Knowledge, they say, is best shared. CoinSwitch, India’s largest crypto trading platform, has launched ‘Block by Block’, a national-level paper presentation competition focused on Virtual Digital Assets (VDAs). Here is a rare opportunity for law and public policy students to pitch their ideas to a panel of experts from the legal and crypto policy ecosystem in India. Let’s understand the broader context and how this differs from regular academic competitions.
Beyond the Classroom
To be sure, the growing mainstream adoption of VDAs has created the need to devise a regulatory framework for the asset class. ‘Block by Block’, a pan-India paper presentation competition, challenges students to develop innovative and practical policy proposals for regulating VDAs in India. Participants are expected to present papers on the theme: “A Policy Approach for Regulation of Virtual Digital Assets/Cryptoassets to Foster the Growth of a New Asset Class in India.”
CoinSwitch is of the view that those light-bulb moments—when an idea hits you—should not be confined to classrooms. In a rare industry-academia-legal collaboration, CoinSwitch is partnering with law firm Trilegal and the Centre for Technology, Entertainment, and Sports Law at the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata (NUJS) to organize this initiative. The contest offers a unique opportunity for students to tackle real-world policy challenges by applying their academic knowledge in a practical setting. Needless to say, the active industry participation provides both credibility and visibility to the contestants.
“At CoinSwitch, we believe that responsible innovation requires collaboration between industry, academia, and policymakers. ‘Block by Block’ is our effort to create a platform where the next generation of legal and policy minds can contribute meaningfully to India’s growing ecosystem. As Web3 continues to evolve, it’s crucial that we build the ecosystem thoughtfully—and we believe students have a big role to play in that journey,” said Ashish Singhal, Co-founder, CoinSwitch.
Think Rewards
Rewards are always encouraging, whether they are monetary or the opportunity to share your ideas through reputed journals. Here’s a glance at what’s up for grabs in ‘Block by Block.’
- Attractive Cash Prizes: A total prize pool of ₹1.5 lakh, with ₹75,000 awarded to the winner, ₹50,000 to the first runner-up, and ₹25,000 to the second runner-up.
- Publication Opportunities: The winning paper has the opportunity to be considered for publication in a reputed law journal i.e. NUJS Law review.
- Certificates & Recognition: The top three participants will receive certificates of recognition, and the remaining two finalists will be awarded certificates of participation, making it a valuable addition to their academic and professional portfolios.
- Expert Jury Panel: Evaluation will be done by a distinguished jury comprising prominent leaders from the legal and crypto policy ecosystem:
- Ashish Singhal, Co-founder, CoinSwitch
- Jaideep Reddy, Partner, Trilegal
- Dr. Shameek Sen, Professor, The Centre for Technology, Entertainment and Sports Law at NUJS Kolkata
- Venkatesh Ramakrishna, SVP & Head – Public Policy, CoinSwitch
- Om Prakash Pandey, Director – Legal, CoinSwitch
The competition officially launches on July 25, 2025, with entries open for 6 weeks until September 10, 2025. Submissions, limited to a maximum of 5,000 words (excluding footnotes), will be evaluated on key parameters including originality and novelty, research and evidence, analytical rigor, clarity of structure, and adherence to formatting guidelines. The competition also allows for co-authorship, with up to two individuals permitted per entry. Watch this space for more details!
