ABOUT THE COMPETITION
The NLIU-Trilegal National Article Writing & Presentation Competition on Labour & Employment Laws (NTC-LEL), 2026 is a flagship academic initiative of the Centre for Labour Laws (CLL), NLIU Bhopal. Organized in collaboration with Trilegal, one of India’s pre-eminent law firms, the competition is designed to advance meaningful scholarship in the dynamic field of labour and employment law.
The initiative aims to bridge the gap between academic inquiry and professional legal practice by fostering analytical rigor, intellectual independence, and informed debate on issues reshaping the contemporary world of work. The competition consists of two phases:
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Phase I: Manuscript Submission and a four-stage double-blind editorial review conducted by the CLL Editorial Board and Trilegal.
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Phase II: Presentation and Defence Round, where authors of the top 15 manuscripts present their research before a panel of senior Trilegal members and leading academicians.
THEMES
1. Technology, AI Governance & Digital Workforce Transformation
2. Data Governance, Algorithmic Management & Workplace Surveillance
3. Platformisation of Work, Gig Economy Regulation & Worker Protections
4. Corporate Restructuring, M&A and Workforce Integration
5. New Labour Codes, Industrial Relations & Collective Bargaining
6. Future of Work : Reimagining Work & Employment Policies
SUB-THEMES:
1. Strategic labour due diligence in M&A transactions
2. Commercial structuring and cost allocation in employee transfers during mergers/demergers
3. Post-merger compensation harmonisation and HR cost modelling
4. Restructuring-driven downsizing and associated commercial and reputational risks
5. Key Employee Retention Packages (KERP) in acquisitions and insolvency processes
6. Outsourcing and automation mandates with contractual risk allocation
7. Contractual safeguards in digital HR and hiring platform procurement
8. Automation-led cost efficiencies and workforce transition strategy
9. Compliance transitions under the Industrial Relations Code, 2020
10. Fixed-term employment contracts and social security under new labour codes
11. Gig worker classification and social protection frameworks
12. Collective bargaining rights and trade union recognition in platform economy
13. AI-driven performance evaluation and algorithmic bias mitigation
14. Remote work policies and cross-border employment compliance
15. ESG disclosures on workforce diversity and labour practices
16. Arbitration, dispute resolution and legal remedies in employment and gig work contracts
CATEGORIES OF SUBMISSIONS
Submissions can be made under any of the following categories:
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Articles: 4,000 to 10,000 words
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Essays and Short Articles: 2,000 to 4,000 words
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Case Comments: 2,500 to 5,000 words
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Book Reviews: 1,500 to 3,000 words
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Legislative Comments: 2,000 to 4,000 words
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
All submissions must meet high academic standards and adhere to the following:
Editorial Requirements
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Abstract: Every submission must include an abstract of 250-300 words that reflects the essence of the paper without referring to the full text.
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Plagiarism Policy: The competition maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy towards plagiarism. Submissions with an overall similarity index above 15% will be flagged or rejected.
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Co-authorship: Permitted for up to two authors.
Formatting Standards
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Format: MS Word (.doc or .docx)
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Font: Times New Roman
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Body Text: Size 12, 1.5 line spacing, justified alignment
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Footnotes: Size 10, single-spaced, justified alignment
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Citation Style: Strictly conform to OSCOLA (4th Edition)
Mode of Submission
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Submissions must be made only through the Google Form: https://forms.gle/cYDqPWFsswhbZSCQA
ELIGIBILITY, REGISTRATION & AWARDS
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Eligibility: Authors must be pursuing LL.B. (Hons.) / LL.B. / LL.M. from any recognized university for the academic year 2025-2026.
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Registration Fees:
○ INR 650 for single-author submissions.
○ INR 1,100 for co-authored submissions.
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Awards: Winners, Runners-Up, and Second Runners-Up will receive internship opportunities with Trilegal, cash prizes, and exclusive legal research database subscriptions.
IMPORTANT DATES
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Registration Opens: December 16, 2025
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Submission Deadline: January 22, 2026
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Announcement of Results (Phase I): February 22, 2026
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Final Presentation Round (Phase II): March 08, 2026
GENERAL QUERIES
Any query must be addressed to ntclel.cll@gmail.com with the subject line “Query: NTC-LEL 2026 Submission”.
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Ms. Sakshi Sharma (Convenor, CLL): +91 84619 26245
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Mr. Vivek Rajurkar (Co-Convenor, CLL): +91 94049 02301
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Mr. Ali Asghar (Secretary, CLL): +91 76938 80552
Dear Team,
Greetings from the Centre for Labour Laws (CLL), NLIU Bhopal!
We are pleased to announce the call for papers for the 1st NLIU-Trilegal National Article Writing & Presentation Competition on Labour & Employment Laws (NTC-LEL), 2026. This flagship initiative, organized in collaboration with Trilegal, aims to bridge the gap between academic inquiry and professional legal practice in the evolving world of work.
About the Competition
The competition is structured into two distinct phases:
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Phase I: Manuscript Submission and Editorial Review: Manuscripts will undergo a rigorous four-stage double-blind review process by the CLL Editorial Board and the Trilegal Labour and Employment Team.
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Phase II: Presentation and Defence Round: The top 15 authors will be invited to NLIU Bhopal on March 08, 2026, to present and defend their research before a panel of senior Trilegal members and leading academicians.
Eligibility and Important Dates
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Eligibility: Open to students pursuing LL.B. (Hons.) / LL.B. / LL.M. from any recognized university for the academic year 2025-2026.
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Registration Opens: December 16, 2025.
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Submission Deadline: January 22, 2026.
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Registration Fees: INR 650 for single authors; INR 1,100 for co-authored submissions (maximum of two authors).
Awards
Exceptional submissions will be recognized with:
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Internship opportunities with Trilegal for Winners, Runners-Up, and Second Runners-Up.
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Cash prizes and exclusive subscriptions to leading legal research databases.
Submission Link
All submissions must be made through the following Google Form: https://forms.gle/EXSNFnGpJJGokKRm6.
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