IDIA Corporate Blog Writing Competition 2026
The IDIA Corporate Blog Writing Competition 2026 invites law students and young scholars to write on contemporary developments in corporate and commercial law. The competition is organised by the IDIA UP-Hyderabad Chapter.
About the IDIA Corporate Blog Writing Competition 2026
The competition provides a platform for law students and young scholars to engage with contemporary legal issues through critical and analytical writing. It also aims to encourage meaningful conversations at the intersection of law, policy and society while strengthening participants’ research and writing abilities.
The competition also supports IDIA’s broader mission of increasing access to quality legal education for underprivileged communities. Therefore, participants can contribute to legal scholarship while supporting a wider cause of inclusion and diversity in the legal profession.
About IDIA
Increasing Diversity by Increasing Access to Legal Education (IDIA) is a nationwide initiative founded in 2010 by the late Prof. (Dr.) Shamnad Basheer. Its objective is to advance equitable access to quality legal education for underprivileged and marginalised communities.
IDIA identifies students with an aptitude for law and provides academic training and support to help them pursue legal education. The brochure states that the initiative operates through 25 chapters and a network of 800+ student volunteers.
You can learn more about the organisation through the official IDIA website.
The Sponsor: Fox & Mandal
Fox & Mandal (F&M) is the sponsor of the competition. Founded in 1896, the firm describes itself as one of India’s oldest full-service law firms, with offices in Kolkata, New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Its practice areas include corporate and commercial law, dispute resolution, banking and finance, insolvency, employment, infrastructure and real estate.
About the Publishing Partner
The Arbitration & Corporate Law Review (ACLR) is the official publication partner. It focuses on contemporary developments in arbitration, corporate, commercial, financial regulation and fintech law.
Importantly, the top three articles will be published by ACLR. This gives the winning authors an opportunity to have their work reach students, academics, practitioners and industry professionals.
About SCC Online
SCC Online, developed by Eastern Book Company, is the competition’s exclusive media partner through SCC Times. The platform provides access to case law, legislation, journals, legal commentaries and other legal research resources.
SCC Times will promote the competition across its digital platforms and social media channels.
The Organising Chapters
The competition is associated with the IDIA UP-Chapter at RMLNLU and the IDIA Hyderabad-Chapter at NALSAR. The brochure highlights the academic and legal significance of both institutions.
Competition Rules and Guidelines
Participants must critically engage with contemporary developments in corporate and commercial law. The suggested sub-themes include:
- Corporate liability in the digital economy
- Corporate fraud, white-collar crime and regulatory enforcement
- Mergers, acquisitions and corporate restructuring
- Private equity, venture capital and start-up regulation
- Cross-border investments and international commercial law
- FinTech, digital assets and financial regulation
- Shareholder rights and minority protection
The themes are indicative, so participants may explore another contemporary issue within the broader theme.
Submission Requirements
The article should comply with the following requirements:
- Word limit: 1,500–2,000 words
- Format: MS Word (.doc/.docx)
- Font: Times New Roman, 12 pt
- Spacing: 1.5
- Alignment: Justified
- Footnotes: Times New Roman, 10 pt, single spacing
- Citation: Hyperlinks should be used wherever possible; otherwise, OSCOLA 5th edition should be followed.
The submission must be original and unpublished. It must also remain completely anonymous, without author names, institutional affiliations or other identifying information in the manuscript. A maximum of two authors is permitted.
Plagiarism and AI use are treated strictly. Entries with more than 15% similarity will be rejected, while the use of AI tools for drafting can result in disqualification.
Entries will be evaluated on originality, depth of research, clarity, coherence, relevance, quality of analysis and writing style.
IDIA Corporate Blog Writing Competition 2026: Themes
The competition is particularly suitable for students interested in corporate law, commercial law, insolvency, financial regulation, technology law and legal research.
Since the themes are only indicative, participants have some flexibility in selecting a contemporary corporate or commercial law issue. However, the chosen topic should clearly fall within the broader competition theme.
Prizes and Internship Opportunities
The IDIA Corporate Blog Writing Competition 2026 offers a total prize pool of ₹30,000:
| Position | Prize |
|---|---|
| Winner | ₹15,000 |
| Runner-up | ₹10,000 |
| Second Runner-up | ₹5,000 |
There is also an important career opportunity. The top three contenders will have an opportunity to intern with Fox & Mandal, subject to the firm’s conditions. In addition, the top three articles will be published by ACLR.
Registration
Participants must register before submitting their manuscript.
The registration fee is:
- Single authorship: ₹500
- Co-authorship: ₹700
How to Apply
The brochure provides separate links for registration and manuscript submission. The registration form is available here:
Payment Details
The brochure lists the following payment details for registration:
Account Holder: IDIA CHARITABLE TRUST
Bank: HDFC Bank
Account Type: Savings
IFSC: HDFC0001208
Branch: No. 70/2, Bangalore Main Branch, Millers Road, Bangalore – 560 052
Participants should verify the payment instructions in the official registration material before making the payment.
Important Dates
The key timeline for the IDIA Corporate Blog Writing Competition 2026 is:
- Submission deadline: 31 October 2026
- Screening and evaluation: November 2026
- Results: 10 December 2026
Contact Us
For queries regarding the competition, participants can contact:
- Anjuli Pandey: +91 8329375903
- Khushi Jain: +91 7206222620
- Shambhavi S.: +91 7644029039
- Samaikya Rao: +91 9494582120
- Spriha Jain: +91 9205976964
- Riya Chauhan: +91 89797 20335
Email: rmlnluteam@idialaw.org / nalsarteam@idialaw.org
Quick Details
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Competition | IDIA Corporate Blog Writing Competition 2026 |
| Organiser | IDIA UP-Hyderabad Chapter |
| Theme | Contemporary Corporate & Commercial Law |
| Word Limit | 1,500–2,000 words |
| Co-authors | Maximum 2 authors |
| Registration Fee | ₹500 single / ₹700 co-authorship |
| Prize Pool | ₹30,000 |
| Internship | Top 3 contenders may intern with Fox & Mandal |
| Publication | Top 3 articles by ACLR |
| Deadline | 31 October 2026 |
| Results | 10 December 2026 |
| Mode | Online |
