Congress legal fellowship: Singhvi says interviews to be completed tomorrow
New Delhi, April 11
Chairman of Congress party's Law, Human Rights and RTI Department, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, announced that the interviews of shortlisted applicants for the INC Legal Fellowship will be completed by Sunday.
Pointing to the overwhelming response to the fellowship programme, Singhvi said, "Encouraged by the response, the Department is committed to significantly expanding the Fellowship in the coming years."
"We received 2, 000 applications, and following a rigorous screening process, a select group of meritorious candidates has been shortlisted for final interviews, scheduled between April 11 and 12," he said in a statement.
Singhvi said the final interviews will be conducted by a panel comprising Prashanto Chandra Sen, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India; Apar Gupta, Advocate and Founder of the Internet Freedom Foundation; and Aaliya Waziri, Advocate and Author.
The three-month scholarship for law graduates will come with a monthly stipend of Rs 50,000.
Singhvi said the Congress party's Law, Human Rights and RTI Department has a clear focus on building a strong, future-ready pipeline of legally trained professionals equipped to meaningfully contribute to constitutional governance.
The Congress launched the inaugural edition of the INC Legal Fellowship on March 3, 2026.
This initiative marked a significant step towards engaging young legal minds in parliamentary and constitutional work, the statement said.
Envisioned as a platform to bridge legal training with legislative engagement, the Fellowship offers young professionals the opportunity to work closely with Members of Parliament on key legal, constitutional, and policy issues, it said.
The scholarship was announced for law graduates who have completed a three- or five-year LL.B. from UGC-recognised universities and are aged 24 to 30.
According to the fellowship brochure, the three-month scholarship is likely to be held between June and August.
The fellows will be engaged in legislative research on Bills, amendments, and committee reports; drafting parliamentary questions, interventions, and debate briefs and monitoring key legal and policy developments impacting governance and rights, said the statement.
— IANS
Reader Comments
While the intent is good, I hope this is about building legal capacity and not just political recruitment. The panel with Apar Gupta and Aaliya Waziri is impressive though. Fingers crossed for all the applicants! 🤞
Finally, a political party is investing in the next generation of legal minds for governance. Bridging the gap between law schools and Parliament is much needed. More parties should have such structured programs.
Interesting to see a fellowship like this. The focus on constitutional governance and human rights is crucial. The practical experience of drafting parliamentary questions will be invaluable for any young lawyer's career.
With respect, I have a concern. Will this fellowship maintain academic and professional neutrality, or will it subtly promote a particular political ideology? The work on Bills and amendments must be objective, not partisan. The promise of "future-ready professionals" should be taken seriously.
As a law student, this is exactly the kind of opportunity we look for! Direct engagement with MPs on policy issues beats a routine internship any day. Hope they make it an annual feature. All the best to the shortlisted candidates! 💼
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.