Kautilya Society NLUO Essay Writing Competition 2026
The Kautilya Society NLUO Essay Writing Competition 2026 invites students and other eligible participants to explore contemporary public policy issues through original research and thoughtful analysis. The Kautilya Society, NLUO is organising the competition in association with the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy.
The competition follows an open theme on public policy. Participants can choose their own topic from law, governance, public policy or another contemporary subject, as long as they establish a clear connection with Indian public policy. The competition offers a total prize pool of ₹12,500, along with an internship opportunity at the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy for the winners.
About the Essay Writing Competition
The Kautilya Society, NLUO is a student initiative of National Law University Odisha that focuses on public policy, research and informed discussion. The society aims to encourage students to explore public policy and related career fields, including development, advocacy, consultancy, economics and research.
The Kautilya Society, NLUO Chapter was established in association with the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy. The wider Kautilya Society initiative seeks to improve students’ access to legislative drafting and policy analysis while encouraging young people to consider public policy as a career path.
This 2nd Kautilya Society NLUO Essay Writing Competition 2026 provides participants with an opportunity to examine how law, policy and governance interact in real-world decision-making. It also encourages participants to contribute meaningful writing to discussions surrounding Indian public policy.
About the Institution
National Law University Odisha, Cuttack was established under Act 4 of 2008 by the Odisha State Legislature. The university focuses on legal education, research, knowledge dissemination and professional development.
NLUO also supports dedicated research centres and student societies that allow students to explore their academic and professional interests. The Kautilya Society is one such initiative, with a specific focus on public policy and allied subjects.
Theme and Eligibility
Theme: Open Theme on Public Policy
The competition follows an Open Theme on Public Policy. Participants can select a topic within law, public policy, governance or another subject of contemporary relevance.
However, the essay must establish a clear and strong nexus with Indian public policy. Participants may also write about international policy-oriented events, but Indian public policy must remain central to the discussion.
The competition encourages participants to examine issues such as policy implementation, accountability, stakeholder consultation and the relationship between law and governance. Therefore, participants should select topics that allow them to develop an original and well-supported argument.
Eligibility
The Kautilya Society NLUO Essay Writing Competition 2026 is open to:
- Students pursuing Five-Year or Three-Year LL.B. programmes.
- Students pursuing One-Year or Two-Year LL.M. programmes.
- Students who are not pursuing law but have an interest in the subject area.
Therefore, non-law students can also participate in the competition.
Submission Guidelines
Participants must prepare their essays according to the prescribed guidelines:
- Manuscripts must be submitted in .doc or .docx format.
- The essay must contain 1,500–2,000 words, excluding endnotes.
- Each manuscript must include an abstract of 50–100 words, which does not count towards the word limit.
- Participants should use hyperlinks as the preferred method of referencing. If hyperlinking is not possible, they may use endnotes.
- The prescribed font is Times New Roman, size 12.
- The manuscript must use 1.5 line spacing and justified alignment.
- The file name and manuscript must not reveal the author’s identity. Participants should instead use the title and team code once the organisers allot the code.
The competition also follows a strict plagiarism and AI policy. Submissions must have a similarity index below 10% and 0% AI detection. The organisers state that they will review false-positive AI results to determine whether a submission is genuinely original.
Participants should also ensure that their essays contain no grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors. The organisers recommend reviewing the Vidhi website to understand the type of submissions expected by the editorial board.
Evaluation Process
The organisers will evaluate submissions through a three-tier editorial process.
First Stage: The editors will conduct a preliminary and clerical check. This stage will examine requirements such as word count, formatting, plagiarism and compliance with the AI policy.
Second Stage: Editors will then assess the shortlisted manuscripts for originality, structure, quality of ideas, citations and language.
Third Stage: Selected articles will move to an external panel consisting of 3–4 members. The panel will decide which submissions may be published on the Vidhi Blog and select the winners of the competition.
Publication on the Vidhi Blog remains subject to the sole discretion of the External Panel.
Important Dates and Prizes
Participants should note the following important dates:
- Last Date for Registration: 13 September 2026
- Last Date for Submission: 28 September 2026
The competition offers a total prize pool of ₹12,500.
- Winner: ₹6,000
- Runner-up: ₹4,000
- Second Runner-up: ₹2,500
In addition to the cash prizes, the winners will receive an internship opportunity at the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy.
The top submissions may also be published on the Vidhi Blog, subject to approval by the External Panel. This gives participants an opportunity to gain wider visibility for their research and writing.
How to Participate
Participants must complete their registration by 13 September 2026. The organisers will allot team codes after registration and forward the submission link along with the respective team codes.
The registration fee is non-refundable and varies according to authorship and whether the participant is from NLUO.
| Category | NLUO Students | Non-NLUO Students |
|---|---|---|
| Single Authorship | ₹200 | ₹300 |
| Co-Authorship | ₹300 | ₹500 |
Submission Process
The organisers will share the submission link after registration along with the participant’s team code. Participants should ensure that the information submitted during registration matches the information provided in the submission form.
For registration and the original competition announcement, participants can refer to the official post below:
Register for the Kautilya Society NLUO Essay Writing Competition 2026
Participants should carefully review the complete competition brochure before registering and preparing their manuscripts. Submissions that do not follow the prescribed guidelines may be rejected by the Editorial Board.
For queries, participants can contact the Kautilya Society, NLUO at ksociety@nluo.ac.in.
Contact Details:
- Email: ksociety@nluo.ac.in
- Convenor: Aryan Chowdhury — +91 8318262740
- Co-Convenor: Nidhi Rai — +91 9560392741
- Editor-in-Chief: Adrija Dey — +91 9109910526
