The XVI M. K. Nambyar Memorial National Level Moot Court Competition 2026 is hosted by the Karnataka Law Society’s Raja Lakhamgouda Law College, Belagavi.
The XVI M. K. Nambyar Memorial National Level Moot Court Competition 2026 is hosted by the Karnataka Law Society’s Raja Lakhamgouda Law College, Belagavi. This prestigious event is designed to sharpen legal reasoning, refine advocacy skills, and provide law students with a platform to engage in thought-provoking debates on complex legal issues.
Competition Overview and Schedule
The competition will be held in a physical format from March 13th to 15th, 2026, at Raja Lakhamgouda Law College in Belagavi, Karnataka. This event brings together some of the brightest legal minds from across the country to compete for a nationally recognized title.
Important Dates
* Last Date for Registration: February 15, 2026.
* Last Date for Clarifications: February 20, 2026.
* Soft Copy Memorial Submission: March 1, 2026.
* Hard Copy Memorial Submission: March 5, 2026.
* Competition Dates: March 13–15, 2026.
Eligibility and Registration
Participation is open to Law Schools, Colleges, and Universities recognized by the Bar Council of India.
Student Eligibility: Participants must be currently pursuing a three-year or five-year LL.B. degree. Crucially, participants must have studied Constitutional Law as part of their course; those who have not yet studied this subject are ineligible.
Team Composition: Each team must consist of two Mooters and may optionally include one Researcher.
Registration Fee: The fee is ₹5,900 (₹5,000 + GST), which is non-refundable unless the registration is not accepted. This fee includes accommodation, food, and local conveyance during the competion.
Registration Process: The first 30 registered teams will be considered. Teams must register online via the provided Google Form and may pay via Demand Draft, Cheque, or digital transfer (NEFT/IMPS/UPI).
Structure of the Competition
The oral rounds are divided into four distinct stages:
Preliminary Rounds: Every team will argue twice—once as the Petitioner and once as the Respondent. Each side is allotted 30 minutes, including 5 minutes for rebuttals.
Quarter-Final Rounds: The top 8 teams from the Preliminaries advance to this knockout stage.
Semi-Final Rounds: The winners of the Quarter-Finals move forward to the Semi-Finals.
Final Round: Two teams compete for the championship. Each team is granted 45 minutes for their arguments, including rebuttal time.
Memorial Requirements
Teams must submit written memorials for both the Petitioner and the Respondent.
Formatting: Memorials must be on A4 paper with specific margins and font sizes (Times New Roman, size 12 for body, size 10 for footnotes).
Color Coding: Petitioner memorials must have a blue cover, while Respondent memorials must have a red cover.
Anonymity: The identity of the participating institution must not be revealed anywhere in the memorial; only the assigned Team Code should appear on the top right corner of the cover page.
Citation Style: Teams are required to follow the 22nd edition of the Bluebook mode of citation.
Length: The "Pleadings" section must not exceed 20 pages.
Researcher Test
A dedicated test for Researchers will be conducted on March 13, 2026, in two phases:
Phase 1 (Qualifier): A 30-minute objective test covering laws and concepts related to the Moot Proposition.
Phase 2 (Conversation): The top four high-scorers from Phase 1 will engage in a conversation round to determine the "Best Researcher".
Note: Marks from this test do not influence the overall team score.
Awards and Prizes
The competition offers significant cash prizes and trophies:
* Winner: ₹50,000
* Runners-Up: ₹30,000
* Best Memorial: ₹15,000
* Best Speaker (Male/Female): ₹15,000 each
* Best Researcher: ₹10,000
* Advocate Ashok N. Potdar Cash Prize: Awarded for Best Speaker.
Rules of Conduct
Dress Code: Formal legal attire is mandatory. For both gentlemen and ladies, this includes a black trouser, white shirt, black blazer, and black formal shoes (gentlemen must also wear a black necktie).
Prohibited Items: Use of mobile phones in court halls and consumption of tobacco or intoxicating products on campus or at the accommodation is strictly forbidden.
Scouting: Any form of scouting will result in immediate disqualification.
Accommodation: Provided only for the three registered team members.
