ABOUT THE ORGANISER / COLLABORATING BODIES

The NLUD Chair on Justice for Children works to strengthen scholarship and practice on child rights within the criminal justice system. It focuses on supporting high-quality legal representation for children in need of care and protection as well as children in conflict with the law. Guided by Chair Professor Tasneem Deo, the initiative brings together academic research and practical engagement to ensure fairness, dignity, and compassion in the justice system for children.

The Constitutional Law Club, NLU Delhi, is a student-led initiative dedicated to fostering thoughtful engagement with constitutional law beyond the classroom. The Club hosts expert lectures, curates diverse reading lists, and runs discussion forums to encourage informed constitutional dialogue among students.

DETAILS ABOUT THE EVENT / OPPORTUNITY

The 1st National Essay Competition – “Small Voices: Big Rights” invites law students across India to critically examine how India’s constitutional framework intersects with child protection and juvenile justice systems. The competition encourages rigorous legal analysis on the interaction between constitutional law and criminal law, especially in contexts involving children as victims or as children in conflict with the law.

Participants are expected to engage deeply with legal principles, statutory frameworks, and constitutional values that shape justice for children in India.

THEMES

Participants may write on any one of the following themes:

• The Role of Dignity under Article 21 in Shaping Juvenile Justice in India

• The Interplay of Privacy and Protection under POCSO

• Article 39A and Access to Justice for Children

WHO IS IT FOR / ELIGIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE

• Open to students enrolled in undergraduate or postgraduate law programmes

• Students must be from any recognised university in India

• Co-authorship is not permitted

MODE OF THE EVENT

Online (Essay Submission)

REGISTRATION / SUBMISSION LINKS & PROCEDURE

• Essays must be submitted through the official Google Form

• Submission Link: https://forms.gle/8fYukAtwH2WDHKHu9

• Deadline for submission: 1st March, 2026

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

• Word Limit: 1500–2000 words (excluding footnotes)

• Title: Maximum 12 words

• Font: Garamond | Font Size: 12 | Line Spacing: 1.5

• Footnotes: OSCOLA 4th Edition, Garamond, Size 10, Line Spacing 1.0

• Similarity index must be below 20%

• Essays must be original and unpublished

• Use of generative AI will lead to disqualification

FEE DETAILS

No registration or submission fee.

PRIZES / AWARDS

• Winner: Certificate of Merit & publication in the NLUD J4C Newsletter

• Runner-Up: Certificate of Merit & publication on the NLUD J4C Online Opinion Page

• Top 10 Entries: Certificate of Merit

• All Participants: E-Certificate of Participation

DEADLINES / IMPORTANT DATES

• Essay Submission Deadline: 1st March, 2026

• Declaration of Results: 15th March, 2026

CONTACT INFORMATION

• Email: clc@nludelhi.ac.in

• Phone:

  • +91 77078 83920 (Ms. Siya Maheshwari)

  • +91 70033 46161 (Ms. Palak Goenka)

OFFICIAL LINK / UPDATES

All official updates related to the competition will be available at:
https://unicef-clc-essay-competition.vercel.app/