CRP Internship, Supreme Court of India – Centre for Research and Planning
Duration: Minimum 4 weeks | Stipend: Unpaid | Location: Supreme Court of India, New Delhi (in-person) | Positions: Up to 10 interns, rolling basis year-round
What Is the CRP Internship?
The Centre for Research and Planning (CRP) at the Supreme Court of India runs this internship under its revised scheme dated 6 August 2021. The CRP hires up to 10 interns at a time, on a rolling basis throughout the year. If you want research exposure at the level of the country’s apex court, working directly out of the Supreme Court premises in New Delhi, this is about as close to the source as a student internship gets.
About the CRP Internship
This internship has no fixed intake cycle. The CRP accepts applications on a rolling basis, and selected interns work out of the CRP’s offices at the Supreme Court in New Delhi for a minimum of four weeks. There’s no upper limit specified on duration, so the length of your internship depends on what you and the CRP agree to.
One thing to know upfront: the Supreme Court does not pay interns at the CRP. This is an unpaid internship, and there’s no ambiguity about that in the scheme itself.
Who Can Apply for the CRP Internship?
The CRP applies three specific eligibility conditions. You’re eligible if you:
- Are enrolled in a law degree program recognised by the Bar Council of India
- Are currently in the 4th or 5th year of a five-year law program, or the 3rd year of a three-year law program, at the time you intend to intern
- Are below the age of 28
What the Application Actually Requires
This isn’t a CV-and-cover-letter application. The CRP asks for a more substantial submission through its online form, including:
- A CV, no more than two pages long
- A statement of purpose, between 350 and 500 words, explaining why you want to intern at the CRP and how it fits your career goals
- A writing sample, between 1,500 and 3,000 words, which can be an extract from a longer piece. It doesn’t need to be published, but it does need to demonstrate your ability to analyse a legal issue clearly
The CRP may also conduct a telephonic interview if it considers that appropriate for a particular applicant, so don’t be surprised if a shortlisting call follows your written application.
What to Expect Once You’re In
A few conditions apply once you’re selected:
- You’ll work from the Supreme Court in New Delhi. This internship is fully in-person. There’s no remote option.
- Office hours run Monday to Friday, 10 am to 5:30 pm, and Saturdays, 10 am to 1 pm.
- You can’t take on other work during the internship. The CRP doesn’t allow interns to accept or participate in any other part-time or full-time assignment, for any other lawyer or organisation, while interning there.
- Confidentiality is non-negotiable. You’re expected to maintain the highest standard of confidentiality, integrity, and professionalism throughout, and you can’t disclose or publish anything you learn through your work at the CRP, during the internship or after it ends, unless the law requires that disclosure.
- You’ll report to the Director, CRP. All interns work under the supervision and administrative authority of the Director, Centre for Research and Planning, Supreme Court of India.
How to Apply for the CRP Internship
- Fill out the official online application form: https://forms.gle/NPp6KZpsrtwW5eDz6
- Prepare and upload your two-page CV, your 350-500 word statement of purpose, and your 1,500-3,000 word writing sample.
- Submit your application. Since intake runs on a rolling basis, there’s no fixed deadline to work around, but applying early for your preferred period is still worth doing.
- Be ready for a possible telephonic interview, if the CRP requests one.
- For any queries, reach out to internships.crp@gmail.com.
This internship is free to apply for. No legitimate internship charges any fee. If anyone asks you for money to apply, it’s a scam.
Since this internship is unpaid, you may want to weigh it against paid opportunities too. Our guide to highest paying law firms in India for freshers covers what’s available on the other end of the spectrum. And if your writing sample needs work, our guide on how to make a law student CV that stands out to recruiters has broader tips on presenting your work to recruiters.
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