Kautilya Colloquy 2026

The Kautilya School of Public Policy at GITAM (Deemed to be University), Hyderabad, proudly presents the 4th Edition of Kautilya Colloquy 2026, our flagship academic conference, bringing together scholars, researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and students to examine the most pressing challenges in governance and public policy.

Building on the success of its previous editions, the Colloquy has become a premier platform for interdisciplinary dialogue, policy innovation, and research exchange. The conference has engaged 500+ participants, featured 50+ eminent speakers, attracted 150+ research submissions, and showcased 40+ peer-reviewed paper presentations, creating meaningful connections between academia, government, industry, and civil society.

The 2026 edition, themed "Policy Pathways: From Roots to Routes", explores how public policy evolves across time, shaped by historical legacies, present-day choices, and future possibilities. Through keynote addresses, panel discussions, paper presentations, and interactive policy engagements, the conference invites participants to reflect on the roots of contemporary governance while charting new pathways for resilient, inclusive, and evidence-based policymaking.

📄Paper Presentations (Offline)
Paper presentations are a central component of Colloquy, where selected participants submit a full-length research paper and present their work during the conference.

🧩 Niti-in-Quest (Offline)
Niti-in-Quest is a fast-paced quiz that challenges teams to spot clues, crack connections, and think on their feet.

🎥 Policy Play (Online)
The Policy Play is a vlog making competition that brings storytelling into the world of public policy.

Themes and Areas of Research
Participants may submit papers under the following broad areas:
1. Institutions and Administration
● Land Administration and Acquisition Frameworks
● Preventive Law and Emergency Governance
● Administrative Language Systems and Access to Public Services
2. Geopolitical Structures and Strategic Memory
● Borders, Migration and Regional Security Dynamics
● Trade Networks, Resource Geopolitics and Strategic Dependencies
● Identity, Memory and National Narratives in Foreign Policy
3. Social Systems and Ecological Transformation
● Infrastructure Models and Public Mobility
● Waste Management and Urban Climate
● Labour Informality and Social Protection
4. Economic Structures and Financial Governance
● Currency and Public Trust
● Agriculture Security Frameworks
● Tax Structures and Digital Compliance
● Economic Institutions: Enablers or Extensions of Red-Tapism
5. Technological Governance and Institutional Futures
● Digital Identity, Data Governance and State Infrastructures
● Cybersecurity, Regulation and Technological Governance
● Emerging Technologies such as Artificial Intelligence for Governance

Note: Interdisciplinary topics are encouraged.

Paper Presentation Deadline: 30th August
Policy Play Deadline: 1st September
Niti-in-Quest Deadline: 25th September

Paper Presentation Fee: INR 500, exclusive of tax (to be paid only after selection)
Niti-in-Quest Fee: INR 500, exclusive of tax
Policy Play Fee: INR 200, exclusive of tax

KAUTILYA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY GITAM (Deemed to be University) Rudraram, Patancheru Mandal Hyderabad, Telangana 502329

Accommodation will be provided upon payment at minimal rates