The National Law Institute University, Bhopal (‘NLIU’), established in 1997, is the second oldest National Law University in India and carries a distinguished legacy of nearly three decades in imparting quality legal education. The Moot Court Association (‘MCA’), constituted in 2002, is among the oldest student bodies at NLIU and is entrusted with organising and overseeing all mooting and allied activities. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), a statutory body established under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, functions as an autonomous institution of the Government of India and is mandated to promote and protect human rights across the nation.
About the Moot
The NLIU, in collaboration with the NHRC, takes immense pleasure in announcing the 1st NLIU-NHRC National Moot Court Competition, 2026, which is scheduled to be held from 9th to 11th January, 2026 on the campus of NLIU, Bhopal.
The proposition of this moot focuses on ‘Human Rights in Emerging Criminal Justice Practice‘. This moot aims to provide law students with an opportunity to explore the intersection of human rights and criminal law, and the organisers acknowledge the collaboration with the NHRC in furthering its objective of sensitizing students to human rights issues and offering a practical and immersive learning experience.
About the Drafter of the Moot Proposition
The Moot Proposition has been drafted by Mr. Himanshu Dixit, a lawyer based in New Delhi and currently a Doctoral Research Fellow at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He is an alumnus of the National Law Institute University, Bhopal (Class of 2022) and holds an LL.M. from the Indian Law Institute, New Delhi. Before pursuing his postgraduate studies, he worked as an Associate with Trilegal in its White-Collar Crime and Private Investigations Practice. He is a prolific writer on criminal law, and his articles have been published in leading newspapers and reputed law journals.
Format of the Moot
The competition will commence with a Memorial Qualification Round, following which the top 24 teams, based on their memorial scores, will qualify for the Oral Rounds to be conducted in person at the NLIU campus. The Oral Rounds will comprise two Preliminary Rounds, followed by the Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals, and the Final Round.
Each team must consist of three members, two speakers and one researcher. Please note that participation is limited to one team per institution, and no open or cross-institutional teams shall be permitted.
Registration Fees
The teams are required to pay a fee of INR 1,500 per team for the Memorial Qualification Round. The teams that qualify for the Oral Rounds shall be required to complete a separate registration by paying an additional fee of INR 3,500 per team, in accordance with the Rulebook of the Moot.
Prizes
All teams participating in the memorial qualification rounds of the moot will receive certificates of participation. The following prizes will be awarded to recognize outstanding performance in the moot:
- Winners: Rs. 41,000 cash prize along with a trophy and certificates of merit
- Runners Up: Rs. 25,000 cash prize along with a trophy and certificates of merit
- Best Memorial (Petitioner): Rs. 11,000 cash prize along with an award and certificates of merit
- Best Memorial (Respondent): Rs. 11,000 cash prize along with an award and certificates of merit
- Best Speaker: Rs. 5,000 cash prize along with an award and a certificate of merit
Timeline of the Moot
- Last Date for Provisional Registration: 30th November, 2025 [Extended]
- Last Date for Seeking Clarifications: 27th November, 2025
- Last Date for Final Registration: 10th December, 2025
- Submission of Memorials (Soft-Copy): 18th December, 2025
- Release of List of Teams Qualifying for Oral Rounds: 24th December, 2025
- Oral Rounds: 9th January, 2026 – 11th January, 2026
Registration Procedure
The NLIU is pleased to invite all law schools to participate in the Moot and looks forward to receiving maximum registrations. Please note that provisional registration is mandatory for all institutions. The details for final registration for the Memorial Qualification Rounds will be shared upon confirmation of the provisional registration. Accordingly, participants are requested to complete the provisional registration by filling out the Google Form provided here.
Moot Documents
The link to the Moot Proposition, Rulebook, and Brochure of the Moot is provided here.
Contact Information
For further regular updates on the competition, the participants are requested to follow the official Facebook, LinkedIn & Instagram pages.
Please feel free to reach at nhrcmoot@nliu.ac.in or mca@nliu.ac.in.