About the Institute of Law, Nirma University
The Nirma University Institute of Law (ILNU) is a constituent institute of Nirma University in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It was established in 2007 as a result of Padmashri Dr Karsanbhai K Patel’s vision.
About the Centre
The Nirma University Institute of Law’s Centre for Social Justice is a research centre. The Centre engages in debates about critical social issues and how they intersect with the law.
The Centre’s mission is to promote social justice causes via rigorous research, collaborations, and knowledge exchange.
About the Essay Competition
On the topic of ‘Elimination of Barriers to the Exercise of Right to Vote,’ the Centre is holding its first essay writing competition.
One of the most important ways to participate in democratic government is to vote in elections. It ensures that the current government is evaluated on a regular basis, and that the people have the opportunity to elect their representatives. The mere promise of a right, on the other hand, is insufficient to ensure that it is meaningfully exercised by citizens.
Although the right to vote is a statutory right, the Supreme Court has determined that exercising it is a basic right guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution.
Participants are asked to investigate the constraints that may impede one’s ability to exercise one’s right to vote in the essay and offer ways to overcome those limitations.
Eligibility
The competition is open to students who are currently enrolled in and pursuing a UG (Bachelor’s) or Master’s Degree at any University/College in India.
Members of the ILNU’s Centre for Social Justice are ineligible to participate in the competition.
Submission Guidelines
- The essay must be written entirely in English. Endnotes will be used to offer references throughout the essay.
- The essay should be between 1800 and 2500 words in length, excluding endnotes.
- The following formatting shall be used for the essay:
- Font: Times New Roman
- Font Size: 12 for text; 14 for headings
- Line Spacing: 1.5
- Alignment: Justified
- Co-authorship is allowed to the maximum extent of only two authors.
- Your material must be unpublished and original. The submission will be checked for plagiarism.
- The manuscript must be sent along with a separate cover letter.
- Name, Institution, Course, and Year of Study must all be included in the cover letter.
- The information from the cover letter is not to be included in the manuscript.
- The manuscript and cover letter should be mailed to csj.il@nirmauni.ac.in with the subject “Submission for Essay Competition, 2021” on or before November 26, 2021, 11:59 PM.
- Submissions received after the deadline will not be accepted.
Prizes
- First Prize: Rs. 4000/-
- Second Prize: Rs. 3000/-
- Third Prize: Rs. 2000/-