1. Type of event: Essay Writing Competition
2. About the Organisers
About Government Law College, Mumbai
With a heritage spanning over 150 years and a seemingly endless list of distinguished alumni, Government Law College, Mumbai, has been regarded as a premier institution of legal education since its inception in 1855. What began humbly as evening classes in a borrowed premise, the college that first lit the candle of legal education in India now stands tall among all its contemporaries. Government Law College has a distinguished tradition. Over the years, the College has produced several eminent Judges whose erudition and independence have been, and continue to be, a great source of inspiration to members of the Bar and the Bench. Its alumni include statesmen, distinguished lawyers, and activists who have been at the forefront of social reconstruction. The interaction of students with distinguished members of the legal fraternity in a cultivated institutional environment- one that continually strives to redefine the parameters of education, greatly enhances the charisma of this institution.
About the Magazine Committee of Government Law College, Mumbai
The Magazine Committee of Government Law College, Mumbai, curates the institution’s annual publication, méLAWnge, not merely a magazine, but an integral strand in the college’s aeonian legacy. First published in 1930, the inaugural edition examined questions of civil marriage law and the art of advocacy. Over its remarkable 96-year trajectory, the GLC Magazine has endured as a steadfast constant amid the ever-shifting contours of India’s legal landscape. Across decades, it has assiduously chronicled the evolution of legal thought, serving as a living archive of our collective journey capturing the past, illuminating the present, and anticipating the future of legal discourse in the country. Through méLAWnge, we endeavour to encapsulate the voices of our diverse student body while also disseminating the insights of illustrious alumni and eminent legal luminaries. It is for this very purpose that students, professors, lawyers, and judges have once again converged to infuse this edition with intellect, imagination, and institutional spirit.
About the Dinesh Vyas Public Charitable Trust
The Dinesh Vyas Public Charitable Trust, since its formation on December 16, 2020, has efficaciously promoted the cause of education in diverse fields. In its endeavour to provide a stimulus to education in India, the Trust aims to sponsor various societies and competitions, award fellowships and scholarships, promote e-learning and vocational learning and provide appropriate infrastructure for several facilities to encourage quality education in India. In furtherance of this objective, the Trust has been actively involved with the Magazine Committee of Government Law College, Mumbai, by sponsoring this Competition. The Competition serves to instill and promote legal and analytical skills among students by allowing them to present their analysis on pertinent legal issues.
3. Competition details
The Magazine Committee of Government Law College, Mumbai, presents the 24th Dinesh Vyas Memorial Government Law College National Legal Essay Competition. Writing is an indispensable craft for any lawyer, one that must remain inextricably intertwined with the profession. In that spirit, the Magazine Committee of Government Law College, Mumbai, conducts an annual national-level legal
essay writing competition: the Dinesh Vyas Memorial Government Law College National Legal Essay Competition.
This Competition is sponsored in memory of the Late Mr Dinesh Vyas, one of GLC’s most distinguished alumni, who obtained his LL.B. degree from Government Law College in 1967.
The topics for this year’s edition are:
Topic 1 – Theme: Electoral Reform
Examine the Constitutional Tensions Surrounding the Special Intensive Revision Exercise and the Electoral Integrity and Independence of the Election Commission of India, in light of the Supreme Court’s Judgment in Association for Democratic Reforms & Ors. versus Election Commission of India & Ors. (2026 INSC 564).
Topic 2 – Theme: Artificial Intelligence
The Future of AI Governance: Envisioning India’s Policy for AI Regulation through a Comparative Analysis of Global Statutory Frameworks.
Topic 3 – Theme: International Relations
When International Legal Obligations Fail: Analyse the Ongoing South Sudan Crisis to extrapolate the Substantive and Procedural Gaps in International Humanitarian Law.
Topic 4 – Theme: Equality, Justice and Secularism
Many Codes to Rule the Many: Examine the Constitutional Debate Surrounding India’s Recent Push for a Uniform Civil Code, in Light of Various UCC Implementations (upcoming and pre-existing), Across the States of India.
Topic 5 – Theme: Gender Justice and Privacy
The Conflict Between Self-Identification and Identity Policing Under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026: Analyse the Concerns of Breach of Privacy, Exploitation and Hyper-Surveillance in the Indian Paradigm by Comparing the Status Quo Across Countries.
4. Eligibility
Open to students across all years pursuing their 5-year integrated law course/3-year LL.B. course/LL.M. from any recognised university in India, and equivalent law degree, abroad for the academic year of 2026-27, are eligible to participate in the competition.
5. Registration
i. Participants must register via this form or (https://forms.gle/izbPwdy88LN9Txnf6)
ii. Registration fees for –
a) Single authorship : INR 100
b) Co-Authorship : INR 150
iii. This registration fee shall be non-refundable.
6. Payment details
Name: MAGAZINE COMMITTEE GLC MUMBAI
Account Number: 00000036022568212
IFSC Code : SBIN0004283
7. Prizes
First prize: Rs. 20,000
Second prize: Rs. 15,000
Third prize: Rs. 10,000
Consolation prize: Rs. 7,500
Consolation prize: Rs. 7.500
8. Important dates
Registration Deadline: November 15th, 2026
Submission Deadline: December 26th, 2026
Declaration of Results: First week of February
9. Rules of submission
⮚ Language: English
⮚ Submissions must be original and unpublished works of the author.
⮚ Font: Times New Roman
⮚ Font Size: 12
⮚ Line Spacing: 1.5
⮚ Margin: One inch on all sides
⮚ Paper Size: A4
⮚ Word Limit: 5000 words (inclusive of footnotes)
⮚ Citation Style: 5th Edition OSCOLA
⮚ Citation Font Size: 10
⮚ Citation Spacing: 1.0
⮚ Citation Font: Times New Roman
⮚ Alignment: Justified
⮚ Plagiarism over 15% will result in automatic disqualification.
⮚ Use of artificial intelligence to write or rephrase words will result in disqualification.
⮚ The title of the submission document must be the topic chosen by the author(s) along with their team code. Participants must not disclose their names or any identifying information in their submission document. If such details are found, the submission will be rejected and disqualified.
Entries shall be submitted through this form (which can also be accessed here: https://forms.gle/aDJg5Q4vDJfdYBqF9)
10. Competition rules
i. All submissions will undergo a strict online plagiarism check.
ii. Special consideration will be placed upon the coherence of the essay, quality of analysis, quality of arguments and the depth of research and quality of literature cited.
iii. In case of any dispute, the decision of the professor in charge and the student editors will be final.
iv. It is the responsibility of each participant to ensure that the “.doc”/”.docx” file of the submission can be opened legibly with Google Docs/Microsoft Word.
v. Team Code for submission will be sent after the registration deadline elapses. Kindly do not contact the organising committee regarding the team code before then.
vi. Submission of the essays will take place via the following Google Form. (or access it here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdlsg66pg1Iz-RhodqUh_c7KvzRLzfZKyKUKuSNpcgDCqSgiw/viewform )
11. Miscellaneous
All entries shall be deemed to be the property of ‘Vyas Memorial Government Law College National Legal Essay Competition’, which reserves the right to publication of the same in any periodical, journal, book, electronic resource or in any other manner as it may deem appropriate.
i. The organising committee’s decision as regards the interpretation of rules or any other matter related to the competition shall be final.
ii. If any situation arises that is not contemplated in the rules, the organising committee’s decision on the same shall be final. The organising committee reserves the right to vary, alter, or repeal any of the above rules as they deem appropriate.
iii. The decision of the judges shall be final and binding on all concerned.
iv. The Magazine Committee reserves the right to summarily reject or return the submission to the author without feedback for non-compliance with the following submission guidelines.
v. The ideas/views of the author expressed and published in the essay are the respective views of the author. The Magazine Committee shall not be held responsible or accountable for the opinion expressed by the author of the essay
12. Contact details
For further enquiries, contact-dvm.essay@gmail.com
Abhigyan – 7249285175
Dharini – 7400176758
For more information, please refer to the brochure.
