Mumbai: The Centre for Research and Policy (CRP), SVKM’s Kirit P. Mehta School of Law, NMIMS, Mumbai, organised ‘Research 101 – From Beginner to Research Ready’, a foundational seminar designed to introduce first-year law students to the fundamentals of legal research and research paper writing. The session was held on August 20, 2026, at the Moot Court Room of the School, with 80 students registering for the programme.
The seminar aimed to build a strong research foundation among students at the beginning of their academic journey by familiarising them with research methods, credible sources and the key principles of academic research and writing.
The session featured Advocate Ashana Mishra, a practising advocate in criminal, civil and matrimonial matters, Research Scholar at the Department of Law, University of Mumbai, and Visiting Faculty at the University of Mumbai’s Department of Law and Government Law College, Mumbai. She introduced students to different approaches to legal research and emphasised the importance of using credible and verified sources. She also encouraged students to critically examine their research questions rather than simply identifying problems, helping them develop balanced and rigorous arguments.
Using the landmark Aruna Shanbaug euthanasia case as an illustration, the session explored the discourse around the right to die with dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution and demonstrated how a legal issue can be developed into a focused research inquiry.
The seminar also incorporated a hands-on activity, ‘The Research Blueprint’, through which students worked in pairs to apply the concepts discussed during the session. Using the theme of the right to die with dignity, students practised narrowing a broad topic into a focused and arguable research question, identifying binding and persuasive sources, developing evidence-based positions, considering counterarguments and conducting peer reviews of their work.
The activity reinforced a six-step approach to research: asking a focused question, reviewing existing literature, identifying relevant sources, studying the sources carefully, developing an argument and giving appropriate credit to sources.
As part of the programme, CRP also announced Lawquest, an upcoming online research seminar that will provide participants with an opportunity to submit their research papers and compete for cash prizes.
The seminar concluded with students gaining a clearer understanding of the research process and the importance of approaching legal research and academic writing with clarity, rigour and critical thinking.
