[Deadline Extended to 27 August 2025]: RGNUL Student Research Review

About RGNUL Student Research Review

The RGNUL Student Research Review (RSRR) is the flagship student-run, double-blind peer reviewed journal of the Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Punjab. Established in 2013, RSRR has been driven by the goal of publishing critical and interdisciplinary scholarship authored by law students, academics, and professionals on a broad range of issues on law and the social sciences. Through its journal and online blog, RSRR continues to contribute meaningfully to academic and policy-oriented discourse in India and beyond.

About Ahlawat & Associates

Ahlawat & Associates (‘A&A’) is a leading law firm in India catering to arenas falling under Corporate Law and Dispute Resolution. A&A has been recognised for its expertise in addressing a diverse array of legal issues, pertaining to Foreign Direct Investment, Mergers & Acquisitions, Private Equity, Real Estate, and Intellectual Property Law. The firm has actively contributed to legal scholarship and industry discussions, with professionals engaging in editorial boards and law journals. In addition, the firm has a highly specialised IP practice, advising Fortune 500 companies, startups, and multinational firms on trademarks, copyrights, patents, and industrial designs. Their IP litigation team is recognised as one of the best in India, renowned for handling complex trademark, patent, domain name and copyright disputes. The firm has successfully represented clients to provide cutting-edge solutions for IP challenges across diverse industries.

Call for Blogs

This blog series endeavours to initiate a conversation around the dynamic evolution of Intellectual Property (‘IP’) law in India and globally. We welcome students of law to send in their submissions for this blog series. In light of the exponential growth in innovation and creative expression, we invite submissions from law students across universities who are keen to engage with the multifaceted world of IP and wish to contribute to meaningful discourse in this area.

About the Theme

Ideas in Motion: Contemporary Frontiers in Intellectual Property Law

Innovation has been one of the many boons of the thriving ecosystem that evolved over the past decade. With the mushrooming of startups and betterment in technology, the perfect setting for innovation is set. The government is also doing much to encourage this spirit of innovation within the general public by promoting ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ which has heightened the number of entrepreneurs and businesses that are finding IP protection for their innovations.

India is experiencing a remarkable surge in IPR as it positions itself as a global innovation superpower. India, according to WIPO, registered more than 64,480 patents, making this statistic the sixth-highest in the world in 2023 alone. In 2023, India’s patent applications shot up by an enormous number of 149.4% due to a huge gap in granted patents from the preceding year. This upward trajectory shows not only increased activity but also the thus-far growing maturity of the Indian innovation ecosystem.

As we move into this new era of innovation, all the stakeholders involved must work in effective cohesion towards crafting crucial IP-protective realms where the right to creativity is not only recognised and maximised, but also rigorously enforced. With its rapidly evolving innovation ecosystem and expanding global presence, it is high time India contributes meaningfully to the global jurisprudential discourse on intellectual property. From the ethical dilemmas posed by artificial intelligence and the role of trade secrets in competitive industries, to the intersection of IPR with environmental sustainability, fashion, and global economic policy, this blog series invites rigorous inquiry and nuanced perspectives.

Illustrative Sub-Themes

India’s Intellectual Property Regime on Trial

1.1. Navigating the Complexities of Brand Identity in India

1.2. The Geographical Indication and its Role in Protecting India’s Cultural Heritage 1.3. Reforming IP Enforcement Mechanisms in India

Artificial Intelligence and the Erosion of IPR Boundaries

2.1. IP Protection for Creative Work by Artificial Intelligence

2.2. Exploring the IP Concerns in Virtual and Augmented Reality Technologies 2.3. Analysing the Copyright Battles in the Music Streaming Industry

Legal Challenges and Protections for Trade Secrets

3.1. The Role of NDAs in Trade Secret Management

3.2. Trade Secret Protection in the Age of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning 3.3. Legal Imperatives for Trade Secret Safeguarding with Cybersecurity

Bridging the Divide Between Innovation and Access in the Pharmaceutical Industry

4.1. Counterfeiting and IPR Enforcement in the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain

4.2. Navigating IPR Agreements in Pharmaceutical Partnerships

4.3. Evaluating IP Assets in Mergers and Acquisitions

Eco-Patents and Global Policy

5.1.The Role of Eco-Patents in Driving Sustainability

5.2.Aligning IP with Sustainable Development Goals

5.3.The Role of Global Cooperation in Sustainable Development and IP

Fashion Law and Intellectual Property

6.1. Design Law and the Indian Legal Framework for Protecting Designers 6.2. IP Law as a Tool of Preservation or Exploitation of Traditional Designs 6.3. IP Rights Role in Encouraging Eco-Innovation

Non-Conventional Trademarks in India

7.1. Distinctiveness, Functionality, and Competition Concerns of Colour as a Brand

7.2. Neuromarketing and Non-Conventional Trademarks

7.3. Protecting Brand Identity in the Digital Era

Note: These sub-themes are merely illustrative, not exhaustive. Submissions need not be restricted to the following list, as long as they fall within the ambit of the main theme.

Submission Guidelines

All submissions must be in Garamond, font size 12, spacing 1.5.
Referencing:
Manuscripts must include hyperlinks for relevant legal sources and other information, including any laws, treaties or other legal texts which are mentioned.
Hyperlinks should link to legal sources or reputable news outlets. When referencing primary materials, links must lead directly to the primary source. Linking to secondary sources in place of primary ones may result in the submission being sent back for revisions.
Only relevant legal sources that cannot be accessed online may be cited through endnotes. The endnotes should be in Garamond, font size 10, single-spaced. The authors should follow the Oxford University Standard for the Citation of Legal Authorities (OSCOLA) 4th Edition for footnotes.
Margins: Left 1 Inch, Right 1 Inch, Top 1 Inch, and Bottom 1 Inch.
Word limit for each post is 1500-1800 words (exclusive of endnotes). Articles exceeding the word limit shall be accepted subject to the discretion of the Board. If accepted, they shall be published in two parts.
The entries should be submitted only in .doc/.docx format.
The entries must use the British conventions for spellings and punctuation. 7. Entries selected, after the Peer Review process by Ahlawat & Associates, shall be published on the RSRR website.
Co-authorship up to a maximum of two persons is permitted.
The author(s) bear sole responsibility for the accuracy of facts, opinions or views stated in the submitted Manuscript.
Plagiarism in any form is strictly prohibited. RSRR follows the University Grants Commission (Promotion of Academic Integrity and Prevention of Plagiarism in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2018. Our Plagiarism Policy can be found here.Copyright of all blog posts published on the RSRR website shall remain with RGNUL Student Research Review. Our Copyright Policy can be found here.
The usage of AI for writing is strictly prohibited. Any content found to be AI-generated will be automatically disqualified from consideration by the RSRR.
All moral rights shall vest with the author(s). The manuscripts not abiding to the above guidelines are subject to rejection.

Perks

The author of the top entry will receive a cash prize of Rs. 7,000 along with an internship opportunity at Ahlawat & Associates. The second-best entry will be awarded a cash prize of Rs. 5,000. E-certificates of publication will be issued by RSRR and Ahlawat & Associates to the authors of all selected and published blogs.

Submission Procedure

All the submissions must be made through the Google Form. Any submission made via any other mode than the one suggested shall not be considered.

Deadline

The last date of submissions for this Blog Series is 20th August, 2025 by 11:59 PM (IST). Contact

For any queries, please reach out to us at submissionsrsrr@rgnul.ac.in.

For further details, feel free to contact:

Shagnik Mukherjea: +91 99620 79033 | Murli Manohar Pandey: +91 83684 97893

Click here for Brochure.