailed information regarding the conference themes, submission guidelines, registration details, and important dates, interested participants are encouraged to refer to the Conference Brochure.
For further queries or clarifications, interested persons may reach out to:
- Conference Email: ncndps@nlunagpur.ac.in
- Dr. Trisha Mittal, Faculty Coordinator - trishamittal@nlunagpur.ac.in
- Naman Sharma, Student Coordinator - 9131793638, namansharma@nlunagpur.ac.in
- Nandini, Student Coordinator – 8619245868, nandini@nlunagpur.ac.in
- Alen Thomas Pallatu – 7306174983, alenpallattu@nlunagpur.ac.in
The Conference seeks to contribute meaningfully to the ongoing discourse on narcotics law, criminal justice administration, and policy reform in India, while also aligning scholarly dialogue with the broader national vision of achieving a Drug-Free India by 2047.