Call for Chapters 2026: The Weight of Choice
The Call for Chapters Consumer Law 2026 is being organised by the Chair on Consumer Research and Policy (CCRP), National University of Study and Research in Law (NUSRL), Ranchi. The proposed edited book is titled “The Weight of Choice: Consumers, Competition and the Contours of Protection.”
The call invites original contributions examining emerging issues in consumer protection, competition law, digital markets, vulnerable consumers and other areas where consumer law intersects with modern economic and regulatory challenges. The manuscript submission deadline is 15 November 2026.
About the Call for Chapters Consumer Law 2026
The book examines how consumer protection must respond to increasingly complex markets. According to the call, consumers today interact with dominant digital platforms, personalised pricing systems, algorithms, online marketplaces, financial technology and other modern services.
The proposed volume therefore looks beyond traditional consumer-seller relationships. It explores the intersection of consumer law, competition law, contract law, environmental regulation, insurance, real estate and digital markets.
The call is issued by the Chair on Consumer Research and Policy at NUSRL Ranchi, which was established in October 2024 by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Government of India. The Chair focuses on research, teaching and training in consumer law and consumer protection.
The organisers are inviting submissions from academicians, researchers, practitioners, policy experts, law students and other eligible contributors. Selected papers will be considered for publication as chapters in an accredited book bearing an ISBN.
Themes and Submission Categories
The central theme of the Call for Chapters Consumer Law 2026 is “The Weight of Choice: Consumers, Competition and the Contours of Protection.” Authors can choose any topic that falls within the broad theme and its suggested sub-themes.
The call highlights the following areas:
1. Jurisdictional Overlap Between the CCPA and the CCI
Possible topics include:
- Predatory and personalised pricing as both competition and consumer harm.
- Platform self-preferencing as deception and market abuse.
- Merger review through a consumer-welfare lens.
2. Greenwashing and the Limits of Consumer Trust
Contributors may examine:
- Deceptive sustainability claims and the gap between disclosure and verification.
- Eco-labelling standards and the absence of independent certification.
- Corporate environmental claims and enforcement under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
3. Vulnerable Consumers: Protection Beyond the Default User
Suggested areas include:
- Children and loot-box or in-app purchase designs in gaming and edtech applications.
- Elderly consumers and UPI or digital lending fraud.
- Consumers with disabilities and accessibility as an unaddressed consumer right.
4. Gig Workers as Consumers, Not Just Labour
The suggested themes include platform dependency, the absence of consumer-side protection for delivery and ride-share workers, algorithmic deactivation and due process, and insurance and welfare gaps viewed through consumer rather than labour law.
5. Consumer Law Beyond E-Commerce
Authors can explore issues such as:
- Health insurance claims and the overlap with contract law.
- RERA and the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 in relation to real estate consumers.
- Consumer protection in edtech and the coaching-industry boom.
6. Class Actions and the Underused Section 35(1)(c)
Possible topics include structural barriers to consumer litigation in India, comparative lessons from US/EU class-action and representative-action models, and funding, notice and coordination issues in consumer class suits.
The organisers clarify that authors have the discretion to choose any topic, provided it falls within the broader theme and suggested sub-themes.
Submission Guidelines and Eligibility
The Call for Chapters Consumer Law 2026 accepts submissions in four categories:
- Articles: 5,000–6,000 words
- Short Articles: 2,500–4,000 words
- Legislative Comments: 1,500–2,500 words
- Book Reviews: 1,000–2,500 words
The specified word limits are inclusive of footnotes. Submissions must be original, unpublished and not under consideration for publication elsewhere.
Formatting Requirements
Manuscripts should follow these formatting requirements:
- Font: Times New Roman
- Heading/Sub-heading: 16/14
- Main text: 12 pt
- Footnotes: 10 pt
- Line spacing: 1.5 for the main text and single spacing for footnotes
- Alignment: Justified
All citations must follow the Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (21st Edition). Manuscripts must be submitted in Microsoft Word format (.doc or .docx).
Author Details and Co-Authorship
A separate cover page should contain the author’s:
- Name
- Institutional affiliation/designation
- Contact email
- Phone number
The cover page should be submitted as a separate document and should not form part of the main chapter.
The organisers permit a maximum of two authors per submission. All submissions will undergo a blind peer-review process, so the manuscript itself should not contain information that reveals the author’s name or institutional affiliation.
Eligibility
The call is open to individuals engaged in academic research, legal practice and public policy. Submissions are invited from:
- Academicians and faculty members
- Legal practitioners and policy professionals
- Research scholars and doctoral candidates
- Postgraduate and undergraduate students from recognised universities and institutions
Interdisciplinary contributions from areas such as law, economics, public policy, business and technology are also encouraged when they engage with consumer protection, market regulation or consumer rights.
Publication and Submission
Selected submissions will be published as chapters in an accredited book bearing an ISBN. The call states that submission and publication are free of cost, and each author will receive one complimentary copy of the published volume.
The manuscript should be submitted through the form provided in the official call:
For related queries, the editorial team has provided the email address cerp@nusrlranchi.ac.in.
The book will be published under the aegis of the Chair on Consumer Research & Policy, established by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Government of India.
Important Dates
The important dates for the Call for Chapters Consumer Law 2026 are:
- Release of Call for Chapters: 14 September 2026
- Last Date for Paper Submission: 15 November 2026
- First Phase of Acceptance: 1 December 2026
- Editorial Feedback Communication: 25 December 2026
- Release of Book Name: 1 January 2027
- Final Acceptance: 5 January 2027
- Expected Publication: February–March 2027
The organising team notes that these dates are tentative and may be changed at its discretion.
For law students and researchers interested in consumer protection research, competition law, digital markets and emerging consumer rights issues, this Call for Chapters Consumer Law 2026 provides an opportunity to contribute to an edited academic volume while engaging with contemporary developments in consumer law.
