About Project 39A
Project 39 A is a project of NLU Delhi that is inspired by Article 39A of the Constitution of India, a provision that furthers the intertwined values of equal justice and equal opportunity by removing economic and social barriers.
They are engaged in providing pro bono legal assistance to prisoners sentenced to death across the country by using empirical research to re-examine practices and policies in the criminal justice system.
Project 39A aims to trigger new conversations on legal aid, torture, forensics, mental health in prisons, and the death penalty.
Area of Work
- The litigation team at Project 39A provides pro bono legal representation to prisoners on death row.
- The litigation team at Project 39A strives to keep all prisoners updated about the progress of their case and involves family members in the preparation of the case.
- The team also engages with the prisoners in a manner which could assist them in making their prison life more productive.
- For all these reasons, the team regularly exchanges letters with the clients in the regional languages they understand along with sharing reading materials of their interest.
Responsibilities
- The interns will study basic case materials and prior correspondence with the respective prisoners and their families. Under the supervision of Project 39A litigation and mitigation associates, interns will draft personalized letters to prisoners and their families on a monthly basis, in their respective languages.
- To accompany the letters, the interns will identify suitable reading material in the respective regional language for each client.
- The interns will provide translations of the letters received from the clients or their families into the 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:
- Bengali
- Gujarati
- Hindi
- Kannada
- Marathi
- Malayalam
- Punjabi
- Tamil
- Telugu
Duration and Place of Internship
Minimum 1 year internship period. The internship can be undertaken remotely.
Stipend
Maximum Rs.3,000 per month, subject to case allocation per language.
How to Apply
Interested persons must email the following to p39arecruitment[at]nludelhi.ac.in:
- Resumé
- 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.
- In at least one of the regional languages listed in the eligibility criteria, provide a translation of the excerpt from the Death Penalty India Report 2016 provided as in Annexure A (Click the link given at the end of this post).
- The subject of the email should be “Project 39A – Application for Internship (Communications with Prisoners)”.
- Please note that the subject line should be exactly the same as mentioned above. Applications will be rejected for non-compliance with this requirement.
Selection Process
- The last date to submit the application is 15 January 2021.
- Shortlisted candidates will be called for further rounds of assessment and interview which will take place between 22-30 January 2021.
- Only applicants selected for interview rounds will be informed.
For more details, click HERE