4th ILPS Essay Writing Competition 2026
The International Law and Policy Society (ILPS), National Law University Odisha (NLUO), is organising the 4th ILPS Essay Writing Competition 2026. The competition invites original essays on public international law and foreign policy, with this year’s theme focusing on Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL) and the Global South.
Participants can explore contemporary questions around international law, global governance, economic dependency, investment arbitration and the unequal application of international legal rules. The competition offers a ₹15,000 cash prize pool, along with publication and certificate opportunities.
About the ILPS Essay Writing Competition
The International Law and Policy Society (ILPS) at National Law University Odisha works to promote discussion and research in public international law, international affairs and foreign policy. The society engages with scholars, universities, policymakers, think tanks and intergovernmental organisations through research initiatives, seminars, publications and academic projects.
The 4th ILPS Essay Writing Competition builds on this objective by providing students and other eligible participants with a platform to analyse contemporary international issues. The competition also encourages participants to examine India’s position on important questions of international law and foreign policy.
Participants must submit an original analytical essay connected with public international law or foreign policy. Essays should address relevant contemporary developments and present arguments in a clear and structured manner.
The organisers have also set a maximum similarity limit of 10% and strictly prohibit the use of AI in submissions.
Theme and Eligibility
The central theme of the ILPS Essay Writing Competition 2026 is:
“Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL): Rethinking the Discipline from the Global South”
The theme encourages participants to examine international law from the perspective of countries and communities in the Global South. It also creates scope for critical analysis of how historical, political and economic structures have shaped the international legal system.
The organisers have suggested the following indicative sub-themes:
- Sources of International Law: Examining colonial-era biases in the application and interpretation of Article 38 of the ICJ Statute.
- Trade and Debt Dependencies: Analysing global trade arrangements and lending conditions that may sustain economic dependency.
- Investment Arbitration: Examining the retreat of Global South countries from investor-state dispute settlement frameworks.
- Selective Enforcement: Studying double standards and asymmetric enforcement in international law.
- Global Commons: Evaluating who benefits from shared global resources and how international law distributes those benefits.
These themes are indicative, so participants can develop their essays around related questions within the broader scope of TWAIL, international law and the Global South.
The competition is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students from all disciplines. The organisers also welcome submissions from scholars, academicians, journalists, policymakers, research scholars and NGOs.
Participants can submit an essay individually or with one co-author. Therefore, each submission can have a maximum of two authors.
Essay Guidelines and Submission
Each essay must present original research and focus on an issue connected with public international law or foreign policy. Participants should develop a clear argument and support it through appropriate research and legal sources.
The essay should contain 2,500 to 3,000 words. Participants must submit their work in a .docx file during the required format stage. The prescribed formatting requirements are Times New Roman, 12-point font, 1.5 line spacing, justified alignment and 1-inch margins.
For citations, participants can use either Bluebook 20th edition or OSCOLA 4th edition. However, the chosen citation style must remain consistent throughout the essay.
The final submission must be in PDF format and should follow the naming requirements specified by the organisers, including the relevant team code.
Participants should also carefully check their essays before submission. Entries that fail to follow the prescribed guidelines or exceed the 10% similarity limit can face rejection. The competition also maintains a strict prohibition on AI-generated work.
Registration and Submission Process
Registration for the 4th ILPS Essay Writing Competition 2026 opened on September 2, 2026, and closes on September 20, 2026.
The registration fee is:
- ₹250 for single authorship
- ₹400 for co-authorship, with a maximum of two authors
Participants must make the payment through the SBI Collect portal, which supports UPI, debit cards, credit cards and net banking. The SBI Collect payment receipt must then be attached to the registration form.
After registration, the organisers will share the submission link through the registered email ID. Participants should therefore use an active email address while completing the registration process.
For official competition information, participants can check the ILPS NLUO official details page:
Registration Link- https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdaCOGrQlaosn7RHaFZ9KgppMRO7RPC213TnCbjbnPaZEMyNQ/viewform
Prizes and Important Dates
The 4th ILPS Essay Writing Competition 2026 offers a total cash prize pool of ₹15,000.
The prizes are:
- Winner: ₹7,500
- Runner-Up: ₹5,000
- Second Runner-Up: ₹2,500
Beyond the cash prizes, the competition also offers additional recognition. The top 10 entries will be eligible for publication on the ILPS blog. The top five entries will receive Certificates of Merit, while all participants will receive Certificates of Participation.
Important Dates
Registration opened on September 2, 2026, and the last date to register is September 20, 2026. The final essay submission deadline is September 30, 2026.
Participants should complete registration before the deadline because the submission link will reach them through their registered email after registration.
Contact Details
For queries regarding the competition, the organisers have provided the following email: ilps.nluo.ac.in
Before registering, participants should also review the official competition information and confirm the latest submission instructions, formatting requirements and deadlines.
