Fellowship | Square Circle Clinic | NALSAR University of Law | Hyderabad | Stipend Rs. 60000 | Apply by 31st July 2026

Fellowship | Square Circle Clinic | NALSAR University of Law | Hyderabad | Stipend Rs. 60000 | Apply by 31st July 2026

Call for Applications: Criminal Justice Student Fellowships (2026–27)

The Square Circle Clinic, NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad

The Square Circle Clinic at NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, invites applications for its Criminal Justice Student Fellowships (2026–27). Established in April 2025 by the team behind Project 39A, the Clinic is committed to advancing fairness in India’s criminal justice system through litigation, research, mitigation, and public engagement. With offices in Delhi, Pune, and Nagpur, the Clinic works on issues including the death penalty, forensic science, mental health, wrongful convictions, criminalisation of poverty, prevention of torture, and the role of science and technology in justice.

About the Fellowship

This 12-month intensive programme offers selected Fellows the opportunity to work closely with the Clinic’s litigation, mitigation, research, and communications teams. Fellows will gain practical exposure to defence-oriented criminal justice work, engage in strategic research, and undertake an independent project under expert mentorship.

Key Areas of Work

• Research: Assist in doctrinal, philosophical, interdisciplinary, and empirical projects on topics such as DNA forensics, mental health, wrongful convictions, and sentencing frameworks.
• Litigation: Support pro bono representation in death penalty cases, including case briefs, legal research, and record analysis.
• Mitigation Investigation: Contribute to life-history documentation for sentencing proceedings, drawing on humanities and social sciences.
• Strategic Communications: Develop blogs, social media content, and outreach material to make criminal justice issues accessible.
• Independent Research Project: Complete a supervised project feasible within the fellowship year.

Fellows will also assist in administrative tasks as part of the Clinic’s collaborative functioning.

Eligibility

• Open to students in III, IV & V-year of the 5-year B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) programme or II & III-year of the 3-year LL.B. programme during 2026–27.
• Commitment: Minimum 15 hours/week, with flexibility for additional work during intensive litigation phases.

Fellowship Details

• Number of Fellows: Three
• Duration: 12 months, starting mid-August 2026
• Location: Remote, with 8 weeks in-person at the Delhi office (travel reimbursement provided)
• Stipend: ₹60,000/- upon successful completion

Application Process

• Apply only through the online form: Application Form

• Deadline: 5 PM, 31st July 2026
• Required documents:
  • Resumé
  • Statement of Purpose (max 700 words) addressing:
    1. The role of legal defence in preserving presumption of innocence
    2. Balancing rehabilitation potential with proportionality in sentencing
    3. Safeguards for liberty in the use of investigative technologies
  • Writing Sample (max 1200 words, exclusive of footnotes) on a criminal justice issue

Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interviews. If you do not hear by 10th August 2026, assume your application was unsuccessful.

Contact Details

For queries (not application status), contact: squarecircleinternships@nalsar.ac.in

For More Details

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