Call For Applications: Project 39A's Letter Writing Internship

The National Law University, Delhi through Project 39A is seeking to remotely engage, on a contractual basis, interns for managing the written communications with prisoners represented by Project 39A in Hindi, Telugu, Marathi, Punjabi, Kannada, and Gujarati. The contract will be for one year initially and can be extended on an annual basis at the discretion of the University.

Project 39A draws inspiration from Article 39-A in the Indian Constitution on equal justice and signals the broadening of their work on the criminal justice system in India. They undertake litigation, research and communications relating to forensics, torture, legal aid, mental health and death penalty (for more information, visit www.project39a.com).

Area of Work:

The capital defence team at Project 39A provides pro bono legal representation to prisoners on death row. Regular communication with their clients is key to effective legal representation. They believe in the importance of keeping prisoners updated about their case progress and in the value of involving family members during the preparation of the case. They engage with their clients in a manner that aims to help make their life in prison more productive and offer them the dignity they deserve. For these reasons, Project 39A regularly exchanges letters with its clients in a language that they understand, along with sharing reading materials of their interest. This internship program is looking for interns proficient in at least one of the regional languages listed below under the 'Eligibility' section.

Responsibilities:

• Study basic case materials and Project 39A's prior correspondence with assigned prisoners and their families. Under the supervision of Project 39A associates, regularly draft personalised letters to prisoners in their respective languages.
• Identify suitable reading material in the respective regional languages to send to assigned clients.
• Translate letters received from clients into English language.
• Any other tasks that may be necessary to further the aims of Project 39A's communication program with prisoners or any other work.

Eligibility:

• Applicants must meet the following criteria:
• Students of law, humanities, social sciences, social work, management or media enrolled in bachelor's or master's programs.
• Reading and writing proficiency in at least one of the following regional languages, along with English: Hindi, Telugu, Marathi, Punjabi, Kannada, Gujarati

Duration & Location of the Internship:

Minimum 1 year period. The internship will be remote.

Internship Stipend:

A stipend will be provided which may vary subject to the number of letters that need to be drafted and responded to per person. Payment will be released on a quarterly basis.

Application Process:

Applications and documents will be accepted only through the form given below and upload three documents:

• Resume
• A statement of purpose of not more than 500 words explaining your interest in this internship. The statement should clearly state the candidate's proficiency in at least one of the regional languages mentioned in the eligibility criteria.
• Translation of the Annexure-I, an excerpt from the Deathworthy 2021 report in at least one of the regional languages listed in the eligibility criteria i.e. Hindi, Telugu, Marathi, Punjabi, Kannada, or Gujarati.

Deadline:

Last date to submit the application is 20th May 2024. Shortlisted candidates will be intimated by 25th May, 2024 and further rounds of assessment and interview may take place in the last week of May, 2024. Only applicants selected for interview rounds will be informed. Project 39A may conduct additional rounds of assessment if necessary.

To apply, visit https://www.project39a.com/interns-letter-writing-may-2024

Note:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted via email. If you do not hear from them within 3 weeks after the deadline, please assume that your application has not succeeded. Unfortunately, they cannot reply to individual queries about the status of applications.

National Law University Delhi reserves the right not to fill these internship positions.

National Law University Delhi is an equal opportunity employer and Project 39A works on behalf of all prisoners sentenced to death, regardless of the offence involved.

National Law University Delhi reserves the right to conduct additional rounds of interviews or written tests.

This internship programme is supported by grants received by Project 39A.

Contact:

For inquiries or more information, please contact Aathma Sudhir Kumar, Associate at Project 39A, National Law University, Delhi, via email at aathma.kumar@nludelhi.ac.in.