1. Background
Chanakya Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution (CCADR) is pleased to announce 2nd Fresher’s blog writing competition for first-year students of Batch 2031 of both 5- Year Course and 3-Year Course as an introductory engagement with Alternative Dispute Resolution (“ADR”) and with legal blog-writing as a skill. The competition is intended to (a) introduce students to research assignment in order to improve research skills (b) build familiarity to alternative dispute resolution.
2. Eligibility and Participation Norms
- Open only to first-year students of Batch 2031 of both 5- Year Course and 3-Year Course, CNLU Patna.
- Individual participation only (no co-authorship)
- One entry per participant.
- Use of generative AI tools for drafting or substantially rewriting the entry is prohibited. Similarity upto 15% and AI upto 20% only is entertained.
3. Theme
Theme: Institutional Arbitration and Global Best Practices
- Ad Hoc vs. Institutional Arbitration
- Harmonization of Global Arbitral Rules
- Arbitrator Appointment Mechanisms and Diversity
- Third-Party Funding and Cost Efficiency
- Development of Emerging Arbitral Seats and Regional Hubs
- Institutional Management of Complex and Industry-Specific Disputes
- Scrutiny of Awards and Due Process Safeguards
- Interplay Between National Courts and Arbitral Institutions
4. Word Limit, Format, and Citation Style
- Word limit: 1500 words, exclusive of the title, author’s name, and endnotes.
- Font: Times New Roman, size 12, for the entire body of the blog (headings to be size 14, bold, underlined, Times New Roman).
- Referencing: every factual, statutory, or case-law claim must be sourced. All references should be embedded as direct hyperlinks to the original source rather than left as plain citations.
- Endnotes in Bluebook 21st edition citation style should be used only where a claim cannot be adequately sourced through a hyperlink alone, for example, citations to reported judgments, bare statutory provisions, books, or paywalled journal articles.
- Full details are consolidated in the Formatting, Citation and Submission Guidelines at Annexure B.
5. Timeline
The Committee has discussed and agreed upon the following schedule, keeping 4–6 September 2026 as the submission window as proposed:
| Date | Activity |
| 24 August | Registration Starts |
| 3 September 2026, 11:59 p.m. | Registration closes |
| 12 September 2026 | Announcement of results |
6. Evaluation Criteria
The following rubric is proposed for judging, adapted for a first-year, introductory-level competition:
| Parameter | Weightage | Indicative Criteria |
| Understanding of the ADR concept / issue | 20% | Accuracy of legal understanding; correct use of terminology; grasp of the underlying statute, case, or policy |
| Originality & analytical depth | 25% | Independent argument or viewpoint rather than mere description; ability to connect theory with a current development |
| Structure, clarity & blog-appropriate style | 20% | Engaging introduction, logical flow, sub-headings, reader-friendly tone suited to a blog. |
| Research quality & use of sources | 20% | Reliance on credible, recent, and correctly hyperlinked sources. |
| Adherence to guidelines | 15% | Word limit (1500), Times New Roman 12, citation style, timely submission, and originality. |
7. Prizes, Certification, and Publication
- Winner, 1st Runner-up, and 2nd Runner-up will be recognized with certificates of excellence and publication of a blog on the CCADR Website.
- E-certificates of participation will be issued to all Participants who qualify in the first stage of review.
Annexure B: Formatting, Citation & Submission Checklist
Formatting
- Font: Times New Roman, size 12 for the main body of the blog.
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- Headings/sub-headings: Times New Roman, size 14, bold.
- Line spacing: 1.5; margins: 1 inch on all sides.
- Word limit: 1500 words (excluding footnotes/endnotes and title).
- File format for submission: Both Word doc. and .pdf, named as [Full Name] _ [Short Title of the Blog]
- Include a brief introduction of the author in 10-20 words in the document. For eg. X is a student of the first year at Chanakya National Law University, Patna.
Citation & Referencing
- All factual claims, statutory references, case law, news reports, and data must be substantiated with a source.
- The reference should be hyperlinked directly to the source (e.g., SCC Online, Judgment PDF, Reputed Journals, Books, the news report or official notification) instead of being left as a plain citation, so that readers can click through.
- Endnotes (not footnotes, to preserve blog readability) in Bluebook 21st edition style should be used only where hyperlinking alone is insufficient to identify the source precisely; for instance, for judgments, statutory provisions, books, or journal articles without a stable open web link.
- A consolidated ‘References’ list is not required for a blog format; hyperlinks/endnotes embedded in the text suffice.
- Plagiarism/AI-generated content: A plagiarism or similarity limit of 15% and AI limit of 20% need to be adhered to.
- Kindly use only SCC, INSC, or AIR Citations for the cases. Cases should also be hyperlinked.