HPNLU: 1st Virtual National Trial Advocacy Competition, 2026
HPNLU: 1st Virtual National Trial Advocacy Competition, 2026
PROJECT VALOUR is the inaugural national trial advocacy competition organized by the Centre for Criminology and Forensic Studies (CCFS), Himachal Pradesh National Law University (HPNLU), Shimla.
Key Dates
• Registration Opens: 6 December 2025
• Last Date for Slot Reservation: 17 February 2026
• Last Date for Submitting Clarifications: 21 February 2026
• Last Date for Registration: 25 February 2026
• Release of Clarification Document: 28 February 2026
• Memorial Submission Deadline: 2 March 2026
• Release of Fixtures for Preliminary Rounds: 13 March 2026
• Preliminary Rounds: 14 March 2026
• Semi-Final and Final Rounds: 15 March 2026
About the Competition
• Conducted entirely in virtual mode
• Dates: 14–15 March 2026
• Objective: To simulate a realistic criminal trial environment and build advocacy skills including examination of witnesses, framing criminal law arguments, and understanding adversarial proceedings
• Language: English for all formal proceedings; Counsels may use Hindi with permission, and witnesses or accused may communicate in Hindi
Eligibility and Registration
• Open to bona fide students pursuing LL.B., BA LL.B., or equivalent degree programs
• Each team must have four members: two Speakers (Counsels) and two Researchers (who act as Witnesses in the Preliminary Rounds)
• Maximum 40 teams will be admitted
• Fees (non-refundable):
– Slot Reservation (optional): ₹1000
– Registration Fee: ₹4000 per team
– If slot reserved, remaining ₹3000 is payable at registration
Competition Structure
• Two Preliminary Rounds (Online)
• Semi-final Round (Online)
• Final Round (Online)
• Researchers act as Witnesses only in the Preliminary Rounds; CCFS provides witnesses for Semi-final and Final Rounds
Time Limits
• Preliminary Round: 30 minutes total, 15 minutes per team, minimum 2 witnesses examined, no re-examination
• Semi-Final Round: 60 minutes total, 30 minutes per team, minimum 3 witnesses examined, re-examination permitted
• Final Round: 90 minutes total, 45 minutes per team, minimum 3 witnesses examined, re-examination permitted
Memorial Submission Guidelines
• Teams must prepare separate Memorials for Prosecution and Defence
• Soft copies in MS Word and PDF formats
• Strict anonymity: no names, institution details, or identifying marks
• Maximum 40 pages per Memorial
• Cover Page: Blue for Prosecution, Red for Defence
• Formatting: Times New Roman; 14-size headings; 12-size body with 1.5 spacing; 10-size footnotes
Awards and Prizes
• Winning Team: ₹25,000 + Merit Certificate
• Runner-Up Team: ₹15,000 + Merit Certificate
• Best Advocate: ₹5,000 + Merit Certificate
• Best Memorial (Prosecution): ₹5,000 + Merit Certificate
• Best Memorial (Defence): ₹5,000 + Merit Certificate
• Best Witness: ₹2,000 + Merit Certificate
• Ashes to Glory Award: ₹5,000 + Merit Certificate
• All other participants receive E-Certificates
Grounds for Disqualification / Penalties
• Scouting or interacting with judges before results
• Any identity disclosure at any stage, including via Memorials or accessories
• Plagiarism in any submission
• Disruption during another participant’s submission or use of disrespectful language
• Unauthorised use of extra time
Contact Information
• Director: Dr. Ruchi Sapahia – ruchisapahia@hpnlu.ac.in
• Coordinator: Dr. Navditya Tanwar Kaundal – navditya@hpnlu.ac.in
• Co-Coordinator: Dr. Shaifali Dixit – shaifalidixit@hpnlu.ac.in
• Convenor: Ms. Trishla – 7973792284 / trishlaba2152@hpnlu.ac.in
• Co-Convenor: Ms. Morvi Sharma – 9828080092 / morvibba23046@hpnlu.ac.in
