National Book Review Competition (Online) at Dharmashastra National Law University, Jabalpur

About the University

Dharmashastra National Law University, Jabalpur (M.P.) was established in the year 2018, by Madhya Pradesh Dharmashastra National Law University Act 24 of 2018, with the object of advancing the cause of legal education and achieving excellence at imparting value-based legal education to undergraduate as well as postgraduate students.

About the Competition

Dharmashastra National Law University, Jabalpur is pleased to announce the National Book Review Competition, a unique initiative aimed at fostering a culture of reading, critical inquiry, and scholarly writing. This competition seeks to encourage students, research scholars, academicians, and legal practitioners from the field of law and allied disciplines to engage deeply with significant legal literature. By critically reviewing influential books, participants will not only sharpen their analytical and academic writing skills but also contribute meaningfully to the evolving discourse in legal education, research, and professional practice.

Themes (Core Subject Areas)

Indian Constitution
Human Rights
Social Justice
Criminal Law and Criminal Justice
Environmental and Climate Law
Law and Technology (including AI, Data Privacy, Cyber Law)
Legal Theory and Jurisprudence
Law of Evidence
Intellectual Property Law
International Trade Law
Legal Biography/Memoir

Participation and Selection Process

• Open to UG/PG students, research scholars, practitioners, academicians

• All received book reviews will be screened by a selection committee

• Top 10 reviews will be shortlisted for an online presentation round

• Final selection of winners will be based on the quality of both the paper and the presentation

All the selected review chapters will be published in an edited book with an ISBN number.

Guidelines for Writing the Book Review

Participants are expected to submit an original and insightful review of a scholarly book relevant to one of the prescribed themes. The review should be well-structured, academic in tone, and reflect critical engagement with the book.

1. Title of the Book

Mention the full title of the book being reviewed, along with the author’s name.

2. Brief Overview (250–400 words)

Provide a summary of the book’s key content, argument, and objectives.
Outline the main themes, structure (chapters/sections), and methodology used by the author.
Avoid detailed narration—focus on clarity and scope of the book.

3. Critical Evaluation (600–800 words)

Evaluate:

Depth of research and originality Theoretical framework and legal reasoning
Relevance and timeliness of the issues discussed
Strengths and weaknesses
Compare with other major works (if relevant).

4. Legal Significance (200–300 words)

Explain how the book contributes.
Assess its relevance in law education, research, policy, or society.
Highlight the importance of the book in the selected legal theme (e.g., Human Rights, AI Law, Environmental Law, etc.).

5. Personal Reflection (200–300 words)

Offer your personal insights and interpretation of the text.
Discuss what you found thought-provoking, controversial, or valuable.
Reflect on how the book influenced your understanding of the subject.

6. Conclusion (150–200 words)

Provide a clear summary of your evaluation.
State whether you would recommend the book, and to whom (students, practitioners, researchers, etc.).
Include any final remarks or broader implications.