About the Seminar
Today, the intersection of music, therapy, and mental health represents a potent bio-cognitive frontier where rhythmic and melodic interventions serve as non-invasive tools for neurological and emotional regulation.
As music therapy gains recognition as a formal clinical intervention, the law plays a critical role in establishing standards of care and scope of practice to ensure that therapeutic musical applications are administered by accredited professionals, thereby protecting patient rights and ensuring clinical efficacy.
Furthermore, the legal landscape must navigate the complexities of Public Performance Rights and Mechanical Licensing when copyrighted works are used in therapeutic settings, balancing the Fair dealing and other exemptions with the need to compensate creators.
Themes and Sub-Themes
- Theme 1: Sonic Civilisations – Legal Histories of Indian Musical Traditions
- Emergence of Hindu classical music, Carnatic music, and the Vedic chant tradition
- Gharana vs. Sampradaya systems: lineage, ownership, and transmission
- Music as Traditional Cultural Expression (TCE) under IP law (WIPO frameworks)
- Community rights vs. individual authorship
- Raga as a Living Framework
- Tala and Temporal Order – Rhythmic cycles as intellectual property or shared grammar?
- “The Sonic Ancestry” – Carnatic music, devotional origins, structured compositional forms, and the raga–tala system
- Theme 2: Raga, Rhythm, and the Brain – Law Meets Neuroscience
- Raga–emotion relationship
- Regulation of “therapeutic claims” under consumer protection law & misleading advertisement standards
- Neuroscientific validation of music therapy – applicability of clinical standards and liability
- Music as productivity enhancer in workplaces – labour law dimensions, employer liability, and occupational health norms
- Commercialisation of “raga therapy” – medical vs. wellness distinction
- Regulation under health ministry guidelines
- “Ragas as productivity enhancer” – ancient music heritage bridged to modern neuroscience
- Theme 3: The Creator’s Shield – Copyright, Culture, and Control
- Authorship in classical compositions; originality doctrine under Copyright Act, 1957
- Performers’ rights (musicians, vocalists) – Section 38 & neighbouring rights framework
- Royalty and moral rights enforcement
- Traditional Cultural Expressions (TCEs) – Comparative global frameworks (WIPO, UNESCO)
- Derivative works & adaptations – Where does inspiration end and infringement begin?
- Substantial similarity tests in music
- The role of law in creating and limiting access to musical works
- Theme 4: Digital Soundscapes – Access, Fair Use, and Therapeutic Justice
- Use of music in therapy apps and meditation platforms
- Licensing requirements vs. copyright exceptions – Section 52 of Copyright Act, 1957
- Whether “therapy” can fit within existing copyright exceptions
- Algorithmic access (Spotify, YouTube, etc.) – Competition law and digital monopolies
- Cultural access inequality – Open access vs. proprietary therapeutic sound
- Public interest vs. IP protection debate – Possibility of a “therapeutic use exception”
- “Digital Disruption” – Use of music for mental health related therapeutic and other measures
- Theme 5: Harmonising the Mind – Regulating Music Therapy as Healthcare
- What constitutes “music therapy” vs. recreational use
- Need for certification, licensing, and ethical guidelines
- Integration into mental healthcare frameworks
- Ethics and malpractice liability – Negligence standards in therapeutic interventions
- Informed consent requirements
- Regulatory challenges in India and comparison with regulated professions
Registration Fees
- Academicians: Rs. 1000
- Research Scholars: Rs. 750
- Students: Rs. 500
Submission Guidelines
- Abstracts of 300–500 words outlining the argument, methodology, and contribution
- Full chapters: 8,000–10,000 words; original and unpublished work only.
- Style Guidelines: Font -Times New Roman, Font Size-12, Line spacing-1.5, Alignment-Justified
- Citation standards- Citations must conform to standards laid down in the Oxford University Standard for the Citation of Legal Authorities (4th ed., 2012).
- All submissions must be in (.docx) format
Submission Procedure
Submissions shall be mailed to ciprseminar@gmail.com.
Important Dates
- Abstract Submission: 10th June 2026
- Communication of acceptance: 15th June 2026
- Full Paper Submission: 12th July 2026
Contact Details
For queries, please reach out to ciprseminar@gmail.com.