NHRC launches two-week online internship programme on human rights

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India, has commenced its much-anticipated two-week Online Short-Term Internship (OSTI) Programme aimed at equipping young minds with a deeper understanding of human rights promotion and protection in the country.

Out of a competitive pool of 1,795 applicants, 80 university-level students from varied academic backgrounds across 21 States and Union Territories have been selected to participate in the internship, the Commission announced in an official statement on Wednesday.

Inaugurating the programme, NHRC Secretary General Bharat Lal addressed the interns, emphasizing the importance of youth as torchbearers of India’s 5,000-year-old civilisational values of empathy, compassion, and justice. He encouraged the students to serve as ambassadors of justice, equality, and dignity, and to utilise this learning opportunity to explore India’s constitutional framework and the essence of human dignity.

Highlighting the rationale behind the online format, Bharat Lal explained that the initiative aims to widen the Commission’s outreach by enabling students from remote and far-flung regions to access quality education on human rights without the logistical challenges of travel and accommodation in Delhi.

He also provided an overview of the evolution of human rights in India, including constitutional provisions, the pivotal role of the Supreme Court, and NHRC’s own functioning and commitment to humanitarian values deeply embedded in India’s cultural heritage.

NHRC Joint Secretary Samir Kumar presented a detailed outline of the internship curriculum, which comprises expert lectures, group and individual competitions such as book reviews, declamations, and research presentations. The programme also includes virtual tours of institutions like Tihar Jail to provide practical exposure to real-life human rights scenarios.