The School of Law and ADR Society, Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, invite research papers for a National Seminar on Mediation titled “From Conflict to Consensus: Reimagining Justice through Mediation in India”, to be held on 12 February 2027. The seminar aims to examine the evolving legal framework, institutional mechanisms and emerging challenges surrounding mediation in India.About the OrganisersDr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya (formerly the University of Saugor), Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, is a Central University established on 18 July 1946 through the donation of the lifetime savings of Dr. Harisingh Gour. It is the oldest and largest university in Madhya Pradesh and bears the singular distinction of having been founded through the munificence of a single individual. Renamed in 1983, its 1,312-acre campus is regarded as among the most picturesque in India.The School of Law, established in 1946 with the University’s commencement, is the oldest law department in Madhya Pradesh. Guided by its motto, "To Serve the Law and the Nation", it offers the B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) and LL.B. programmes under the Legal Education Rules, 2008, and the LL.M. programme in accordance with UGC guidelines.About the SocietyThe Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Society at the School of Law, Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, is a premier student-driven academic initiative dedicated to cultivating excellence in non-adversarial justice. Rooted in the vision of its founder, Sir Dr. Harisingh Gour, the Society seeks to bridge the gap between theoretical classroom jurisprudence and the demands of modern legal practice, and provides a collaborative platform for students to master mediation, commercial arbitration, strategic negotiation and professional client counselling.About the SeminarConcept Note: Where Dialogue Meets JusticeMediation in India has traversed a considerable arc, from the conciliatory traditions of the village community and the Lok Adalat, through court-annexed mediation centres, to a dedicated statutory regime. With the enactment of the Mediation Act, 2023 and the establishment of the Mediation Council of India, the nation stands at a defining juncture. The inquiry is no longer whether consensual processes belong within the justice system, but how they may be rendered equitable, accessible and worthy of public confidence.The National Seminar on Mediation, titled “From Conflict to Consensus: Reimagining Justice through Mediation in India”, convenes academicians, judges, jurists, legal practitioners, research scholars and students to examine the law, practice and prospects of mediation: its institutional architecture and safeguards, its reach into families, markets and communities, its encounter with technology, and its place within a transnational framework of consensual justice.Date: 12 February 2027Venue: Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh – 470003.The mode of participation and seminar hall will be announced subsequently.EligibilityThe seminar is open to:Academicians and faculty membersResearch scholarsStudentsJudges, jurists and legal practitionersCo-authorship is permitted for a maximum of two authors, subject to registration.Themes and Sub-ThemesResearch papers are invited under the following four themes. The sub-themes are indicative and not exhaustive.Theme I: The Mediation Act, 2023: Statutory Design, Institutional Architecture and the Exigencies of OperationalizationThe Mediation Council of India: Regulatory Remit, Constitutive Framework and the Imperatives of OperationalizationAccreditation, Registration and Quality Assurance: Regulating the Mediator and the Mediation Service ProviderMediated Settlement Agreements as Decrees: Finality, Enforceability and the Circumscribed Grounds of ChallengeConfidentiality and Privilege in Mediation: The Statutory Shield and Its Juridical LimitsMediation Institutes and the Mediation Fund: Towards a Statutory Mediation EcosystemTheme II: Pre-Litigation Mediation: Statutory Compulsion, Party Autonomy and the Normative Promise of Access to JusticeSection 5 of the Mediation Act, 2023 and Section 12A of the Commercial Courts Act, 2015: Reconciling Concurrent Statutory MandatesThe ‘Urgent Interim Relief’ Exception after Patil Automation: Judicial Scrutiny and the Peril of EvasionCounterclaims, Re-instituted Suits and Section 12A: Emergent Judicial TrajectoriesCompulsory Mediation and the Right of Access to Courts: A Constitutional InquiryPre-Institution Mediation through Legal Services Authorities: An Empirical AppraisalTheme III: Sector-Specific Mediation in a Transforming Economy: Sectoral Imperatives and Institutional ResponsesInstitutional Commercial and Corporate Mediation: Prospects, Impediments and the Role of In-House CounselDelayed-Payment Disputes in the MSME Sector: The Efficacy of Mediation and Institutional LacunaeMediation and Conciliation in Industrial and Labour Disputes under the New Labour CodesIntellectual Property and Digital Marketplace Disputes: The Mediation ImperativeConsumer, Real Estate, Insurance and Medical Negligence Disputes: Amenability to Mediation and Requisite SafeguardsTheme IV: Technology, Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Mediation: Algorithmic Governance and Procedural IntegrityOnline Mediation under the Mediation Act, 2023: Confidentiality, Informed Consent and Procedural FairnessAI-Assisted Mediation: Prospects, Ethical Perils and the Imperative of Human OversightAlgorithmic Bias and Procedural Equity in Online Dispute Resolution PlatformsData Protection in Online Mediation under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023Online Mediation of Mass Disputes: Safeguarding the Weaker Party and Bridging the Digital DivideSubmission GuidelinesAbstract SubmissionThe abstract must contain 200–300 words and 5–6 keywords.A cover page must include the title of the paper, relevant theme, name(s), designation and affiliation of the author(s), and contact details of the corresponding author.The abstract must correspond to one of the four seminar themes.Submissions are accepted in English or Hindi.Full Paper SubmissionPapers must be original and unpublished, with a maximum length of 3,500 words, excluding footnotes.The similarity index must not exceed 10%.AI-generated content must not exceed 30%.Submissions must be in Microsoft Word format (.doc or .docx). PDF submissions will not be accepted.Citations must follow the Bluebook (21st Edition). Non-conforming submissions will be rejected.Formatting RequirementsEnglish Papers: Times New Roman, 12 pt for the main text with 1.5 line spacing; headings in 14 pt, bold; footnotes in 10 pt with single spacing.Hindi Papers: Kruti Dev or Devanagari font, 12 pt for the main text with 1.5 line spacing; headings in 14 pt, bold; footnotes in 10 pt with single spacing.Presentation and PublicationAll papers accepted after review will be presented at the seminar. Parallel presentation sessions may be organised.Certificates of participation will be provided to all presenters and participants. Certificates will not be issued in absentia.Selected papers may be published in a book with an ISBN by a reputed publisher.Registration FeesStudents: ₹500Research Scholars: ₹800Faculty Members: ₹1,200Attendees: ₹200Registration and Submission ProcedureInterested participants are required to submit their abstracts and full papers and complete the registration process through the designated Google Form: [Click here to Register]Payment via UPI: 44497867140@sbiImportant DatesRegistration Opens: 1 November 2026Registration Deadline: 25 December 2026Abstract Submission Opens: 26 December 2026Abstract Submission Deadline: 7 January 2027Full Paper Submission: 12 January 2027Seminar Date: 12 February 2027DownloadsBrochure: [Click here to view]ContactEmail: adrsociety.law@dhsgsu.edu.inShubh Sharma (Student Convener): 74896 39331Mr. Satyam Sinha (Faculty Co-Convener, ADR Society): 91299 95721