Researching Reality Internship 2017
About the Internship:
The 18th edition of CCS's Researching Reality Internship explores the fast accelerating policy domain in a six-week format to produce original working papers fostering a sustainable interaction between multiple stakeholders to further dialogue on several issues within the policy sphere.
A unique opportunity for college students, Researching Reality Internship is ideal for applicants who wish to apply social and economic principles to current policy issues through in-depth research and analysis. It provides training in areas of quantitative and qualitative research, methodology, data analysis, and critical thinking. This year the interns will focus on the theme 'Ease of Doing Business' and study various agencies, boards, corporations, departments, schemes and programs in Delhi in relation to this theme; viewing benchmarks and best practices to recommend sustainable and long-term policy improvements in the functioning of government structures.
The engagement usually spans 6 weeks where interns work under the guidance of research guides on group projects. The program culminates in working papers on thematic issues, each providing policy recommendations for efficient and accountable government functioning.
Some of these papers and articles go on to be published in academic journals and leading newspapers. CCS does not require internship papers to be in line with any political philosophy, we require research papers to be scientific in spirit and content.
The larger objective is to further citizens' understanding of the workings of the government and encourage greater independent, fact-based qualitative and quantitative research so that the next time citizens demand better governance, they can back their claims.
Researching Reality is a full-time six-week intensive internship
To be considered for the internship program, a candidate must satisfy one of the following;
Current student enrolled in an undergraduate/ postgraduate course in any academic or professional discipline
Graduates / Researchers
International Baccalaureate / Cambridge International Students enrolled in the Diploma program or A Levels
A candidate must demonstrate;
Interest in the public policy domain
Inquisitive and adept with basic research skills - data collection, inference and analysis
Be open to fun, open and respectable environment
Be a team player, have strong analytical skills and ability to meet deadlines
The Internship is open to both Domestic and International applicants. We offer assistance for visa applications in 'Volunteer Category' for International Students
There is no registration fee to apply for the program.
There is no stipend paid to Interns for the duration. However, reimbursements approved on actuals by the requisite guide/ coordinator for the purpose of research are provided. Interns are requested to make their own living arrangements in New Delhi.
What is the Researching Reality Internship?
The researching reality internship is a 6 week full-time internship which enables the interns to conduct holistic research culminating in working papers on citizen-centric thematic issues.
What is the format of the Internship?
The internship spans over 6 weeks, is full-time and cannot be completed on a part-time format. The intern must commit to the duration of the project solely to the Internship. The interns would be working 8½ hours Monday to Friday.
What facilities will be available to me?
You will receive access to our extensive library, basic facilities to work in the office including office space to work on your project. If you are unable to provide your own computer, CCS can provide you with one upon request.
Does CCS offer a stipend for the internship period?
No stipend is provided to the interns. Reimbursements approved by the guide/coordinator are reimbursed on actuals with prior approval for any project related task.
Does CCS offer accommodation for outstation applicants?
Interns are requested to make their own living arrangements in New Delhi for the Internship Period. We offer assistance with accommodations in the city.
How would I be benefited by the internship program?
Interns benefit from:
Training in research, analysis, documenting and coming out with your own research paper.
Interaction with academia, media experts and eminent scholars.
Learning in communication through field based research.
Chance for publication in newspapers, magazines and CCS books.
Certificate on successful completion of internship.
Will CCS provide Research guide?
Yes, we do provide research guides to each intern to help and supervise intern's research. In addition to the Research Guide, there is also a Research Director and Coordinator to assist with the interns on any targeted issue.
Who are Research Guides?
Research Guides are the people with competence of supervision and experience in the domain of the research. They are the ones who have already worked on the issue and have sufficient knowledge research. People like academicians and scholars are appointed as Research Guides.
Will I be working in a group or individually?
In summer internship all interns work on group projects. The groups range from 3-4 interns. Group projects are an opportunity to produce more intensive, in-depth and holistic papers thus giving more depth and scope to the final output produced.
Is CCS flexible with timeline of the Internship?
The summer internship is a very structured program with around 25 candidates interning at the same time. It will not be possible to change the timeline for any of the participants. We suggest applying for non-summer internship to those who can't come to summer internship. The timing more flexible for non-summer internship. You can do this anytime for two months between October and March.
CCS's Researching Reality Internship 2017 Interns
"Aashi Srivastava is currently pursuing Masters in International Relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. A driven social worker, Aashi has worked extensively with National Human Rights Commission and Asmat, an NGO that mobilizes country's youth in order to bring about change at the grassroots. She wishes to advance her career in research with her primary area of focus being politics and society of India."
Aashi Srivastava
"Aditya Raj Bhandari is a second year undergraduate student at Shaheed Bhagat Singh College pursuing a degree in Economics. He is currently the Vice-President of Enactus at SBSC, where the team works towards addressing the issues of Food Insecurity in Delhi and towards uplifting the living conditions of the Specially Abled Sections of Society. He has also volunteered with Teach For India to further the agenda for spreading quality education to all children. He wishes to pursue a Masters as well as a Doctorate in Economics. His objective in life is to be able to contribute to areas of policy-making, instilling proper wealth distribution and economic growth in a changing global economic scenario"
Aditya Raj Bhandari
"Anubhuti Kakati is studying Political Science (B.A. Hons.) with sociology as an elective at Lady Shri Ram College for Women. She is passionate about debating and is a member of the Debating and MUN Societies at LSR. She has honed her skills in organising and leading and holds the position of President of the Political Science Department. She has previously volunteered with SEWA as a mentor for the Youth Connect Program. She enjoys teaching children and loves to work on new ventures with them. She also spends her time dancing, exploring new forms of music and watching Late Night Talk Shows."
Anubhuti Kakati
"Asma Khan is currently pursuing her Masters in Political Science from the University of Delhi. She has previously held the position of the Chairperson of the Advocacy Council and headed the India-Australia Youth Forum in an organization called Global Youth India. With an interest to analyse public policy processes in India and to make the research in this area more refined to produce feasible policies, she hopes to contribute towards good governance and a well-informed citizenry in her country. She aims to focus her research and contribute towards rural development in India in the future. She is hardworking, curious to learn new facts and always ready to help others with her knowledge and skills."
Asma Khan
"Baksheesh Sachar thinks of himself as a laboratory scientist who is constantly experimenting. Research is one of his passions, but he also experiments with film-making, photography, teaching, and debating. He completed a Bachelors degree from Ambedkar University Delhi and his post-graduation in the Lady Shri Ram College's course on conflict transformation and peace-building. His free time is generally consumed in contemplating the various facets of life."
Baksheesh Sachar
"Chetna Ahuja is currently pursuing her Bachelor's Degree in Economics from Kamala Nehru College, Delhi University. She has previously interned with Teach For India and as a research assistant under Delhi University's Innovation Project. She is interested in pursuing a Master's degree in Economics."
Chetna Ahuja
"Deveshi Chawda, a second year student of Economics at Shri Ram College of Commerce, strongly believes that Economics when applied in sync with other socially essential aspects of knowledge possesses the ability to change the world for the better. Her areas of interest include learning about economics of the poor and the interaction of psychological and cultural influences and economic decision making. She is also greatly interested in the processes of policy formulation, international relations and global diplomacy and wishes to pursue a Masters course that runs along these lines."
Deveshi Chawda
"Dhruv Gupta is an explorer – of knowledge, experience, and learning. He has diverse interests ranging from entrepreneurship, public policy, social upliftment, corporate management and basketball. As Enactus member in college, he made use of his attained management knowledge to solve the complex problem of sanitation. He has also worked pro-bono as an active member in Internet entrepreneurial firms- Smartcube and Decormart. Dhruv is a management student from Shaheed Sukhdev College of business studies (DU). He believes that social action does not require charity and every action, whether done as manager of a small business unit, as an entrepreneur, an engineer, or as a policy maker, if done with social integrity, honesty, commitment and excellence can ensure social transformation."
Dhruv Gupta
"Easha Guha has done her Master in Economics from Delhi School of Economics and she now looks to further her academic ambitions in the field of public policy aiming to develop a progressive education system. Her free time is dotted with reading, writing, baking, cooking and most importantly, playing with her dog. She dreams of a time when she will teach Economics to a horde of eager kids and have a home with comfortable seating and an open door for all her students to discuss everything academic or philosophical or anything else that might please them."
Easha Guha
"Ishan Bhardwaj is a first year student pursuing an Honors degree in Economics from Ramjas College, University of Delhi with a plan to pursure a Masters in the same. He is fascinated by various economic theories and is still exploring this vast science. Having been a debater in his first year of college, he has learnt to take a rational approach towards the various sides of an argument. Being a part of Enactus Ramjas gave him the chance to work with and learn from the transgender population of Delhi."
Ishan Bhardwaj
"Khushboo Chattree is a second year Economics student at the Shri Ram College of Commerce. Her course has led her to develop an interest in political economy, international relations, problems posed by information asymmetry and policy issues. She likes writing about contemporary issues and having abstract and meandering conversations about everything under the sun. A fan of rock music, especially of the folk variety, and she likes sitcoms, waffles and long walks. She wishes to pursue a graduate degree in economics and further explore the subject and allied fields."
Khushboo Chattree
"Naman Jain is a second-year student of Economics at Ramjas College. He developed an inclination towards understanding micro-economic attributes of the society, while doing a research project on 'Piracy in Delhi University'. He has worked as Production Manager for first TEDxRamjasCollege chapter and currently handles 'Internship and Alumni Cell' along with the 'Social Media Team' of his college department. He also enjoys working with data and wishes to pursue his masters in economics."
Naman Jain
"Rashmi Muraleedhar completed her first year of Masters in International Relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University. She originally did her graduation in engineering from IIT - Guwahati. After graduation, she was part of a book-writing project, and developed content in the field of India's bilateral relations with neighbors. This piqued her interest in foreign policy and international relations and directed her choice in postgraduate studies. She is looking to study the dynamics between foreign policy choices and responses from society."
Rashmi Muraleedhar
"Ria Goyal is a student of Political Science at Lady Shri Ram College for Women. She is interested in public policy and administration, and hopes to affect positive change in society through concentrated effort and will. Passionate about volunteer work, especially in the field of children's education, she also has a deep affinity for reading and loves to travel. Trained in Russian classical ballet, Ria is currently channeling her love for dancing through the dance society of her college."
Ria Goyal
"Ruchi Avtar is pursuing an undergraduate degree in Economics Honours from Shri Ram College of Commerce, University of Delhi. She is also the Chief Coordinator of the Shri Ram Economics Summit hosted by the Economics Society, SRCC. Her interest in economics started early with her research paper on "An Analytical Study of the Present Status of E-waste Disposal System in Delhi and NCR" which won her an award from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. She intends to pursue a career in Applied Economics and International Relations. "
Ruchi Avtar
"Sarda Sinde studied Mechanical Engineering, but also loves to read and learn about Economics and Mechanics. He believes that any knowledge and skill acquired must have real life implementation. He enjoys identifying patterns and believes that ideas, patterns and economics are what drive everything around us."
Sarda Sinde
"Sharon Jose is a student of Bachelors in International Relations at OP Jindal Global University. She has attended various conferences, organised events in her University and visited orphanages. As a young student she has developed a keen interest in research and analytical studies. Her research interests include foreign policy, education and economic development, among others. She also has a keen interest in issues focused on economics and philosophy. "
Sharon Jose
"Shruti Appalla is pursuing undergraduate studies in Political Science at Kamala Nehru College. A convenor of her college's Youth Empowerment Society, she is an avid reader and competitive debater. In the past, she has worked as a volunteer/intern for The Centre For Social Research, The Wordsworth Project and National Institute of Social Defense. She also writes policy pieces for online magazines like GOI Monitor and The Indian Economist. Currently working towards a career in research and advocacy on issues of international relations and public policy, she hopes to study conflict resolution and gender dynamics."
Shruti Appalla
"Simren Nagrath is a sophomore at Smith College in Massachusetts, USA. Though she is majoring in Comparative Literature, she is interested in policy related issues pertaining to India. She has also taken classes in economics which further increased her interest in the workings of public policy. "
Simren Nagrath
"Srishti Sharma is pursuing her Masters in Economics from Shiv Nadar University. After completing her undergraduate studies, she took an internship at UNESCO MGIEP. She worked on a project establishing an online learning pedagogy. She is currently working on a paper that investigates online interventions and their role in change of attitudes towards gender stereotypes. Her interest in social work paved way for her community service projects as the President of Rotaract Club of her college. One of her most cherished experiences is establishing a primary school for slum kids and a vocational centre for women."
Srishti Sharma
"Sunidhi Sawhney is currently pursuing a law degree. She is a humanist and has a keen interest in debating. Sunidhi is an active participant in moot court competitions and is also a part of the Centre for Advanced Studies in Human Rights at RGNUL. She wishes to pursue a career in International Humanitarian Law."
Sunidhi Sawhney
"Tanvi Bansal is pursuing a Bachelors in Economics at Hindu College, University of Delhi. Apart from being crazy about theatre, travelling, music, literature, and shows, Tanya is obsessed with the concept of Economics of Happiness, and is excited to one day have her name penned down in the textbooks for an economic breakthrough. Tanya hopes to revolutionize the economic well-being after she one day completes a Masters in Development and Applied Economics course. "
Tanvi Bansal
"Trisha Pande completed a Bachelors in Sociology from Lady Shri Ram College for Women in May 2017. Previously, she has worked as a commissioning editorial intern at Oxford University Press India. Her forte is writing, editing and research – she has also served as the Editor-in-Chief of the LSR College Magazine. She wishes to pursue a Masters in Public Policy or Sociology. Her research interests lie in the direction of social stratification, inequality and gender. Her undergraduate dissertation was on 'Religious Conversion as a Movement in Social Life: A Case Study of Religious Conversion to Christianity in Kochi, Kerala'. "
Trisha Pande
"Utsav Kedia is a current B.A. student at UC Berkeley studying Political Economics and Arabic. He has a deep interest in developmental economics and Middle Eastern geopolitics. Having spent most of his formative years abroad, he is excited to work in public policy in India and to learn more about the realities of life in Delhi."
Utsav Kedia