Internship Experience @ Punjab State Human Rights Commission, Chandigarh: Read Files, Debates, Field Visits

Your Name, College, Year of Study, Email ID

Anonymous

Name of Organisation, Location city, Team Strength

Punjab State Human Rights Commission, Chandigarh, 60

Application Process with contact details

The application process is pretty simple. I came across a ‘call for internship’ advertisement posted on lawctopus.com. I applied for internship on their website and was required to fill a form and send it along with my CV either by post or via email.

I was also asked to write a 1000 words article stating my purpose to intern in their organisation which would determine my selection as an intern.

Duration of internship and timings

4 weeks

28th June – 28th July, 2015

First impression, first day formalities, infrastructure

On the first day I was surprised at the number of people in my group. We were almost 50 people. After introducing ourselves, we were shown a very informative powerpoint on Human Rights.

Later, we were asked to read the Human Rights Act which was followed by an MCQ test. All in all, it was a great first day, my co-interns were friendly, seniors were co-operative and I learnt a lot.

Main tasks

The internship was divided into three main tasks. In the first week, our main task was to read files of complaints made to the commission. In the following week, there were debates over various topics. The debates were so heated that we would end up debating for an entire day!

The last two weeks were the best ones and by far the most entertaining. We were divided into groups of 10 and each group was given a project. We had to do a survey on the education system in Punjab Government Schools. This task was not only informative but interesting as well and we had a lot of fun. Without the last task, the internship would have been quite boring.

Work environment and people

The work environment was really nice. My co-interns and seniors were very friendly and cooperative. The work hours were flexible, attendance was compulsory though. If we wanted a longer lunch break, all we had to do was ask.

The routine was not monotonous and we had something new to look forward to each day. The offices were air conditioned and we were even provided with wi-fi facility if we had to do a task that required internet connection.

My initial concern about the large number of people in my group was also dealt with because we were all divided into teams of 10 each and working in teams was actually fun. The environment was really ‘non-formal’. I would recommend this internship for all those who want a break from interning in courts and even have a slight interest in Human Rights.

Best things

I got to learn a lot. The debates were really informative. The best part about the internship was the survey. It was an entirely new experience. I had so much fun that it did not feel like I was working!

Bad things

he only bad thing about the internship was that there were no food joints inside the premises (I know that it is pretty trivial, but yes it’s a bad thing)

Stipend

No stipend (The only thing I earned out of the internship was experience).

Biggest Lessons

Time management and teamwork. Whatever tasks we were given were time bound and working in a team of 10 and respecting everyone’s opinion is something you learn only when you work in a team of 10.