About CHRIST (Deemed to be University)

CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru, was founded in 1969 as Christ College, inspired by the educational vision of St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara. Over the years, it gained autonomy in 2004, recognition as an “Institution with Potential for Excellence” in 2006, and Deemed University status in 2008. The University is accredited with an ‘A+’ grade by NAAC.

Today, CHRIST is a multidisciplinary university offering undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes across various disciplines, including law, humanities, sciences, commerce, management, engineering, and education. Its campuses provide a vibrant academic environment that encourages research, creativity, and holistic student development.

About School of Law, CHRIST (Deemed to be University)

The School of Law, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru, is committed to academic excellence and practical legal education. It provides students with opportunities to develop their legal knowledge and professional skills through internships, moot court competitions, research, workshops, seminars, and other academic initiatives. The School aims to nurture competent, ethical, and socially responsible legal professionals.

About the Competition

The 7^th CHRIST Mediation-Arbitration Competition (CMAC), 2027, supported by Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), is the flagship event of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Board for the academic year. The competition provides participants with practical exposure to mediation and arbitration through carefully drafted and reviewed propositions.

Following the Med-Arb format, the competition integrates mediation, which focuses on facilitating mutually acceptable solutions between parties, and arbitration, through which disputes are submitted to appointed arbitrators for a binding decision. The competition aims to strengthen participants’ skills in negotiation, mediation, arbitration, legal advocacy, and dispute resolution.

The seventh edition seeks to bring together national and international teams from leading institutions, encouraging cross-border interaction and the exchange of diverse approaches to alternative dispute resolution. The event will also feature academic sessions, workshops, and professional engagements.

Collaborations

International Law Firm Partners: Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, MRP Advisory, Stewarts Law, and ATB Legal

National Law Firm Partners: Khaitan & Co., JSA, S&R Associates, Poovayya & Co., Keystone Partners, Luthra and Luthra, Anagram Partners, Dua Associates and CrestLaw Partners.

Supporting Partners: Careers in Arbitration, Asia Pacific Centre for Arbitration and Mediation (APCAM), Indian Institute of Arbitration & Mediation (IIAM), New York International Arbitration Center (NYIAC), Digital Coffee Break in Arbitration, MediateGuru, Indian Women in International Arbitration (IWIA) and African Women in Arbitration (AWA),

Institutional Partner: Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC).

Theme Partner: Society of Construction Law (SCL)

Research Partner: Jus Mundi.

Eligibility

• National Teams: Students enrolled in a three-year or five-year integrated law course at a recognised university are eligible to participate.
• International Teams: Participants must be enrolled in, or have been enrolled in, a course of study leading to a recognised law qualification, including an LL.B., an undergraduate law degree, or an equivalent qualification.
• The competition is open to multiple teams from the same institution.
• Cross-institutional teams comprising members from different institutions are permitted.
• Each team shall consist of three members: a Client–Advocate pair and one Mediator.
• During the Mediation Round, two members shall participate as the Client–Advocate pair, while the third member shall act as the Mediator. During the Arbitration Round, the Client–Counsel pair shall appear as Legal Counsel, while the Mediator shall undertake the arbitral award drafting segment.
• Team roles shall remain unchanged throughout the competition, subject to the applicable competition rules.

Associated Learning Opportunities

In addition to the competition, registered participants can attend the Bangalore Dispute Resolution Conclave (BDRC), which is a two-day conference with multiple panel discussions, a Guest Lecture Series, and a Special Panel Discussion free of cost, offering avenues to strengthen their understanding of alternative dispute resolution and develop practical skills relevant to dispute resolution practice. Participants will also be able to take part in an Online Certificate Course and the Recommendation Drafting Competition, all scheduled for December 2026 as part of ADR Week, organised by the Alternative Dispute Resolution Board, School of Law, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru.

These associated initiatives are intended to complement the competition by providing participants with opportunities to engage with practitioners and subject-matter experts, explore contemporary developments in dispute resolution, and gain further insights into the practical application of mediation and arbitration. Further details regarding the schedules, registration requirements, and modalities of participation in these initiatives will be communicated in due course.

Mode of Competition

The competition will be conducted offline at the Central Campus of CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru, India.

Registration Fee

• National Teams: ₹8,500 per team, exclusive of GST.
• International Teams: ₹15,000 per team, exclusive of GST.
• Payment details and the applicable procedure will be communicated during the final registration process.
• The ADR Board will extend necessary assistance to international teams regarding visa applications, where required, and relevant competition-related logistical requirements. Further details will be communicated to confirmed international teams.

• Accommodation will be arranged by the ADR Board if most participating teams indicate a need for it. Accordingly, all participating teams are requested to indicate their accommodation requirements in the Final Registration Form. The decision on accommodation will be made based on the responses received.
• Food and other amenities inside the university for all the 3 days until the end of the Valedictory Ceremony will be provided by the ADR Board.

How to Register

Interested teams are invited to complete the final registration process by filling in the Final Registration Form.

Teams that have already completed provisional registration, as well as those that have not registered provisionally, may proceed directly with the Final registration. Provisional registration is not a prerequisite for participating in the competition.

To confirm participation, teams must accurately complete and submit the Final Registration Form, make the applicable payment, and upload valid proof of payment on or before 6th November 2026. The payment receipt must be downloaded and uploaded to the designated section of the form as proof of payment.

The steps for completing the payment process are provided in the competition brochure. Please ensure that all registration formalities are completed within the stipulated deadline.

Final Registration Forms

• National Teams
• International Teams

Important Dates

• Commencement of Provisional Registration: 11^th October 2026
• Deadline for Provisional Registration: 26^th October 2026, 11:59 PM
• Commencement of Final Registration and Release of Final Brochure and Awards: 28^th October 2026
• Last Date for Final Registration: 6^th November 2026, 11:59 PM
• Release of Competition Proposition: 7^th November 2026
• Last Date for Seeking Clarifications: 14^th November 2026
• Last Date to Request an Invitation Letter for Visa (International Teams): 10^th November 2026
• Memorial Submission Qualifier Deadline (National Teams): 7^th December 2026
• Memorial Submission Deadline (International Teams): 7^th December 2026
• Announcement of Qualified Top 40 Teams: 12^th December 2026
• Release of Side Allocation for Preliminary Rounds and Exchange of Memorials: 15^th December 2026
• Competition Dates: 8^th – 10^th January 2027

Awards

The competition features a prize pool worth ₹1,50,000. Further details regarding the awards, prize distribution, and associated opportunities are mentioned in the brochure.

Contact

For queries regarding the competition, rules, or proposition, please contact:

Email: cmac@law.christuniversity.in

Registrations POC

• Vedaanti Bakshi  – vedaanti.bakshi@law.christuniversity.in | +91 85954 73697
• Kamakshi Gupta –  kamakshi.gupta@law.christuniversity.in | +91 96825 37231

Important Links

Brochure, Rules, and Competition Materials