1. Who can enter/submit nominations for BMJ South Asia Awards?
Entries are now closed. The awards were open to clinically-led teams based in South Asia with projects active in the past year.

2. Who is excluded from entering the Awards?
BMJ staff and relatives
Collaborations which involve BMJ Group or its staff are ineligible for the BMJ South Asia Awards

3. What is the nomination procedure?
Nominations closed on Sunday, 08 September 2024.
Phase 1 – Submission process & screening:
Entrants complete a detailed submission form online with questions covering different aspects of their project. Submissions closed on Sunday, 08 September 2024. An initial screening of submission will take place to determine if a project qualifies.
Phase 2 – Shortlisting:
All entries that pass the screening process will be sent to a judging panel. Submissions will be reviewed by two judges (on the BMJ editorial board). The top entries in each category will be invited to phase 3, to present in front of expert judges. The announcement of the shortlisted teams will be announced by 13 December 2024.
Phase 3 – Presentations:
Finalists prepare a one-page summary and 10-minute presentation for the jury board taking place during the day on Saturday 29 March 2025. Presentations are scored by the jury board to determine a winner. The jury board comprises a BMJ editor, a member of the BMJ’s South Asia editorial board, a representative of patient/civil society, and one senior clinician (not BMJ editorial board members). Winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony at the Shangri-La Hotel, New Delhi, India on the evening of Saturday 29 March 2025.

4. How much does it cost to enter?
Entries are free of charge, there is no nomination fee.

5. Is there a cost to attend the awards?
No. Attendance is by invitation only.
Up to three members of each shortlisted team will be invited to attend the ceremony for free.
Costs of participation (for those located outside of New Delhi) in the Awards may be supported by BMJ determined on a case-by-case scenario.

6. If I am shortlisted what are the judging dates?
Judging will take place during the day on Saturday 30th November 2024 at the Shangri-la Hotel in New Delhi.

7. What is the final presentation and who is it to?
For the final judging, you will be invited to attend a presentation opportunity in front of our panel of judges in New Delhi. This will take the format of a short presentation given by you to the panel followed by a brief question and answer session. Presentation guidelines will be shared with you at the time of the declaration of finalists.

8. What format can I make my presentation in?
We ask that each presentation be made in Microsoft PowerPoint, if you choose to use a presentation program other than Microsoft PowerPoint, it is solely your responsibility to ensure that your presentation is compatible with the most recent versions of Microsoft PowerPoint. You will not be able to download other presentation software to the computers used in the presentation.

9. When do I find out if I have won?
Results will be announced during the awards ceremony taking place on the evening of Saturday 29 March 2025.

10. When and where is the Awards ceremony?
29 March 2025, Shangri-La, 19-Ashok Road, Connaught Place, New Delhi-110001 from 19:00-22:00.

11. What are the benefits of entering?
Our winners and finalists have indicated that the process of entering the BMJ Awards is extremely valuable in itself. It’s an opportunity to review key areas of success and what contributed to it. By submitting to the judging process, teams can benchmark against peers and competitors outside their organisation. Teams that are shortlisted will have their profile raised at a national/South Asian level.

12. How do I make the most of my entry?
Clear, well-written entries that support claims with objective evidence stand out the most. If you provide supporting documentation this can help the judges to form a well-rounded view of the team, but only if it is relevant. Remember that the judges are looking for originality, size of benefit, and the potential for wider application and will weigh these against costs.

13. Do we receive anything for winning or being shortlisted?
The winning team will receive a trophy and certificate presented on stage by healthcare dignitaries and our esteemed jury panel. All shortlisted teams who present in the Jury Presentation round will receive a finalists’ certificate.

14. What is the conflict of interest policy for judges?
Once judges are finalised, we will make their names and conflict of interest declarations available on this website.
a) We ask judges from the same current institution as an entrant or who are current collaborators with an entrant to recuse themselves from scoring that entry.
b) We expect judges to recuse themselves from the judging process if they know an entrant personally or have worked together with an entrant in the past.

15. What should I do if I wish to discuss the judging process for my entry or if I have a complaint?
In case of a complaint, an editorial committee from The BMJ will objectively look at the complaint and assess conflict as per (a) and (b) and the judge will be given a chance to explain. The decision of the editorial committee shall be final and binding.