Teachers, research scholars and school leaders have a new reason to start writing. The North East Regional Institute of Education (NERIE) in Shillong, a unit of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), is holding a three-day National Conference on Transformative Education in 21st Century India. It runs from 10 to 12 February 2027 at the NERIE campus in Shillong.
The paper window is already open. Anyone planning to present has until 31 October 2026 to submit.
The conference is built around the idea of changing how education works in Indian classrooms, in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Organisers want original, unpublished work: empirical studies, action research, case studies, and conceptual papers that say something useful about teaching, learning and school reform. Researchers, teacher educators, policymakers and practitioners are all invited to send entries.
Here’s the part that matters most for anyone applying. Only 50 to 60 papers will make the cut. Each goes through a blind peer review, where the reviewers don’t know who wrote the paper, so selection rests on the work itself.
Key dates and rules
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Last date to submit | 31 October 2026 |
| Selected papers announced | 20 December 2026 |
| Conference dates | 10 to 12 February 2027 |
| Registration fee | Nil |
| Abstract limit | 250 words |
| Full paper limit | 2,500 words |
| Format | MS Word, APA 7th Edition style |
| Plagiarism cap | Similarity index up to 10% (excluding references and quotations) |
A word on that plagiarism cap. Authors must attach a plagiarism report with the full paper, and anything that crosses 10% similarity will be rejected without review. So originality isn’t a suggestion here. It’s the gate.
There are rewards for strong work. Three standout papers will get Best Paper Awards. On top of that, the 20 best papers picked by the review committee will be considered for publication in an edited book with an ISBN, the unique code that identifies a published title.
What the conference covers
Papers can fit into seven broad themes, including transformative education and 21st-century skills, equity and social justice in classrooms, pedagogical innovations like experiential and blended learning, assessment reform, teacher education and professional development, education policy and governance, and recent trends in educational research.
Money won’t be a barrier for selected presenters. Registration costs nothing. Travel will be reimbursed as per NCERT norms for one author per paper, against tickets booked through authorised sources. Registered participants who confirm online will get boarding and lodging at the NERIE Guest House.
One small but firm instruction before you upload: name your file as <Theme No.>_<Your Name>. Files that don’t follow this format risk being set aside.
Papers go in through this link: https://forms.gle/oyZcuwj6LKbETR9V9
Authors whose papers are accepted must finish online registration and upload proof of travel booking by the set date. Miss that step, and it’s treated as a withdrawal, with the slot handed to a paper on the waiting list. For updates, organisers can be reached at nationalconference2027@gmail.com.