NyayaTech: The Digital Justice Conclave 2026
About NyayaTech Digital Justice Conclave 2026
NyayaTech Digital Justice Conclave 2026 is the first edition of a digital justice-focused conclave organised by Vidhimitra, the Legal Aid Cell of Dharmashastra National Law University (DNLU), Jabalpur, in collaboration with the Madhya Pradesh State Legal Services Authority (MPSLSA). The conclave is scheduled for 10 and 11 October 2026.
The name NyayaTech combines Nyaya, meaning justice, with Technology. The conclave explores how technology can improve access to justice, legal aid, dispute resolution and community legal services. It focuses on the growing role of digital tools in making legal systems more accessible and inclusive.
DNLU Jabalpur established Vidhimitra, its Legal Aid Cell, in 2018. The cell works to make the legal system more accessible to the public. Its activities include free legal advice, legal awareness programmes, connections with lawyers and legal aid outreach. The conclave builds on this mission by examining how technology can strengthen legal literacy and access to justice.
The collaboration with MPSLSA also connects the event with the broader legal aid framework in India. The Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 provides the statutory foundation for free and competent legal services to eligible sections of society. The NyayaTech Digital Justice Conclave 2026 therefore brings together legal education, technology, research and access-to-justice initiatives.
Competitions and Events
The NyayaTech Digital Justice Conclave 2026 features five flagship competitions along with knowledge and dialogue programmes. Participants can choose an event based on their interests in legal research, technology, legal aid, public interest litigation, dispute resolution or socio-legal research.
Paper Presentation Competition
The Paper Presentation Competition focuses on the theme “Building an Inclusive Digital Justice System for New India.” Participants can explore topics such as e-courts, digital inclusion, Online Dispute Resolution (ODR), cyber law, AI in courts, technology-driven legal aid and public interest litigation in the digital age.
Suggested areas include the role of e-courts in improving access to justice, the digital divide, ODR opportunities and risks, privacy and data protection in judicial systems, ethical use of AI in courts, technology-driven legal aid and community outreach, public interest litigation in the digital age, and legal-tech start-ups.
The preliminary round involves submission of a research paper, while shortlisted participants will present their work before evaluators. The brochure specifies a research paper format and also requires a 300–400-word policy recommendation section containing specific and actionable recommendations. Participants may have up to two authors per paper.
The brochure gives a 2,500–3,500-word submission limit under its submission guidelines. It also mentions Bluebook citation, Times New Roman formatting, original and unpublished work, and a plagiarism threshold of 10%. Participants should also note that the brochure separately describes the presentation format as a presentation followed by a Q&A session.
Legal Aid App Development Competition
The Legal Aid App Development Competition focuses on “Technology for Accessible Legal Aid and Digital Justice.” This event is designed for participants who want to create practical technology-based solutions to legal access problems.
Suggested ideas include mobile legal-aid helpdesks, chatbot-based legal guidance, platforms connecting lawyers with beneficiaries, e-complaint and grievance tracking systems, online dispute resolution tools, digital legal-awareness portals and accessibility features such as multilingual or voice-supported interfaces.
Teams must submit a concept note and wireframes or mock-ups in the preliminary round. A working prototype or demonstration is mandatory, so purely theoretical ideas do not qualify. Teams may use programming frameworks, low-code tools or AI.
The submission should explain the legal purpose, expected benefits and user journey. Participants must also provide a concept-note PDF, screenshots or mock-ups, a prototype or demo link and a short usage manual. The final round includes a live demonstration followed by a panel Q&A. Judges will assess innovation, user experience, technical feasibility, impact on legal-aid delivery, scalability and the quality of the presentation and demonstration.
Socio-Legal Challenge
The Socio-Legal Challenge asks teams to identify a real socio-legal problem within approximately 250 km of their institution and develop a practical intervention using legal and digital tools.
Teams must identify the problem, study the affected community and stakeholders, analyse the legal framework and barriers to justice, and propose a feasible intervention. They should also explain how technology or digital tools can improve outreach, awareness and access to resolution.
The preliminary round requires a concept note. Shortlisted teams then submit a detailed report covering the background, problem statement, collected data, community or stakeholder analysis, existing legal remedies and proposed intervention.
The final round involves a 15-minute structured presentation followed by a 5-minute Q&A. Evaluation focuses on problem identification, depth of analysis, research quality, understanding of the legal framework, innovation, implementation planning and the role of legal aid clinics. Teams can have up to four members, with the brochure describing a structure of two senior researchers and two junior researchers at maximum.
PIL Drafting Competition
The PIL Drafting Competition gives participants an opportunity to prepare a complete Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in proper court format.
The competition follows a single-round submission model. Participants may enter individually or in teams of up to two members. The PIL should follow the format used before the Supreme Court or High Courts and should include the necessary annexures and prayers.
The submission must be in English, use Times New Roman, 12-point font and 1.5 line spacing, with 10-point single-spaced footnotes. The maximum length is 12–15 pages excluding annexures. Participants must maintain anonymity and should not include their names or institutional identifiers in the draft.
Judges will assess legal research, drafting quality, understanding of jurisprudence, the public-interest element, the structure of reliefs and prayers, practicality and constitutional soundness. Plagiarism can lead to disqualification.
Lok Adalat Simulation
The Lok Adalat Simulation focuses on negotiation, conciliation and practical dispute resolution. Each team consists of three members: one neutral panel member, one counsel and one client. Each case session lasts approximately 45 minutes.
The preliminary round requires a written conciliation plan. Shortlisted teams then participate in the campus-based final rounds.
The competition requires participants to communicate in English, maintain professional courtroom decorum and understand the non-adversarial nature of conciliation. Teams may carry general notes, confidential case materials, calculators, watches and timers, but phones, laptops and tablets are not allowed during the rounds.
Judges will assess understanding of ADR principles, negotiation skills, communication and listening, problem-solving, knowledge of Lok Adalat procedures, professionalism, teamwork and technology-enabled dispute-resolution ideas.
Alongside these competitions, NyayaTech Digital Justice Conclave 2026 will feature a Round Table Conference and Panel Discussion by Experts, providing participants with opportunities for discussion and interaction beyond the competitions.
Registration, Fees and Prizes
The registration fee depends on the competition and, where applicable, whether participants require accommodation. The brochure also states that the preliminary-round registration fee will be deducted from the final registration fee if a participant or team is selected for the competition.
For the Paper Presentation Competition, the preliminary registration fee is ₹1,000. The brochure lists different fees based on participant category, authorship and accommodation. For example, students pay ₹1,000 for single authorship without accommodation and ₹2,500 for co-authorship without accommodation. Research scholars and academicians/advocates have separate fee slabs.
The Paper Presentation Competition offers ₹20,000 and a Certificate of Merit to the winner, while the runner-up receives ₹10,000 and a Certificate of Merit. Selected papers may also be compiled and published in a book volume under the Legal Aid Cell’s flagship Legal Aid Review series.
For the Legal Aid App Development Competition, the registration fee starts at ₹5,000 for a single participant, ₹9,000 for two members and ₹14,000 for three members without accommodation. The prizes are ₹1,00,000 for the winner and ₹50,000 for the runner-up, with a Certificate of Merit for both.
For the Socio-Legal Challenge, the preliminary registration fee starts at ₹2,500 for a single participant and ₹3,500 for two members without accommodation. The winner receives ₹20,000, while the runner-up receives ₹10,000, along with Certificates of Merit.
The PIL Drafting Competition charges ₹3,000 for a single participant and ₹5,500 for two participants without accommodation. Its prizes include ₹20,000 for the winner and ₹10,000 for the runner-up, together with Certificates of Merit.
For the Lok Adalat Simulation, the registration fee for a three-member team is ₹6,000 without accommodation and ₹9,000 with accommodation. The winner receives ₹30,000, while the runner-up receives ₹20,000, with Certificates of Merit for both.
The brochure also provides separate accommodation-inclusive fee options for the relevant competitions. Participants should check the applicable category before completing payment.
Important Dates and How to Participate
The NyayaTech Digital Justice Conclave 2026 will take place on 10 and 11 October 2026 at Dharmashastra National Law University, Jabalpur.
For the Paper Presentation Competition, registration and abstract submission open on 9 September 2026. The last date for abstract submission is 14 September 2026, followed by the shortlist announcement on 16 September. Full paper submission closes on 30 September 2026, while presentations take place on 10 and 11 October 2026.
For the Legal Aid App Development Competition, registration opens on 9 September 2026. The last date for app concept submission is 13 September, the shortlist is announced on 14 September, and final submission closes on 30 September 2026. Live demonstrations will take place on 10 and 11 October 2026.
For the Socio-Legal Challenge, registration opens on 9 September 2026, with 13 September as the last date for preliminary concept-note submission. The shortlist is scheduled for 15 September, while the final submission deadline is 2 October 2026. The final live demonstrations will take place on 10 and 11 October.
For the PIL Drafting Competition, registration and submission open on 9 September 2026, with 25 September 2026 as the last date for submission.
For the Lok Adalat Simulation, registration opens on 9 September 2026. The last date for settlement-draft submission is 25 September, the shortlist announcement is scheduled for 27 September, and the final rounds will take place on 10 and 11 October 2026.
Students and other eligible participants can use the registration form provided for the NyayaTech Digital Justice Conclave 2026:
Register for NyayaTech Digital Justice Conclave 2026
Participants should select the competition that matches their interests and carefully follow its submission requirements. In particular, app-development participants should prepare a working prototype, paper presenters should follow the research-paper requirements, and PIL participants should maintain proper court-document formatting and anonymity.
The event is designed to move beyond conventional law student competitions. NyayaTech Digital Justice Conclave 2026 connects legal education with technology, legal aid, public policy and community-level justice. It gives students an opportunity to research problems, build practical solutions and explore how digital innovation can make justice more accessible.
