Dharmashastra National Law University
Jabalpur
A Joint Initiative
Madhya Pradesh State Legal Services Authority
Jabalpur
тАЬTransforming Conflict into ConsensusтАЭ
A three month, 160 hour programme in mediation and alternative dispute resolution, with special emphasis on the Mediation Act, 2023, court annexed mediation and community mediation.
Mediation works when the mediator is trained. This course exists to build that competence, systematically and at scale.
The Certificate Course on Mediation is a comprehensive curriculum on mediation, alternative dispute resolution and dispute resolution, jointly offered by Dharmashastra National Law University, Jabalpur and the Madhya Pradesh State Legal Services Authority. It runs over three months and carries 160 hours, blending theoretical instruction with extensive practical training and live observation of mediation proceedings.
The objective is to develop mediators with strong communication, negotiation, ethical, psychological and settlement facilitation skills, so that participants move from classroom understanding to confident practice. Learning is built through role plays, simulations and observation rather than lectures alone.
The course is conducted under a Memorandum of Understanding executed between MPSLSA and DNLU in June 2026 for collaboration in mediation education, training, research and capacity building, and follows the guidelines of the Mediation and Conciliation Project Committee (MCPC), Supreme Court of India.
Classroom instruction across ten modules covering law, principles, psychology, communication, negotiation and ethics.
Simulations and role plays that build hands-on skill in family, commercial, community and online mediation.
Observation of live proceedings, institutional visits and interaction with senior mediators and MCPC trainers.
Pre-litigation mediation is now a statutory expectation. The course teaches the Act as practitioners must apply it.
Participants observe live court annexed and pre-litigation mediation, not case studies alone.
A dedicated inclusive batch provision and community mediation focus extend access beyond the courtroom.
The certificate is issued jointly by the University and the State Legal Services Authority.
The course is open to graduates in any discipline from a recognised university who have a minimum of three years of experience working with communities, in legal services, social work, community development, public administration, education, civil society organisations, dispute resolution or allied fields.
| Minimum age | 25 years on the date of admission |
|---|---|
| Maximum age | Ordinarily 65 years |
| Intake per batch | Ordinarily 40 participants |
| Inclusive provision | A batch may be conducted for the hearing and speech impaired community, with at least 10 percent of seats тАФ four seats тАФ for eligible applicants from that community |
Where eligible applications exceed the intake, selection is made by a Selection Committee constituted jointly by MPSLSA and DNLU, with preference ordinarily accorded to the following.
The number of seats is limited to forty. Where the applications received and shortlisted exceed the seats available, the remaining shortlisted candidates are considered for the next cohort of the course.
The application fee and the course fee are both non-refundable.
A single PDF with the full curriculum, fee structure, important dates, eligibility conditions and the application procedure.
Ten modules across three months: 80 hours of theory, 40 hours of practical training and 40 hours of observation and field exposure.
Foundations of ADR, the Mediation Act 2023, and how mediation differs from litigation, arbitration, conciliation, Lok Adalat and panchayat.
Neutrality, impartiality, confidentiality and party autonomy, alongside adult learning techniques and mediator ethics.
Section 89 CPC, the Mediation Act 2023, pre-litigation and court annexed mediation, enforcement and landmark judgments.
Human behaviour, emotional intelligence, conflict escalation, trust building and managing stress and anger in disputes.
Active listening, paraphrasing, summarising, neutral reframing, questioning techniques and body language.
Negotiation styles, interest based bargaining, the stages of mediation, joint and separate sessions, settlement drafting.
Breaking deadlocks through reality testing and lateral thinking, plus ethical standards and accreditation of mediators.
Hands-on mediation across family, matrimonial, commercial, labour, consumer, community, online and institutional disputes.
Drafting settlement agreements, memoranda of understanding and legally enforceable, confidential mediation records.
Live and online observation, mock sessions, institutional visits, interaction with senior mediators and project work.
Suggested distribution of the 40 hours of observation, field exposure and practical simulation.
| Live and court annexed mediation observation | 16 |
| Pre-litigation and community mediation observation | 08 |
| Online mediation observation | 04 |
| Institutional visits and interaction sessions | 04 |
| Role plays, mock sessions and assessments | 08 |
Four components, balancing written knowledge with demonstrated practical skill, project work and consistent participation.
Minimum prescribed attendance across theory, practical and observation components.
Pass the end-of-course written examination carrying 50 percent weightage.
Demonstrate mediation skill in a supervised mock session before assessors.
Submit the project and observation record within the prescribed timeline.
On meeting the prescribed academic and attendance requirements, participants receive a certificate jointly issued by MPSLSA and DNLU, bearing the signatures of the Vice-Chancellor of DNLU and the Member Secretary of MPSLSA.
Everything you need before you apply: what it costs, when it runs, and what is available on campus.
This fee covers processing of the application. It is not the course fee, and it is non-refundable.
Payable only by candidates who are selected, who will be informed separately. Applicable to General and OBC candidates. SC and ST candidates pay a concessional fee of тВ╣6,000 on production of a valid caste certificate.
| Application fee (payable with the application) | тВ╣500 |
| General & OBC | тВ╣7,000 |
| SC & ST (concessional) | тВ╣6,000 |
| Examination & certificate | Included |
| Hostel & mess | Payable separately |
Seats are limited to forty in a batch. Where the applications received and shortlisted exceed the seats available, the remaining shortlisted candidates are considered for the next cohort of the course.
The application fee and the course fee are both non-refundable.
Offline sessions at DNLU, Jabalpur with online and practical components as determined under MCPC guidelines.
Available on campus on a first-come-first-served basis, subject to availability. Charges payable separately; fee payment does not guarantee allotment.
Access to the University library, ADR databases and the digital reading list for the duration of the course.
Interpretation and accessibility support can be arranged for the batch reserved for the hearing and speech impaired community.
The course is guided by the judiciary of Madhya Pradesh and delivered by MCPC-trained mediators and university faculty.
Acting Chief Justice, High Court of Madhya Pradesh
Executive Chairman, Madhya Pradesh State Legal Services Authority
Member Secretary, Madhya Pradesh State Legal Services Authority
Vice-Chancellor, Dharmashastra National Law University, Jabalpur
Registrar, Dharmashastra National Law University, Jabalpur
All queries relating to admission, eligibility, fee payment and course administration may be addressed to the Course Coordinator.
Sessions are taken by a mix of MCPC-trained mediators, serving and retired judicial officers, university faculty, senior advocates and behavioural specialists.
Practical modules, mock sessions and impasse management.
Court annexed mediation, referral practice and enforcement.
Psychology of conflict, emotional intelligence and communication.
Four short steps: your details, your qualification, the application fee, then review and submit.
Applications for this batch are no longer being accepted.
Every candidate pays an application fee of тВ╣500 while applying. This fee covers processing of the application and is not the course fee.
The course fee is payable only by candidates who are selected. Selected candidates will be informed separately, with the amount and the mode of payment.
Seats are limited to forty in a batch. Where the applications received and shortlisted exceed the seats available, the remaining shortlisted candidates are considered for the next cohort of the course.
The application fee and the course fee are both non-refundable.
Thank you. Your application and the documents you uploaded have been sent to the admissions office at mediation@mpdnlu.ac.in, and a confirmation has been emailed to you. The admissions team will verify your payment and eligibility. If you are selected, you will be informed separately about the course fee and the mode of payment.
Application referenceтАФ
The acknowledgement opens as a separate document in a new tab. Print it, or choose Save as PDF in the print dialogue to keep a copy.
The admissions office is open on all working days between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM.
Forty seats to a batch. Shortlisted candidates beyond that number are considered for the next cohort.