Durg District Court Organises Campus Mediation Competition Under Mediation 3.0

More than 100 students registered for the competition, which aimed to familiarise young people with mediation and highlight the importance of dialogue, mutual understanding and voluntary consent in resolving disputes.

The competition was organised under the guidance of Shri K. Vinod Kujur, Principal District and Sessions Judge, Durg, and Chairman, District Legal Services Authority, Durg. The Equal Opportunity Cell of Government Vishwanath Yadav Tamaskar Postgraduate Autonomous College also participated in the initiative.

The programme was organised as part of the nationwide Mediation 3.0 campaign, conducted from August 1 to December 31, 2026, under the guidance of the Supreme Court's Mediation and Conciliation Project Committee.

Judicial Officers Emphasise Dialogue and Consent-Based Justice

Addressing the gathering, Shri K. Vinod Kujur emphasised the need to develop awareness of mediation among young people. Sharing experiences from his student life, he said mediation had been an integral part of social traditions and encouraged students to carry forward a culture of dialogue, mutual understanding and peaceful resolution of differences.

Prof. Dr. Sanjay Tiwari, Vice-Chancellor of Hemchand Yadav Vishwavidyalaya, Durg, highlighted the importance of mediation and alternative dispute resolution, and the need for student participation in such academic initiatives and coordination between universities and judicial institutions.

Shri Anish Dubey, District and Additional Sessions Judge, Durg, referred to the famous film dialogue "Date after Date" to draw attention to delays in the judicial process, the large number of pending cases and limited judicial resources.

He explained that National and State-level Lok Adalats play an important role in disposing of pending cases, while Mediation 3.0 is another effort to encourage amicable dispute resolution.

Psychology's Role in Mediation Highlighted

The programme also highlighted the role of psychology in mediation, particularly in understanding human behaviour, emotions and interpersonal relationships to identify the root causes of disputes and facilitate constructive conversations.

Students were introduced to skills such as active listening, empathy, effective communication, logical thinking, settlement-building and dispute management, which can be useful in their professional, personal and social lives.

Students Participate in Group and Individual Competitions

Students demonstrated their abilities in dialogue, negotiation and consensus-building through group and individual competitions.

In the group competition, Group 8, comprising Yamini Baghel, Neeta Sahu, Aditya Ku. Chandrapakshi and Mrinal Dap, secured the first prize. Group 5, comprising Kanchana Kosha, Karuna Jain, Sandhya Thakur and Anjali Verma, won the second prize, while Group 2, comprising Shreya Sahu, Garima Sahu, Omkumari and Dhyasant Sahu, secured the third prize.

At the undergraduate level, Mrinal Dap won the first prize, followed by Toshi and Shlok in second and third positions, respectively.

At the postgraduate level, Asha secured the first prize, while Anjali and Neetu won the second and third prizes, respectively.

The programme was attended by judicial officers, university and college officials, faculty members, students, officers and staff of the District Legal Services Authority, and Para Legal Volunteers.

The initiative highlighted the role of collaboration between judicial and academic institutions in promoting mediation and encouraging a culture of peaceful dispute resolution through dialogue, mutual understanding and voluntary consent.