About the Centre

Recognizing that a comprehensive appreciation of the technicalities, complexities and patterns of criminal law are indispensable for realizing the goals of the law, Gujarat National Law University established GCRCJS in 2019. It is a Centre dedicated towards carrying out research in the niche area of Criminal Law. The Centre provides a platform for a holistic research environment and aims to further knowledge and academic discussions about the multifaceted dimensions of criminal science.

About the Competition

The competition aims to provide a platform for students in the fields of Law, Criminology, Public Administration, Sociology, and related fields to engage with critical issues facing India and the world’s criminal justice system.

Themes

The main theme of the Competition is Transcending Boundaries in Criminal Justice: From Local Realities to Global Imperatives.

The competition will focus on the following sub-themes:

Financial Crimes and Global Regulatory Standards
Victim-Centric Approaches to Justice
Juvenile Justice: Reform, Deterrence, and Protection Balance
Challenges in Cross-Border Criminal Investigations
Criminal Law and Environmental Offenses: Addressing Climate Change Crimes
Evolving Frameworks for Witness Protection Across Different Criminal Jurisdictions
Universal Jurisdiction in International Criminal Law

Submission Guidelines

The name of the Author(s) or any other form of identification must not be mentioned in the Essay.
Co-authorship is limited to a maximum of two (2) authors.
Word limit: 1500-2000 words, excluding the Footnotes.
Font style – Times New Roman.
Font size – 14 for Headings, 12 for Body, 10 for Footnotes.
Line Spacing – 1.5 for Body, 1.0 for Footnotes.
Citation Style – OSCOLA.
Margins – 1 inch (i.e., 2.54 cm) on each side.
Note: Speaking footnotes are allowed in the submissions but are not mandatory. If included, speaking footnotes should be limited to a maximum of 50 words each.
The plagiarism limit is 10% following UGC Guidelines.
Use of Artificial Intelligence for submissions is strictly prohibited and highly discouraged.

How to Register?

Interested candidates can register online via the link given at the end of the post.

Registration Process

A non-refundable fee of ₹100 is to be paid for each submission as registration fees.
The registration fee must be paid online through the link provided below. Participants are advised to retain a copy of the payment receipt for future reference.
The submission must be made through the provided Google Form link only.
The name of the document should be in the following format for both Word Document and PDF: <Title of the Paper – EssayComp>
Last Date for Submission is 21st October 2025.

Awards

All essays that meet the plagiarism requirements and comply with the prohibition on AI use shall receive a Certificate of Participation.

The top five entries will be published on the GCRCJS Crime & Justice Blog along with a Certificate of Merit.

The top three entries will receive the following cash prizes:

1st Prize: ₹7,000
2nd Prize: ₹5,000
3rd Prize: ₹3,000

Contact

Participants may reach out to us at gcrcjs@gnlu.ac.in. For any further queries or assistance, please contact:
Mr. Vatshal Raval, Student Convener, +91 92653 84215
Mr. Shivam Agrawal, Student Convener, +91 94130 29413
Mr. Shubh Naik, Student Advisor, +91 98243 30830