Kautilya Colloquy 2026
Policy Pathways: From Roots to Routes
About the Event
Kautilya Colloquy is the flagship academic conference of the Kautilya School of Public Policy, designed to convene scholars, researchers, policymakers and practitioners in a discourse on critical questions of governance and public policy.
The 2026 edition focuses on how policy evolves across time, shaped by inherited decisions, present-day choices and paths not taken. Under the theme Policy Pathways : From Roots to Routes, this year's conference invites participants to trace the historical logic embedded in contemporary governance and imagine alternative policy futures.
Experience
Conference Highlights
Paper Presentations
Selected participants submit full-length research papers and present their work before scholars, practitioners and peers, followed by interactive discussions and Q&A sessions.
Niti-In-Quest
A fast-paced policy quiz challenging participants to crack clues, connect ideas and think on their feet through current affairs, pop culture and public policy.
Policy Play
A national vlog competition that brings storytelling into the world of public policy, connecting local realities with larger policy conversations.
Join Kautilya Colloquy 2026
Why Participate?
Intellectual Exchange
Engage with scholars, researchers and policymakers in rigorous debates on governance and public policy.
Dynamic Experiences
Participate in events that recognize analytical depth and innovative thinking.
Build Your Network
Connect with peers and experts across disciplines and foster meaningful collaborations.
Present & Publish
Showcase your work on a national platform and explore publication opportunities.
Open to Students, Researchers and Professionals
Share your vision, showcase your work and engage with ideas that matter most in governance today.
All Participants will receive:
✓ Certificate of Participation
✓ Policy Networking Sessions
Paper Presentations
Paper presentations are a central component of Colloquy, where selected participants submit a full-length research paper and present their work during the conference. Each research presentation is delivered, followed by a Q&A session, allowing for academic discussion, feedback and engagement with scholars, practitioners and peers.
The theme Policy Pathways: From Roots to Routes encourages research that traces these trajectories to understand how certain futures become possible while others are foreclosed. Colloquy seeks submissions that critically engage with the past, interrogate the present, and imagine alternative policy futures.
Approaches to the Theme
Inherited Futures
The Weight of Yesterday
Examines how early policy choices and institutional legacies continue to shape modern governance and constrain present possibilities.
Scrying Futures
The Lock-Ins of Today
Explores how current policy decisions create long-term trajectories and self-reinforcing systems that may limit future freedoms.
Looking Glass
The Spectre of Untaken Paths
Revisits moments where alternative policy pathways were possible, challenging the inevitability of history and opening new futures.
Themes & Areas of Research
Institutions and Administration
Land Administration and Acquisition Frameworks
Preventive Law and Emergency Governance
Administrative Language Systems and Access to Public Services
Geopolitical Structures & Strategic Memory
Borders, Migration and Regional Security Dynamics
Trade Networks, Resource Geopolitics and Strategic Dependencies
Identity, Memory and National Narratives in Foreign Policy
Social Systems & Ecological Transformation
Infrastructure Models and Public Mobility
Waste Management and Urban Climate
Labour Informality and Social Protection
Economic Structures & Financial Governance
Currency and Public Trust
Agriculture Security Frameworks
Tax Structures and Digital Compliance
Economic Institutions: Enablers or Extensions of Red-Tapism
Technological Governance & Institutional Futures
Digital Identity, Data Governance and State Infrastructures
Cybersecurity, Regulation and Technological Governance
Emerging Technologies such as Artificial Intelligence for Governance
✦ Interdisciplinary topics are encouraged.
Publication & Recognition
All papers will undergo a thorough review for academic rigour, originality and relevance.
Top submissions will receive:
Publication Opportunity
The selected best paper will be considered for publication in the Kautilya Working Paper Series, subject to revisions.
Cash Prizes
The best two papers will receive cash prizes and special recognition.
Registration Fee
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens after my abstract is accepted?
You will be invited to submit a full paper and later present during the conference.
Is the use of AI tools allowed?
AI usage must be declared. Submissions with more than 30% AI-generated content will not be accepted.
Who can submit a paper?
Students, researchers, practitioners and policy enthusiasts are welcome to submit. Submissions may be individual or co-authored.
Do we need to be researchers or academicians to participate?
No, even first-time researchers are encouraged to take part in the event. In case of any help, reach us through our email.
How will I know if my abstract is selected?
Selected participants will be notified via email with further instructions for full paper submission.
Niti-In-Quest
Concept Note
A QR code. A pothole. A ration card. A protest slogan. A meme. Everyday India is full of clues. Niti-In-Quest asks one question: Can you spot the policy hiding in plain sight?
From politics to pop culture, from courtrooms to classrooms, from cinema to civic life, this event transforms everyday India into a puzzle. It combines the excitement of a quiz with the intelligence of public policy.
Event Format
Live Qualifier
All registered teams will participate in a fast-paced qualifying round. Participants will be tested on:
- Quick Recall
- Observation Skills
- Current Affairs
- Policy Basics
- Ability to connect the dots.
Finale
Shortlisted teams move to the main stage where they encounter:
- Rapid Questions
- Visual and Audio Clues
- pop culture connections
- Policy Puzzles
- Audience Engagement
Debate-Based Final Rounds
The final two rounds are designed to test how teams think through policy dilemmas, understand trade-offs, represent stakeholder concerns and respond to real-world crisis situations.
What To Expect
The event will include a mix of quick questions, image and sound-based clues, pop culture references, current affairs,numbers, symbols and real-world situations.
This is not just about knowing the right answer.
It is about speed, instinct, teamwork, judgement and the ability to think on your feet.
Registration Details
Registration Fee
₹250
Per Participant
Team Size
2 Members
Date
26 Sept 2026
Rules
Contact
rbhaskar27@kspp.edu.inPolicy Play
Concept Note
Every policy creates a story. A village adapting to water scarcity. A small business navigating regulation. A community responding to climate change. A citizen experiencing the effects of digital governance.
Public policy is not only written in documents and debates. It is lived through people, places, decisions and experiences.
The Policy Play is a national vlog competition that brings storytelling into the world of public policy and invites participants to explore how policies are understood, implemented, experienced and challenged in everyday life.
This is not just about making a video. It is about finding stories that matter, asking meaningful questions and bringing public policy to life through storytelling.
Storylines
Leadership, Governance and Institutions
Stories shaped by leadership, governance systems, public administration, institutions, civic participation, accountability and decision-making.
Economy, Markets and Development
Stories shaped by economic policy, trade, entrepreneurship, markets and development.
Sustainability and Environmental Futures
Stories shaped by climate action, sustainability, SDGs and environmental governance.
Geopolitics, Security and Global Affairs
Stories shaped by diplomacy, strategy, security, culture and identity.
Technology and Digital Society
Stories shaped by AI, cybersecurity, digital governance and innovation.
Event Format
Single-Round Online Competition
Participants will submit completed vlogs through the designated portal. Entries will be evaluated by a panel of judges assigned to the relevant storyline categories.
Who Can Participate
School Students
Intermediate Students
Undergraduate Students
Postgraduate Students
Registration Details
Registration Fee
₹200
Per Entry
Participation
Individual
Team Size
Up to 3 Members
Important Dates
July 2026
Registration Deadline
July 2026
Submission Deadline
Contact
Please mark sdoddi27@kspp.edu.in in CC while writing.
Rudraram, Patancheru Mandal
Hyderabad, Telangana 502329