Introduction
Writing research papers and getting them published constitutes one of the core components of co-curricular activities in law school. Publications help the students with a deeper understanding and perspective about the topic of publication, critical thinking, research, and writing skills which are very useful for a career as a lawyer or in legal education and research.
However, while pursuing research and publication efforts, it should be kept in mind that not all journals carry the same degree of credibility and the choice of a publication platform should be made accordingly. There are several parameters to make the correct choice in this regard, one of them being approval from a leading statutory body in the academic sphere in India like the University Grants Commission (UGC). This article aims at bringing some clarity to this issue by listing and highlighting legal journals that currently enjoy approval under this authority. Read on!
List Of Journals Approved By The UGC
Further, given below are the overviews of 5 leading journals in the sphere of Indian law:
Army Institute of Law Journal
Official Website: https://www.ail.ac.in/ail-journal.php
Eligibility
The submission of papers is open only to Teachers, Academicians, Professionals, and PhD. Research Scholars. Students are also allowed to co-author their submissions.
Submission Guidelines
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Contributions should be in the English language only and conformity with AIL’s scheme and style.
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Electronic submissions (on website or email) should ideally be made in Word Format (doc)/(Docx).
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Text and citations should strictly conform to the rules in The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (20th edition). This mode of citation must be strictly followed otherwise the paper shall not be considered for publication.
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In the case of book reviews, two copies of the book are to be sent.
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In the case of references from websites, a complete URL address, along with the last date of accessing the website should be mentioned.
All manuscripts (in hard copy and e-mail) must be accompanied by:
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A cover letter with the name(s) of the author(s), official designation institution/affiliation, the title of the manuscript, and contact information (correspondence address, email, phone number, etc).
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A Certificate that the paper submitted is a piece of original and bonafide research work and has not been published or submitted for publication elsewhere.
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An abstract of not more than 200 words describing the submission.
Word Limit
The word limit mentioned as under must be strictly adhered to:
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Article/Research Papers: The word limit is between 4,000 to 6,000 words.
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Notes and comments: The word limit is up to 3,000 words.
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Book Review: The word limit is up to 2,500 words.
GNLU Journal of Law, Development, and Politics
Official Website: https://gnlu.ac.in/Journal-of-Law-Development-And-Politics/Home
GJLDP invites authors to submit manuscripts under the following heads:
Article
‘Article’ refers to a comprehensive analysis of issues related to law, development, or politics. The Article submitted is expected to be thorough and should analytically deal with the issues. The word limit for articles is between 5,000 to 8,000 words.
Commentaries
‘Commentary’ refers to academic writing that analyses or is a critique of a recent event, case, piece of legislation, or contemporary issues related to law, development, or politics. The word limit for Commentaries is between 4,000 to 5,000 words.
Book Review
‘Book Review’ should be of a recently published notable publication by any author of repute. A book review should ideally contain not only a content overview but also an appraisal and critical analysis of ideas along with a comparison with similar related journals. The word limit for Book Review is 3,000 words. Submission should include complete details of the books including the edition, publisher details, and the ISBN Number.
Submission Guidelines
Submissions can be by authors individually or can be co-authored by a maximum of two authors. The GJLDP accepts submissions of manuscripts for publication throughout the year. But for each biannual issue, only those articles and notes, and comments submitted on or before the last date of submission prescribed below would be considered. Submissions made after the last date will be taken into consideration for subsequent issues. Manuscripts accepted can take up to six months or even more be published in the Journal. Papers with immediate relevance would be considered for early publication. This is a matter of editorial judgment. Send your submissions to: [email protected]
NLUJ Law Review
Official Website: http://www.nlujlawreview.in/
Categories
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Long Articles [6,000 – 8,000 words]: The category includes submissions that are comprehensively analysing a nuanced legal issue. It must contain an analysis of the current legal scenario, help the reader identify the lacunae therein, and provide constructive suggestions. The author(s) are also encouraged to provide their opinions and responses to the previous publications of the Review.
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Short Articles [3,000 – 6,000 words]: The category includes submissions that undertake an in-depth study of specific legal issues and gives the reader valuable insight into the legal challenge identified by the author.
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Case notes & Comments [1,500 – 3,000 words]: The category is inclusive of both case notes and comments that discuss any contemporary question of law. A case note must contain an argument that emphasises a legal dialogue or a definite point of law.
General Instructions
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The submissions made under the categories of Long Articles and Short Articles must enclose an abstract of not more than 200 words.
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The Review permits co-authorship of not more than two authors in the categories of Long Articles and Short Articles. Under the category of Case Notes & Comments, co-authorship is not permitted.
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All submissions to the Review should be original and should not be simultaneously considered by any other publication. Any form of plagiarism by the author(s) will lead to disqualification of the manuscript for publication.
Submission Guidelines
The main content of the manuscript must be formatted as per the following guidelines:
The footnotes must follow the 20th edition of the Bluebook and must be formatted as per the following guidelines:
The first page of the manuscript must contain only the title of the paper, followed by the 200-word abstract. The second page must contain a table of contents; the main body of the manuscript should begin immediately thereafter. Submissions made under the category of Case Notes & Comments are exempted from including an abstract to the manuscript submitted. Submissions must adhere to the prescribed guidelines for the relevant category.
ILI Law Review
Official Website: https://ili.ac.in/ilr.html
The ILILR Journal accepts submissions throughout the year. All submissions are required to be addressed to the Editor, ILILR, and emailed [email protected].
All submissions should be sent with a covering letter indicating the Name of the Author, Institutional Affiliation, Contact Details, and the Topic of the paper. The Journal allows a maximum of two authors. Co-authored papers should give details about both authors. The Editorial Board will consider the authorship and designation mentioned in the cover letter during submission as final and correct unless otherwise intimated by the author/s. It shall be the Author's responsibility to intimate the Editorial Board regarding any change in designation during the period in which the paper is being processed. No changes will be entertained after publication.
Text Format
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The length of the manuscript should average as follows (all inclusive of footnotes):
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For Article – 6000 to 12000 words
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All Others (Case Comment/Book Review/Bill comment/Legislative comment etc.) – 2000 to 6000 words
Manuscripts shall be formatted according to the following guidelines.
It shall include an abstract of not more than 150 words. All citations shall be placed in footnotes. All pages shall be numbered. The Institute has formulated a set pattern of citation (i.e., ILI Rules of Footnoting), which is followed in ILILR and various other publications of the Institute. The citation style in the articles and notes and comments submitted for publication in JILI shall conform with the ILI Rules of footnoting available at www.ili.ac.in/cstyle.pdf
Indian Journal of Law and Technology
Official Website: https://www.ijlt.in/
Categories
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Articles (5000-12000 words).
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Essays (3000-5000 words).
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Case Notes, Legislative Comments, Book/Article Reviews (2000-5000 words).
The above limits are exclusive of footnotes. Substantive footnoting is allowed.
Submission Guidelines
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Submissions must be submitted using this form.
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An abstract (not more than 250 words) must be submitted.
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Co-authorship (up to a maximum of 3 authors) is permitted.
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The body of the paper shall be in Times New Roman, font size 12, 1.5 line spacing. Footnotes should be in Times New Roman, size 10 single line spacing.
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Follow the OSCOLA (4th edition) style of citation.
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All submissions must be original, unpublished, and not under consideration by any other journal/forum.
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Send in your submissions in MS/Open Word (*.doc OR *.docx).
Quality legal research is highly rewarding from a professional perspective, especially if the authors possess any interest to pursue an academic route. Strong publications demonstrate a student’s impeccable grasp on the issue at hand, consistency, and overall passion for the subject. It is a well-known fact that recruiters often prefer esteemed publications over any other co-curricular achievement, especially if the job profile mandates long hours of research. That being said, the primary emphasis must remain on the content and academic value of the publications and not on the quantity of work done.
Legalbots wish you all the best!
