Who can contribute
- Law students
- Research scholars
- Academicians
- Advocates and legal practitioners
- Legal-aid volunteers
- Researchers
- Individuals passionate about legal literacy and access to justice
NYAYATECH 2026 · Call for contributions
Project NyayaBodh
A legal-literacy handbook explaining everyday law, rights, remedies and where to seek help — written for the common person, in English and Hindi.
- Initiative of
- VidhiMitra — The Legal Aid Cell, Dharmashastra National Law University, Jabalpur
- In collaboration with
- Madhya Pradesh State Legal Services Authority (MPSLSA)
Contributions close 5 October 2026. There is no contribution fee.
150–200 words on a single prescribed topic, in English or Hindi. Contributions on topics outside the prescribed list will not be considered.
At a glance
- Contribution fee
- NIL
- Word limit
- 150–200 words per topic
- Languages
- English / Hindi
- Deadline
- 5 October 2026
About the project
विधिज्ञानं जनशक्तिः, न्यायः सर्वजनस्य
Legal knowledge empowers people; justice belongs to all.
Project NyayaBodh is founded on the belief that legal rights become meaningful only when people are able to understand them, identify the remedies available to them, and know where to seek assistance. The handbook is designed not as a conventional academic legal text, but as a practical resource explaining common legal problems, basic rights, immediate remedies, relevant authorities, legal-aid mechanisms and practical steps in simple language.
It is written for people who may not always have immediate access to lawyers, courts or formal legal assistance. Each topic answers two questions: what should I do now, and how should I do it.
What the handbook helps a reader understand
- What their basic legal rights are
- What to do when faced with a legal problem
- Which authority or institution they should approach
- How to make a basic complaint or application
- Where free legal aid can be obtained
- How to access government legal and welfare services
The handbook will initially be published in English and Hindi, with the vision of expanding it to other Indian languages.
Contributing
Guidelines
- Contribution fee
- NIL
- Word limit
- 150–200 words
- Languages
- English or Hindi. Writing on the same topic in both languages is encouraged.
- Topics
- Only from the prescribed list. Contributions on topics outside it will not be considered.
- Acknowledgement
- All selected contributors will be acknowledged by name at the end of the handbook.
The selection, editing and inclusion of any part of a submission remains at the sole discretion of the Organising Committee.
Formatting
Official links
- Submit a contribution: Google Form
- Prescribed topic list: Official document
- Conclave attendance payment: DNLU ERP
Prescribed topics
136 topics across eight groups. Contributors must write on one of these — a contribution on any other topic will not be considered. Reproduced from the organisers' list; check it against the official document before you write.
A. Everyday legal problems
23 topics
- Police stop / harassment / detention
- FIR filing help
- Police refusal to register FIR / Zero FIR / complaint escalation
- Arrest rights & legal help
- Online / offline cheating or fraud
- Consumer complaint — bad product/service
- Workplace issues — unpaid wages / termination
- Minimum wages / unpaid salary / PF / ESI-related problems
- Sexual harassment at workplace / POSH / workplace safety
- Traffic challans / vehicle fines
- Road accident / injury compensation
- Rent / landlord / tenant disputes
- Neighbour disputes
- Domestic violence / abuse
- Sexual assault / sexual harassment / sexual offences — immediate legal steps
- Legal notice — received or to be sent
- Drafting basic legal documents
- Property disputes / illegal possession / boundary disputes
- Inheritance / succession / family property rights
- Will / nomination / basic succession questions
- Bank / UPI / unauthorised transaction / ATM fraud complaints
- Loan recovery harassment / debt collection problems
- Insurance claim rejection / delay
B. Family & children
20 topics
- Divorce / separation
- Child custody
- Child maintenance / support
- Domestic abuse affecting children
- Child in trouble with police / school
- Juvenile justice help
- Child labour / exploitation
- Child marriage prevention
- Child abuse / neglect
- School admission problems
- School authority / notice issues
- Bullying or mistreatment of child
- Missing / unsafe child help
- Sexual abuse of children / POCSO — what to do immediately
- Child marriage — prevention, reporting and immediate protection
- Child in conflict with law — police, parent and legal-aid rights
- Child in need of care and protection — where to approach
- Adoption — basic legal process and where to seek help
- Child trafficking / exploitation / forced labour
- Online abuse and sexual exploitation of children
C. Digital safety & online issues
11 topics
- Cyber fraud / online scam
- Cyberbullying / online harassment
- Identity theft / fake accounts
- Non-consensual sharing of images/videos
- Online education access issues
- UPI / online banking fraud — immediate steps
- Hacked social-media / email account
- Online impersonation / fake profile / deepfake-related abuse
- Online stalking / threats / blackmail
- Reporting / removal of unlawful online content
- Digital evidence — screenshots, links, messages and preservation of evidence
D. Everyday government services
41 topics
1. Identity & documents
- Aadhaar issues — update, correction, loss
- Voter ID help
- PAN card help
- Birth certificate / death certificate
- Caste certificate
- Income certificate
- Domicile / residence certificate
- Disability certificate / UDID-related issues
- Correction of errors in government records
- Lost documents — reporting and obtaining replacements
2. Food, money & basic support
- Ration card — apply / update / issues
- Free food grain schemes
- Pension schemes — old age / widow / disability
- Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) issues
- Bank account opening / Jan Dhan
- LPG subsidy issues
- Bank account freeze / wrongful debit / account-related grievance
- Social-security benefits denied or stopped
- Financial assistance / victim compensation schemes
3. Health & social welfare
- Ayushman Bharat / health insurance
- Disability certificate & benefits
- Maternity benefits
- Health scheme grievance help
- Denial of treatment / emergency medical care — basic rights
- Rights of persons with disabilities / reasonable accommodation
- Mental healthcare rights and where to seek assistance
4. Employment & livelihood
- MGNREGA job card / wage issues
- Skill development schemes
- Unemployment assistance
- Street vendor protection / help
- Minimum wages / wage non-payment
- Provident Fund / ESI-related grievances
- Workplace sexual harassment / Internal Committee complaints
- Termination / retrenchment / employment dispute — first steps
- Rights of domestic workers / informal workers
5. Housing & basic living
- Housing schemes — PMAY
- Slum rehabilitation / housing rights
- Electricity / water connection disputes
- Eviction / demolition / notice from local authority
- Property tax / municipal disputes
- Essential services denied to a household
E. Complaints, grievances & vigilance
11 topics
- Complaint against government officer
- Bribery / corruption complaint
- Vigilance / anti-corruption complaint
- Delay or denial of government service
- Grievance against government department
- Online public grievance filing
- Right to Information (RTI) — when and how to use it
- RTI first appeal / what to do when information is denied
- Complaint to higher authority after departmental inaction
- Police complaint escalation / complaint to senior police officer
- Complaint to Human Rights / Women / Child / Disability authorities
F. Government legal help & justice services
13 topics
- Free legal aid eligibility
- Legal Services Authority help
- Lok Adalat / mediation help
- Tele-Law — talk to a lawyer online
- Court case status tracking
- Online complaints to authorities
- How to apply for free legal aid — step by step
- How to approach DLSA / TLSC / SLSA
- Who is eligible for free legal aid
- What happens after applying for legal aid
- How mediation works / when settlement may be possible
- How to check whether a case is pending in court
- What to do if you cannot afford a lawyer
G. Vulnerable persons & special protections
10 topics
- Rights of senior citizens / elder abuse
- Protection against abandonment or abuse of parents / senior citizens
- Rights of persons with disabilities
- Discrimination / caste-based abuse and atrocities
- Rights of SC/ST persons and where to complain
- Human trafficking / exploitation
- Rights of migrant and informal workers
- Rights of persons in police / judicial custody
- Prisoner rights / family access / legal aid
- Rights of victims of crime and compensation
H. Emergency & helplines
7 topics
- Emergency assistance
- Women helpline
- Child Helpline
- Cybercrime reporting
- Senior citizen assistance
- Legal Aid emergency contact
- District police / cyber police contact
Publication and release
Selected contributions form part of the Project NyayaBodh handbook, subject to editorial review and approval by the Organising Committee. The handbook will be released at NYAYATECH CONCLAVE 2026 in Jabalpur by Hon'ble Supreme Court and High Court Judges.
Contributors and others who wish to attend the release in person may register for the conclave for a nominal participation fee through the official payment portal, which carries the current amount.
Contacts
VidhiMitra — The Legal Aid Cell, DNLU Jabalpur
- Email: legalaid@mpdnlu.ac.in
- Ms. Isha Mehrotra, Convenor — +91 89570 32093
- Ms. Alfishan Nayab, Co-Convenor — +91 87709 41031
Partner
Advocado is the Official Outreach Partner for NYAYATECH 2026. We are circulating this call for contributions; we are not involved in selection or editing.