Consumers India Research Internship
Consumers India In collaboration with THE SOCIETY FOR UPLIFTMENT OF MASSES (SUM) An NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations invites applications for the Summer Batch of the Online ‘We for Change Research Internship Programme From June 10, 2023, to July 23, 2023
Please note the following details and apply well in time
| Eligibility | Students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, Ph D or any other higher education programme in any discipline from recognised institutions in India | |
| Last date for receipt of complete application in prescribed format | June 3, 2023 | |
| Finalisation of selection process and communication to applicants | June 5-9, 2023 | |
| Date of online Induction | June 10, 2023 | |
| Period of Internship | 6 weeks + from June 10, 2023 to July 23, 2023 | |
| Date of final submission of research study and other assignments, duly approved by Mentors | July 9, 2023 | |
| Discussion on Infographics and individual activities; final submission of Completion & Evaluation Report and residual assignments | July 10-16, 2023 | |
| Discussion on PPTs, videos and Debriefing workshop (Interns will present their studies through PPTs) | July 17-23, 2023 | |
| Registration Fee | Nil; Totally free | |
The application Form & Guidelines are given below.
About Consumers India
Consumers India is an intellectually strong organization comprising senior officers of Government of India (generally retired), doctors, engineers, academics and others, who have joined hands to use their knowledge and experience for the well-being of consumers.
The organization was registered on 18.05.2007 under Societies Registration Act, 1860. It is also registered under Sections 12A read with section 12AA and 80 G (5) (vi) of Income Tax Act, 1961.
Consumers India has taken up several important campaigns with a view to safeguard interests of large number of consumers. Some of them relate to ‘Unethical Medical Practices’, ‘Misleading Ads’, ‘Ageing with Dignity’, ‘Access to Affordable Medicines’, ‘Right to Information’, ‘Justice for all…Just Now’, ‘I am a city changer’, ‘Junk the junk food’ etc.
Catalyzing the energy of youth through Internship Programme and All-India Painting/Slogan/On-line Contests etc has been a major milestone achieved by Consumers India.
Further details can be seen on
https://drjayashreegupta.blogspot.com/2022/10/annual-report-2021-22-consumers-india.html
About SUM
The Society for Upliftment of Masses (SUM), An NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations, has an active interface with United Nations. The statements submitted by the Society for ECOSOC High Level Segments during 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021 and 2022 were accepted by the Secretary-General of the United Nations. They were circulated amongst all member States after being translated in all the UN languages. Several strategies have been suggested in these Statements for sustaining gains relating to ‘Health’ and ‘Nutrition’ in Post-MDG era.
The Society had sent detailed comments to UN on the ‘Sustainable Development Goals’, with special reference to the Goal relating to Health and Wellbeing at all Ages. Most of the suggestions made by it, have found their place in ‘2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’ adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 25 September 2015. Further details may be seen on https://drjayashreegupta.blogspot.com/2018/05/sum-at-glance.html
Those interested in joining this program may note the above schedule and email their application and photograph in the prescribed format, which is given below at the earliest, well within the prescribed deadline, to jayashree@consumersindia.co.in
Those who had sent their application for an internship earlier are required to apply afresh for enrolment in this batch.
This is an Internship with a Difference
The ‘Internship’ program was launched by Consumers India for students pursuing higher education on 15th September 2012 and 40 batches have since been held successfully. They have studied important consumer issues under the able guidance of experienced mentors. Several issues, highlighted by interns in their studies, have been taken up with the concerned authorities at the highest level. Details of studies undertaken by interns so far may be seen on https://drjayashreegupta.blogspot.com/2021/12/studies-carried-out-under-internship.html
The program will familiarise participants with burning consumer concerns like consumer justice, misleading advertisements, junk food, unethical medical practices, Right to Information etc, and help them make well-informed decisions by being aware of consumers.
Participants will also gain practical knowledge and experience in conducting research and survey on a consumer issue and analyzing that data in a presentable format under guidance of mentors.
This is the eleventh batch of ‘Online Internship’. Online Internship was introduced in April, 2020, due to Covid-19 induced lock down.
Learning Outcome and Goals
At the end of the Internship, you will
- Become an enlightened consumer, familiar with your rights and responsibilities as a consumer
- Make well informed decisions in your day-today life
- Be able to avoid the trap of misleading advertisements
- Be able to report misleading ads to Advertising Standards Authority of India (ASCI) and GAMA and also help others do it
- Be familiar with the power of RTI Act
- Be able to file RTI applications for seeking information from Public Authorities and also help others do it
- Gain practical knowledge and experience of conducting research and survey on a consumer issue and analysing that data in a presentable format under guidance of mentors.
- Gain practical knowledge and experience of presenting your research and survey findings through PPT and video for disseminating your findings through social media.
Guidelines for Internship with Consumers India
- This internship is open to students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, Ph D or any other higher education programme in any discipline from recognised institutions in India, having interest in consumer issues and having sufficient capabilities for online format of internship.
- Interested candidates are required to fill up prescribed form with complete and correct details. They are also required to give at least one reference with complete details in their application.
- Please ensure that your application is clearly typed and is in word/pdf format. Signatures are not required at this stage.
- Their suitability for internship with Consumers India will be adjudged on the basis of their application. They will be inducted into internship if found suitable. Decision of Consumers India will be final in this regard.
- Applicants finally selected for this internship will be informed individually through email. No correspondence will be entertained in this regard from unsuccessful candidates.
- Internship will be held in ‘Online’ Mode. However, interns from Delhi-NCR would be expected to come for occasional interaction with Mentors in physical mode. They will also be expected to accept occasional volunteering assignments, required in physical mode.
- No stipend is paid to interns by Consumers India. Similarly, no reimbursement of expenditure incurred on travel etc is made by Consumers India.
- Consumers India is not responsible for any arrangements for stay etc for outstation candidates.
- An online Induction Workshop will be organised at the start of the Internship Batch. After the induction process is over, the intern will be assigned a project/study to be completed in a group during the period of the internship. The subject of this project/study would be decided keeping in view the preferences given by the intern.
- Participation in Induction Workshop is a mandatory requirement. Candidates, who do not participate in the Induction Workshop, will not be inducted into internship.
- In addition to above, Interns would be expected to take up some individual activities and promotional and voluntary assignments given by Consumers India and raise awareness regarding concerns and activities of Consumers India as per guidelines provided from time to time.
- The progress of the assignments would be monitored on weekly basis. Interns would be expected to be ready for video-interaction with mentors as per requirement.
- Intellectual inputs and guidelines to facilitate successful completion of this programme will be provided by experts in Consumers India.
- Interns would be expected to follow the time schedule assigned for each activity and submit their assignments, duly approved by Mentor well in time. They will also submit Completion and Evaluation Report in prescribed format.
- The internship will conclude with Debriefing Workshop, which is generally held on the scheduled date of completion. In this workshop interns will present their studiesthrough PPTs and answer questions posed to them by Consumers India Team.
- Internship Certificate will be given to all successful interns by Consumers India.
- After evaluation by experts, the products emanating from this internship assignments may be utilised for awareness and advocacy campaigns of Consumers India and SUM and wherever required.
Internship Subjects/ Themes for this Batch
Interns would be expected to choose one of the following subjects for specific study. Link to the write ups on our Blog relating to each of the broad themes has also been provided.
Specific Study: Spurious/Adulterated/Substandard Food and Consumers
Broad Theme: Beware of Fake, Spurious and Counterfeit
https://drjayashreegupta.blogspot.com/2020/12/beware-of-fake-spurious-and-counterfeit.html
https://drjayashreegupta.blogspot.com/2015/05/junk-junk-food.html
Specific Study: Online Pharmacies and Consumers
Broad Theme: Tryst with Health
https://drjayashreegupta.blogspot.com/2014/03/tryst-with-health.html
Specific Study: How Safe are our Cars?
Broad Theme: Consumer Justice
https://drjayashreegupta.blogspot.com/2015/11/consumer-justice-how-far.html
https://drjayashreegupta.blogspot.com/2016/03/how-safe-are-our-cars.html
Specific Study: Are Celebrity Endorsements Misleading Consumers?
Broad Theme: Misleading Ads
https://drjayashreegupta.blogspot.com/2013/08/misleading-advertisements.html
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Profile of Mentors can be seen on
https://drjayashreegupta.blogspot.com/2013/06/profile-of-mentors-internship-programme.html
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Internship Form
Please enroll me as an ‘Intern’ with Consumers India in ‘We for Change’ Research Internship Programme starting from June 10, 2023. My particulars are as under:
Name (in block letters) ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Gender (Male or Female) _ _ _ _ __ _ Age & Date of birth_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Name of course being pursued_ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _subjects _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ year _ _ _ _
Name of present institution with complete postal address _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _
Name of University _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __
Courses completed after class 12 _ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __
Complete Postal Address of the applicant (Give complete address with PIN Code on which you would like to receive your Certificate)___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ _
Telephone and Mobile Numbers of the applicant: ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ __ _
Email of the applicant: ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Hobbies/special interests_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Reasons for your interest in this Internship_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
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How you came to know about this internship _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Have you been enrolled in any of the earlier batches of internship with Consumers India? If yes, pl provide details ………………………………………..……………
Internship theme that you would like to study and pursue (Mention three themes from the list given above in order of preference) ………………………………….
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Reference of a faculty member of your Institution (Pl provide details relating to name, designation, institution, complete postal address, mobile no and email id) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Write one paragraph of about 200 words on the subject ‘One contribution that I can make to make it a better world for consumers is……’. It should be original and not copied from other sources.
Certified that the particulars given above are correct
If selected, I will pursue this Internship Programme with full commitment and will abide by the guidelines provided by Consumers India.
Date: Name
Signature not required at this stage
Pl email your application in word/pdf format along with your recent photograph to jayashree@consumersindia.co.in
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Consumers India Research Internship, Consumers India Research Internship Program with SUM
