Pradnya Bharati National Paper Presentation Competition 2026

About the Competition

The competition is an IQAC initiative under Shaastrarth Mandal (Jurist Club) and will be conducted online on 26 October 2026. The competition aims to provide a national academic platform for students and research scholars to explore and critically examine Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) and their contemporary relevance to law, society, governance, economics, history, political thought and other interdisciplinary fields.

Theme

The competition seeks research papers examining the richness of Bharatiya Dnyana Parampara (IKS) and its contemporary relevance.

A. IKS and Law

• Dharma and the Concept of Justice
• Nyaya and Indian Jurisprudence
• Dharma, Law and Social Order
• Rajadharma and Constitutional Governance
• Dandaniti and Contemporary Criminal Justice
• Arthashastra and Governance
• Narada Smriti and Dispute Resolution
• Brihaspati Smriti and Jurisprudence
• Manusmriti: Legal and Social Perspectives
• Customary Law in Indian Tradition
• Ancient Indian Judicial Institutions
• Panchayat and Traditional Dispute Resolution
• Mediation and Indian Knowledge Traditions
• Duties and Rights in Indian Legal Thought
• Ethics and Legal Profession in Bharatiya Tradition
• Environmental Jurisprudence in Indian Knowledge Traditions
• Uniform Civil Code and IKS perspectives
• IKS and Constitutional Values
• Relevance of Dharma in Contemporary Legal Discourse
• BRICS declaration and Bharat’s International pol

B. IKS and Family Law

• Family and Marriage in Bharatiya Tradition
• Concept of Vivaha in Indian Traditions
• Joint Family System: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives
• Duties and Responsibilities within the Family
• Stridhan and Property Rights
• Adoption in Ancient Indian Traditions
• Family, Kinship and Social Organisation
• Contemporary Family Law through an IKS Perspective

C. IKS and Economics

• Kautilya’s Arthashaastra and Economic Governance
• Wealth Creation in Indian Economic Thought
• Taxation in Ancient India
• Trade and Commerce in Indian Tradition
• Sustainable Economy and Indian Knowledge Systems
• Ethical Economics and Bharatiya Thought
• Agricultural Economy in Ancient India
• Economic Justice and Indian Philosophical Traditions

D. IKS and Sociology

• Indian Social Institutions
• Varna and Jati: Historical and Sociological Perspectives
• Family and Community in Indian Society
• Social Duties and Responsibilities
• Indian Perspectives on Social Harmony
• Women and Society in Indian Knowledge Traditions
• Community-Based Institutions in Bharat
• Social Justice in Bharatiya Thought

E. IKS and History

• Bharatiya Gurukul system
• Takshashila and Nalanda as Knowledge Centres
• Historical Development of Indian Jurisprudence
• Ancient Indian Administrative Systems
• Knowledge Transmission in Ancient India
• Indian Intellectual Traditions and Colonial Historiography

F. IKS and Political Science

• Rajadharma and Political Governance
• Saptanga Theory of State
• Kautilya’s Theory of State
• Indian Political Thought
• Concept of Good Governance in Bharatiya Tradition
• Diplomacy and Foreign Policy in Arthashastra
• Public Administration in Ancient India
• Leadership and Ethics in Indian Political Thought

G. Interdisciplinary IKS

Participants may also submit papers combining IKS with:

• Law + Sociology
• Law + Economics
• Law + History
• Law + Political Science
• Law + Philosophy
• Law + Management
• Law + Education
• Law + Environmental Studies
• Law + Technology
• Law + Literature
• Law + Psychology
• Law + Governance
• And other interdisciplinary combinations

Note: Any paper aligning with the themes or objectives may also be considered for presentation.

Objective

• To promote awareness and academic study of Indian Knowledge Systems.
• To encourage students and research scholars to research Bharatiya Dnyana Parampara.
• To explore the relationship between IKS and the Indian legal system.
• To encourage interdisciplinary research involving law, history, economics, sociology, political science and related disciplines.
• To connect traditional Indian knowledge with contemporary constitutional, legal, social and institutional questions.

Eligibility

The competition is open to regular students and research scholars from recognised educational institutions across Bharat.

The following categories are eligible:

1. Class XII students
2. Undergraduate students, including students pursuing B.A., B.Com., B.Sc., B.A.LL.B., LL.B. and other recognized UG programmes
3. Postgraduate students, including LL.M., M.A., M.Com., M.Sc. and other recognised PG programmes
4. M.Phil./Ph.D. research students
5. Participants may participate individually or as a team of two students.
6. Papers may be presented in English, Hindi or Marathi.

Structural & Formatting Requirements

Abstract

Participants must initially submit an abstract of approximately 200 words, along with four keywords.

Full Paper

The suggested length of the research paper is 1,300 words, including bibliography, references and footnotes.

The paper should include:

• Introduction
• Concept
• Research Gap
• Objectives
• Methodology
• Major Arguments/Findings
• Conclusion and Suggestions

File Format: Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx).

Page Layout: Standard A4 size, 1-inch (2.54 cm) margins on all sides.

Font Style: English: Times New Roman throughout the document.
For Marathi/Hindi: Unicode.

Font Size & Spacing:

• Main Text: 12 pt, Justified, 1.5-line spacing.
• Foot Note: 10 pt, Justified, single-line spacing.
• Paper Title: 16 pt, bold, centered.
• Headings (Level 1): 14 pt, bold, left-aligned.
• Sub-headings (Level 2): 12 pt, bold, left-aligned.

Plagiarism Limit: The similarity index must be below 10%. Proper citation should be provided.

References & Citations: Citation Style: Journal of Indian Law Institute/Bluebook Law Review should be used. Where available, please include DOI links for cited journal articles.

Abstract/Research Paper Submission Email: [email protected]

Paper Presentation

Selected participants will present their papers before a designated panel of judges/evaluators.

• Presentation Time: 5 minutes
• Q&A: 2 minutes

Evaluation Criteria

The papers and presentations may be evaluated on:

Awards

The following awards will be given:

• Winner: Certificate + Rs. 3,000 cash prize
• Runner-up: Certificate + Rs. 1,500 cash prize
• Best Research Paper: Certificate + Rs. 1,000 cash prize
• Best Speaker/Presenter: Certificate + Rs. 1,000 cash prize

Participants whose papers are accepted and presented before the panel will receive a Certificate of Presentation.

Publication Opportunity

There is no registration fee for participation.

Selected papers may be considered for publication in an ISSN-bearing peer-reviewed academic journal/proceedings, subject to editorial scrutiny, peer review where applicable, plagiarism screening, formatting requirements, and acceptance by the designated editorial committee/publisher.

Publication fees and other details are provided in the brochure below this post.

How to Register?

Check the registration details at the end of the post!

Important Dates

For any queries, please contact 9822107452 or 9049439385.

Click here to register!

Click here to visit the official website!