NUJS SACJ National Criminal Law Essay Writing Competition 2026
The NUJS SACJ National Criminal Law Essay Writing Competition 2026 invites students and research scholars across India to critically examine contemporary issues in criminal law and criminal justice. The competition is organised by the Society for Advancement of Criminal Justice (SACJ), a student-run academic society at the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS), Kolkata.
Participants can choose between two contemporary criminal law themes and submit an original essay of up to 3,000 words. The competition offers a total cash prize pool of ₹15,000. Registration closes on 20 September 2026, while the final submission deadline is 5 October 2026.
About the Essay Writing Competition
The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS), Kolkata, is a premier national law university known for its focus on legal education, research and scholarship. The university also encourages interdisciplinary engagement with contemporary legal and social issues.
The Society for Advancement of Criminal Justice (SACJ) is a student-run academic society at WBNUJS that focuses on criminal law and the criminal justice system. Established in 2004, SACJ is one of the oldest student-run societies at the university and the only academic society under the Student Juridical Association (SJA).
The Society regularly conducts guest lectures, workshops, competitions and other academic initiatives. Through these activities, SACJ encourages students to engage with emerging questions in criminal justice.
The NUJS SACJ National Criminal Law Essay Writing Competition 2026 provides a national platform for students and research scholars to explore contemporary criminal law issues. The competition expects participants to move beyond simply describing existing law. Instead, essays should demonstrate independent research, critical analysis and well-reasoned arguments.
This makes the competition particularly relevant for students interested in criminal law, criminal justice, legal research and academic writing.
Themes and Eligibility
Participants can choose either one of the following themes for their essay:
- Manosphere, Online Radicalisation and Rape Culture
- The Criminalisation of Dissent and Weaponisation of Public Order Laws
Both themes address significant contemporary questions surrounding criminal justice, public order, technology and society. Participants should therefore develop a clear argument and support their analysis through appropriate legal research.
Eligibility
The competition is open to:
- Students enrolled in any UG, PG or PhD programme.
- Participants enrolled in an Indian University at the time of registration.
The eligibility criteria therefore extend beyond law students. Students and research scholars from eligible undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes can participate.
Submission Guidelines and Prizes
Participants can submit their essays individually or jointly. However, each submission can have a maximum of two authors.
The key submission requirements include:
- Word limit: 3,000 words
- Authorship: Individual or co-authorship
- Maximum authors: Two
- Originality: Essays must be original and unpublished
- Formatting and citation: Participants must follow the detailed requirements in the official competition guidelines.
The competition focuses on original and analytical writing. Therefore, participants should avoid a purely descriptive treatment of their chosen topic. A strong essay should develop a clear position, engage with relevant legal materials and present a coherent argument.
Prizes
The NUJS SACJ National Criminal Law Essay Writing Competition 2026 offers a total cash prize pool of ₹15,000 for the top entries.
The detailed distribution of the prize money and any additional recognitions will be provided in the official competition guidelines.
Registration Fees
The registration fee depends on the number of authors:
- Single authorship: ₹300
- Co-authorship, up to two authors: ₹500
Important Dates and Registration
Students interested in the NUJS SACJ National Criminal Law Essay Writing Competition 2026 should keep the following dates in mind:
| Particulars | Date |
|---|---|
| Release of Topics | 31 August 2026 |
| Last Date for Registration | 20 September 2026 |
| Last Date for Submission | 5 October 2026 |
| Announcement of Results | 1–5 November 2026 |
Registration must be completed by 20 September 2026. After registration, participants must submit their essays by 5 October 2026.
Interested participants can register through the official registration form:
Register for the NUJS SACJ National Criminal Law Essay Writing Competition 2026
For queries regarding the competition, participants can contact SACJ at sacj@nujs.edu.
