The Mandate - The Sambhavana Policy Competition

Location: Lady Shri Ram College for Women,University of Delhi, Delhi, India

• Team Size: 1-3 per team
• Registration Deadline: 22 September, 2026 11.59 P.M
• Eligibility: Engineering Students, MBA Students, Undergraduate, Postgraduate

All you need to know about the Sambhavana Policy Competition

Policy-making rarely involves solving one problem in isolation. A decision taken by one ministry can create consequences across healthcare, employment, infrastructure, the environment, culture and public finance.

The Sambhavana Policy Competition places participants at the centre of this process.

Teams will step into the roles of key ministries and respond to a complex, interconnected national crisis. They must formulate evidence-based and feasible policies, while anticipating competing priorities, implementation challenges, resource constraints and cross-sectoral consequences. The challenge is not simply to create the best policy in isolation, but to create one that can withstand scrutiny, adapt to competing priorities and function within the larger governance system.

The central question is:

"Can you formulate a policy that works not just for your ministry, but within the larger policy ecosystem?"

Stages and Timelines

Registration Opens - 27/08/2026

Registration Closes - 22/09/2026, 11:59 PM

Round 1: Stakeholder Brief - 24/09/2026 to 28/09/2026

Teams will be provided with a list of significant turning points in Indian history and must select one event and a stakeholder directly affected by it.

Participants must submit a 500-700 word Stakeholder Brief analysing the event from the chosen stakeholder's perspective, including their interests, priorities, concerns and perception of the event, supported by credible evidence. Submission is to be done via Unstop by 28 September, 2026 EOD.

8 teams will be shortlisted for the final round.

Round 2 : Ministry Allocation- 29/09/2026

Shortlisted teams will receive their ministry allocation and competition briefing. On the day of the competition, all teams will be presented with the same multi-dimensional national crisis comprising several interconnected challenges across sectors. Teams will be required to formulate a policy intervention within the mandate of their allocated ministry.

Round 3: Crisis Reveal & Policy Formation- 01/10/2026

The national crisis will be revealed at the beginning of the round. Teams will have 30 minutes to research, deliberate and formulate one evidence-based and feasible policy intervention within their ministry's mandate.

Teams will then present their proposals, engage in cross-sectoral rebuttal and scrutiny, and subsequently participate in a ministry huddle to reassess and refine their interventions. Each ministry will present its final position, either defending its original intervention or proposing a revised policy, followed by a Judges' Q&A.

Why Participate?

• Experience policy-making from the perspective of a real government ministry.
• Develop your ability to research, analyse and make decisions under pressure.
• Understand how policies create cross-sectoral consequences and trade-offs.
• Test your ability to defend, scrutinise and refine policy interventions.
• Apply perspectives from economics, politics, public policy, business, sociology and other disciplines.
• Compete in a dynamic simulation of real-world governance and decision-making.

Evaluation Criteria

Teams will be evaluated on:

• Effectiveness of the Policy
• Feasibility & Implementation
• Research & Use of Evidence
• Understanding of Ministry Mandate
• Inter-sectoral Awareness
• Quality of Scrutiny & Rebuttal
• Ability to Refine the Policy
• Defence & Reasoning

Rounds and Submission Guidelines

Round 1: Teams are required to submit a 500–700 word Stakeholder Brief based on one historical event from the list provided, addressing:

• The Event - What happened and what was the government's decision/intervention?
• The Stakeholder - Who are you and how were you directly affected?
• Perspective & Priorities - What are your interests, concerns and position?
• Evidence - What evidence supports your perspective?

Round 2: Shortlisted teams will be allocated their respective ministries and will participate in a policy-making simulation based on a multi-dimensional national crisis revealed on the day of the competition.

• Crisis Analysis - Understanding the key challenges and priorities
• Policy Intervention - Formulating a solution within the ministry's mandate
• Implementation & Feasibility - Addressing resources, execution and evidence
• Inter-sectoral Impact - Anticipating consequences for other ministries and sectors
• Scrutiny & Rebuttal - Challenging and responding to other ministries' proposals
• Ministry Huddle - Reassessing the proposed intervention based on scrutiny
• Final Position - Defending or revising the initial policy
• Judges' Q&A - Defending the final policy before the judges

Process

• Registrations will be open from 27th August to 22nd September 2026 (EOD) through Unstop.
• Registered teams will receive the Round 1 concept note/briefing on 24th September 2026 and submit their Stakeholder Brief by 28th September 2026 (EOD).
• Shortlisted teams will be announced and receive their ministry allocation and Round 2 concept note/briefing on 29th September 2026.
• The final round will be held on 1st October 2026.
• On the day of the competition, teams will receive the same multi-dimensional national crisis and have 30 minutes to research and formulate their initial policy intervention.
• Ministries will present and scrutinise one another's proposals, followed by a ministry huddle to reassess their interventions.
• Each ministry will present its final policy position, either defending or revising its initial proposal.
• The competition will conclude with a Judges' Q&A.

Guidelines & Rules

• The Stakeholder Brief must be 500-700 words and adhere to the prescribed requirements.
• Submissions must be made in PDF format.
• File naming format: TeamName_TheMandate26
• Only one member per team must submit the final submission via Unstop.
• Sources used must be clearly cited.
• Plagiarism in any form will result in immediate disqualification.
• No extension or separate deadline will be provided. Failure to submit within the prescribed submission window will result in cancellation of the team's participation.
• Teams are encouraged to present their ideas in a clear, engaging and creative manner, while ensuring that the substance of their analysis remains evident.
• The use of AI tools is strictly prohibited in the preparation of submissions and presentations.
• The decision of the organising team shall be final and binding.
• The final round will be conducted in person; online participation will not be permitted.

For any queries contact the following POCs:

• Swathi RJ - 8778615025
• Pragayaa Bakshi - 9059318169

Email - opportunitycell.bap26@gmail.com