NUSRL Ranchi And IIM Ranchi To Host “Vidhan 2026”, National-Level Public Policy Competition On February 22

Scheduled to be held on 22 February 2026 at the IIM Ranchi campus, Vidhan 2026 will be conducted in offline mode and is open to students from all colleges and disciplines across India. Teams may comprise two to three members.

Institutional and Student-Society Collaboration

Vidhan 2026 represents a structured collaboration between a National Law University and a premier management institute, bringing together students and academic societies from diverse disciplinary backgrounds.

The competition is jointly organised by:

• Kautilya Society, NUSRL Ranchi
• Public Policy & Business Legality Club (Polytrics), IPM IIM Ranchi
• The Economics Club (Paradox), IPM IIM Ranchi

The initiative seeks to promote research-driven, evidence-based, and practice-oriented public policy discourse, encouraging students to engage with real-world governance challenges through applied formats.

About Vidhan – The Policy Triathlon

Vidhan – The Policy Triathlon is conceived as an interdisciplinary policy simulation that moves beyond theoretical analysis to assess participants' ability to respond to dynamic governance challenges. The competition focuses on evaluating how students engage with policy trade-offs, institutional constraints, and real-time decision-making scenarios that mirror actual policy environments.

Competition Structure

Vidhan 2026 will be conducted in three stages:

Stage I: Online Preliminary Quiz

An eliminatory screening round focused on public policy, governance, constitutional principles, economics, and decision-making.

Stage II: Position Paper Submission (250–300 words)

Shortlisted teams will submit a position paper on one of the notified contemporary policy themes. Submissions will be assessed on clarity of thought, analytical depth, normative reasoning, and policy coherence.

Position Paper Themes:

1. Lateral Entry of Retired Judges into Executive and Legislative Roles – Reform or Risk?
2. Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls: Constitutional Concerns and Democratic Implications
3. Viksit Bharat 2047: Required Political, Administrative, and Judicial Reforms

Stage III: Live Policy Hackathon (Offline at IIM Ranchi)

Finalist teams will participate in a live policy hackathon involving scenario-based simulations, real-time governance problem-solving, and presentations before an expert jury.

Important Dates

• 30 January 2026 – Registration Deadline
• 31 January 2026 – Online Preliminary Quiz
• 3 February 2026 – Position Paper Submission Deadline
• 22 February 2026 – Final Offline Round at IIM Ranchi

Prizes and Opportunities

Participants will compete for a total prize pool of ₹45,000, along with Manupatra course access for selected teams. Additionally, winners may receive an internship opportunity with the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, subject to availability and the terms and conditions of the organisation.

Academic and Knowledge Partners

The competition is supported by leading organisations in the field of law and public policy, including the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), Manupatra, Think India.

Registrations and Further Information

Detailed rules, timelines, and registration information are available via the official Linktree:
https://lnkd.in/gnPyVpkY

Contact Details

Kautilya Society, NUSRL Ranchi

• Gaurav Kumar Mandal
  gaurvkumar.mandal@nusrlranchi.ac.in
• Aishwarya Singh
  +91 8539829568

Public Policy & Business Legality Club (Polytrics), IIM Ranchi

• Soham Mondal
  +91 9531536783
• Jiya Bhatia
  +91 97557 35042

Vidhan 2026 aims to serve as a national platform for students to critically engage with public policy, design governance-oriented solutions, and contribute meaningfully to policy discourse in India.