The National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS), Kochi, through its Centre for Consumer Protection Law and Policy (CCPLaP), in collaboration with the Orpheus Sabha Foundation, is organizing the inaugural edition of the NUALS National Policy Drafting Competition 2026.
About the Competition
This premier national platform has been established to address the evolving landscape of consumer protection in India’s expanding insurance sector. The competition engages law students, researchers, and young thinkers in addressing regulatory gaps in consumer protection within the insurance sector, aligning with IRDAI’s priorities for simplified claims, reduced disputes, and equitable policy frameworks.
Anchored in the theme “Protecting Consumers in the Insurance Market”, participants will critically evaluate existing frameworks, pinpoint systemic vulnerabilities like claim denials and disclosure issues, and draft targeted policy proposals vital to IRDAI’s mandate. These efforts emphasize transparency, accountability, and fairness in insurer-consumer relations, mirroring IRDAI’s focus on digital KYC, grievance redressal, and mis-selling prevention.
Theme
Strengthening Consumer Rights in Insurance
Sub-Themes (Illustrative)
Participants may choose from the following themes or propose their own contemporary issue under insurance law, regulation, and policy:
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Farmer-centric insurance design for climate and non-climate risk exposure
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Real-world effectiveness and implementation gaps in government insurance schemes
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Embedded insurance and platform-based risk protection in the DPI ecosystem
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Severability in property insurance for losses arising from arson and mass violence
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Strict liability in aviation insurance and the scope of “extraordinary circumstances”
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Algorithmic and AI-driven insurance underwriting and claims decision-making
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Climate-induced disaster insurance and the design of a national catastrophe fund
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Reinsurance, systemic risk concentration, and sovereign backstopping in India
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Platform-bundled insurance and competition law (IRDAI—CCI interface)
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Finality in insurance adjudication: moratorium timelines and claim certainty
Note: The themes listed above are illustrative. Submissions on any contemporary issue under the purview of insurance law, regulation, policy, and allied areas are welcome.
Eligibility
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Open to students currently enrolled in undergraduate or postgraduate programmes from any discipline
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Research scholars are also eligible to participate
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Participants may register individually or in teams of up to two members
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Cross-institutional teams are permitted
Important Dates
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Event |
Date |
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Release of Rulebook, Brochure and Themes |
15th December 2025 |
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Last Date for Registration |
1st February 2026 |
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Last Date for Policy Submission |
5th February 2026 |
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PPT Submission (if applicable) |
6th February 2026 |
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Presentation (Online- for selected participants) |
8th February 2026 |
Registration Fee
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Individual Participant: INR 177 (INR 150 + 18% GST)
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Team of Two: INR 354 (INR 300 + 18% GST)
Note: Registration fee is strictly non-refundable under any circumstances.
Prizes
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1st Prize: INR 8,000 + Certificate of Merit
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2nd Prize: INR 6,000 + Certificate of Merit
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3rd Prize: INR 4,000 + Certificate of Merit
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4th and 5th Prize: INR 1,000 + Certificate of Merit
Additional Recognition:
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Certificates of Merit for the top 10 participants
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Certificate of Participation for all participants
Submission Guidelines
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Language: English only
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Font: Times New Roman, Size 12 (text), Size 10 (footnotes)
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Line Spacing: 1.5 (text), 1.0 (footnotes)
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Citation Style: Bluebook (20th edition)
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Anonymization: Submissions must carry only the team code
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Submissions must be original and independently authored
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Plagiarism beyond 15% shall attract penalties or disqualification
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Cross plagiarism (40% or more similarity between submissions) will result in disqualification of all involved participants
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Use of AI tools for drafting substantive portions is strictly discouraged
Evaluation Criteria
Submissions will be evaluated based on:
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Legislative clarity and regulatory soundness
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Policy coherence and feasibility
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Originality and innovation
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Stakeholder sensitivity and rights-balancing
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Quality of legal reasoning and drafting
Presentation Round
Shortlisted teams may be required to present their policy drafts before a panel:
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Presentation Time: 10 minutes
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Q&A Session: 5 minutes
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Focus Areas: Legislative intent, regulatory design, and implementation strategy
Participants wishing to use PowerPoint presentations must submit their PPT by 6th February 2026.
Registration Process
Registration must be completed through the official Google Form: https://forms.gle/gwS7UXBYJQsCGXJP6
Registration will be deemed successful only upon receipt of a confirmation email along with the participant or team code from the Organising Committee.
Contact Details
For queries, contact:
Faculty Convenor:
Hari S. Nayar
Convenors:
Jose S Jose: +91 8075143808
Mezban Anwar: +91 7306492925
Co-convenor:
Alan James: +91 8139881570
Email: ccplap@nuals.ac.in
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