R. Thandapani Memorial National Moot Competition 2026
The R. Thandapani Memorial National Moot Competition 2026 is being organised by the Moot Court Society of Sir Issac Newton Law College, Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu. The competition will bring together law students from BCI-recognised institutions for a national-level offline moot court competition. The registration deadline is September 6, 2026.
The competition is designed to give participating students an opportunity to develop their legal research, written advocacy and oral argumentation skills through multiple rounds of competition.
About the R. Thandapani Memorial National Moot Competition 2026
The competition is being organised in memory of R. Thandapani and marks the Moot Court Society’s first step onto the national stage. According to the organisers, the competition aims to provide a platform where young legal minds can research, argue and engage with legal issues while carrying forward his educational legacy.
The event will be conducted entirely in offline mode at the campus of Sir Issac Newton Law College in Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu.
Eligibility and Team Composition
The R. Thandapani Memorial National Moot Competition 2026 is open to bona fide students pursuing either a 5-year or 3-year LL.B. programme from institutions recognised by the Bar Council of India.
Each institution can send only one team to the competition. A team must consist of three members, comprising two speakers and one researcher.
Competition Format
The competition will begin with 20 teams, which will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis. Each team will participate in two preliminary rounds, appearing once as the Petitioner and once as the Respondent against different opponents.
Based on the aggregate scores from the preliminary rounds, the top eight teams will qualify for the quarter-finals. The competition will then follow a knockout format through the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.
The preliminary rounds and quarter-finals are scheduled for October 10, 2026, followed by the semi-finals, final and valedictory ceremony on October 11, 2026.
Researcher’s Test
A Researcher’s Test will be conducted during the preliminary stage. The test will assess the researcher’s legal research and analytical abilities, along with their understanding of the moot proposition.
Questions may cover the facts, legal issues, statutory provisions, precedents, legal principles and authorities relevant to the proposition. The researcher will not address the court during the oral rounds.
The Researcher’s Test score will not be included in the team’s oral-round score. Instead, it will be used for determining the Best Researcher Award and, where applicable, as a tie-breaker for qualification to the quarter-finals.
Registration Fee
The registration fee is ₹5,000 per team. The fee includes accommodation and food for participating teams.
Teams must complete their registration by September 6, 2026.
Important Dates
| Particulars | Date |
|---|---|
| Registration closes | September 6, 2026 |
| Last date for clarifications | September 10, 2026 |
| Release of clarifications | September 12, 2026 |
| Soft copy memorial submission | October 1, 2026 |
| Hard copy memorial submission | October 9, 2026 |
| Inauguration & Researcher’s Test | October 9, 2026 |
| Preliminary Rounds & Quarter-Finals | October 10, 2026 |
| Semi-Finals, Final & Valedictory | October 11, 2026 |
Prizes
The R. Thandapani Memorial National Moot Competition 2026 offers cash prizes across several categories.
- Winner: ₹1,00,000 + Trophy + Certificate
- Runner-Up: ₹50,000 + Trophy + Certificate
- Best Memorial: ₹5,000 + Trophy + Certificate
- Best Researcher: ₹5,000 + Trophy + Certificate
- Best Speaker – Women: ₹5,000 + Trophy + Certificate
- Best Speaker – Men: ₹5,000 + Trophy + Certificate
How to Register
Interested teams can complete their registration through the official registration form before the September 6 deadline.
Click here to register for the R. Thandapani Memorial National Moot Competition 2026.
Contact Details
For queries regarding the competition, participants can contact:
Ms. M. Pavatharani, Assistant Professor & Faculty Convener — 9080548740
Ms. B. Sneha, Assistant Professor & Faculty Convener — 6379814552
Mr. S. Vishva, Assistant Professor & Faculty Coordinator — 8531896054
B.V. Kishore Kumar, Student Convenor, President MCS — 7010414638
U. Poongothai, Student Coordinator, President MCS — 9342941340
