Vidhi Pragati National IP Moot Court Competition, 2025

0001From 7th to 9th February, 2025, the DPIIT IPR Chair at National Law University Delhi, in collaboration with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, organised the inaugural edition of the Vidhi Pragati National IP Moot Court Competition 2025. The Centre for Innovation, Intellectual Property and Competition was also identified as a collaborating institution.

0002The competition was held at National Law University Delhi, Sector 14, Dwarka, New Delhi and focused on the theme of Artificial Intelligence and Copyright. The competition addressed contemporary questions concerning AI, authorship, originality, and copyright protection for AI generated content.

Inaugural Ceremony

0003The inaugural ceremony was held on 7th February, 2025. Shri Piyush Goyal, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, attended the ceremony as the Chief Guest.

0004Justice Prathiba M. Singh, Delhi High Court, attended as the Guest of Honour and Keynote Speaker. Ms. Himani Pande, Additional Secretary, DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, was also present as an additional dignitary.

0005The pre-event announcement also identified Shri Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Secretary, DPIIT, as a Guest of Honour.

0006The competition provided a platform for participating teams to engage with contemporary issues in intellectual property law, particularly those arising from developments in artificial intelligence and copyright.

0007The inaugural ceremony of Vidhi Pragati: National IP Moot Court Competition, 2025 was held on 7 February 2025 at National Law University Delhi. Organised collaboratively by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, and the Centre for Innovation, Intellectual Property and Competition (CIIPC) – IPR Chair, NLU Delhi, the competition marked a significant milestone in advancing intellectual property education and advocacy among law students across the country. Twenty-six teams qualified for the competition following a rigorous memorial round, with the moot problem centred on artificial intelligence and copyright.

0008The inaugural ceremony was graced by Shri Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Minister of Commerce and Industry, as Chief Guest; Hon’ble Ms. Justice Prathiba M. Singh of the Delhi High Court, as Guest of Honour and Keynote Speaker; and Ms. Himani Pande, Additional Secretary, DPIIT. A particularly significant outcome of the event was Shri Piyush Goyal’s announcement that the Government would support students selected to participate in international IP moot court competitions, with sponsorship through the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM). This announcement marked an important step towards enabling Indian law students to access international platforms for intellectual property advocacy and strengthening India’s emerging IP law ecosystem.

0009The event was monumental not only as the launch of a national-level IP moot court competition, but also for its emphasis on nurturing the next generation of IP practitioners through practical advocacy, academic engagement, and opportunities for international exposure. The competition, held from 7 to 9 February 2025, established an important platform for students to engage with contemporary challenges at the intersection of intellectual property and emerging technologies.

Competition and Oral Rounds

0010Following the memorial qualification stage, 26 teams qualified for the oral rounds of the competition.

0011The teams proceeded through the oral rounds before reaching the grand finale on 9th February, 2025. The final round provided an opportunity for the participating teams to demonstrate their advocacy and research on the issues arising from the competition problem.

Final Round

0012The final round was adjudicated by an eminent bench comprising Justice Mini Pushkarna, Delhi High Court, who chaired the bench, Prof. Dr. Raman Mittal, University of Delhi, Mr. Adarsh Ramanujan, Independent Counsel, Ms. Sneha Jain, Partner, Saikrishna and Associates, and Mr. Ankit Sahni, Principal, Ajay Sahni and Associates.

0013The judges evaluated the teams during the final round and contributed their expertise to the proceedings.

Results

0014The competition concluded with the following results.

Winner

West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata

First Runner Up

National Law University, Jodhpur

Second Runner Up

National Law School of India University

Best Memorial

National Law School of India University

Best Researcher

Hidayatullah National Law University

Best Speaker

West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences

Conclusion

0015The inaugural Vidhi Pragati National IP Moot Court Competition 2025 provided a platform for law students to engage with emerging questions concerning Artificial Intelligence and Copyright.

0016The participation of senior members of the judiciary, government representatives, academics, and legal professionals added to the academic setting of the competition. The event concluded with the recognition of the teams and participants who performed exceptionally in the competition.