Consumers India in collaboration with The Society for Upliftment of Masses (SUM), an NGO, is inviting applications for its Summer Batch Online ‘We for Change’ Internship Program 2022.
About the Organization
Consumers India is an intellectually strong organization comprising senior officers of the 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 the Income Tax Act, 1961.
Consumers India has taken up several important campaigns with a view to safeguarding the interests of a 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 may be found here.
‘We for Change’ Online Internship
‘Internship’ programme was launched by Consumers India for students pursuing higher education on September 15th, 2012 and 38 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 here.
With a view to meet the increasing demand for internships from various institutions/segments, the ‘We for Change’ Internship was launched on November 7, 2015. This internship focuses on acquiring knowledge about various aspects of consumer movement through discussions, case studies, exercises, project work, and other innovative ways and making use of that knowledge in day-to-day life.
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 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 the guidance of mentors.
This is the 9th batch of ‘Online Internship’. The online internship was introduced in April 2020, due to COVID-19 induced lockdown.
Click here to know more.
Learning 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 disseminating your findings through social media.
The Internship Structure
- 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 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.
Mode of Internship
Online
Roles and Responsibilities of the Intern
Interns would be expected to choose one of the following themes and strengthen that theme with new inputs through RTIs, infographics, consumer cases, research and brief write-ups, etc under the guidance of their mentor.
In addition, specific studies, mentioned with each theme, will be undertaken by them. Link to the write-ups on the organization’s blogs relating to each of the broad themes has also been provided.
- Specific Study: Uber, Ola and other Cab Aggregators and Consumers
Broad Theme: Consumer Justice
Click here for more information. - Specific Study: SDG Goal for Improved Nutrition-How Far?
Broad Theme: Junk Food and Nutrition
Blog on Junk Food
Blog on SDG Goal for Improved Nutrition - Specific Study: Misleading Ads about Cosmetic Surgery & Procedures
Broad Theme: Misleading Ads
Blog on Misleading Advertisements
Blog on ‘Truth about Cosmetic Surgery’
Blog on ‘Truth about Cosmetic Products’ - Specific Study: Gender Stereotyping in Organisations
Broad Theme: Gender Stereotyping
Blog on Gender Stereotyping in Nursery Books
Eligibility Criteria
Students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, Ph D or any other higher education programme in any discipline from recognised institutions in India
Stipend (If any)
Unpaid
How to Apply?
Those interested in joining this program may note the above schedule and email their application and photograph in prescribed format, which is given below at the earliest, well within the prescribed deadline, to jayashree@consumersindia.co.in
The application format can be taken from the link given at the end of this post.
Those who had sent their application for internship earlier are required to apply afresh for enrolment in this batch.
Important Dates
| Last date for receipt of complete application in prescribed format | June 4, 2022 |
| Finalisation of selection process and communication to applicants | June 5-10, 2022 |
| Date of online Induction | June 11, 2022 |
| Period of Internship | 6 weeks from June 11, 2022 to July 24, 2022 |
| Date of final submission of research study and other assignments, duly approved by Mentors | July 10, 2022 |
| Discussion on Infographics and individual activities; final submission of Completion & Evaluation Report and residual assignments | July 11-17, 2022 |
| Discussion on PPTs and Debriefing workshop (Interns will present their studies through PPTs) | July 18-24, 2022 |
LAW MENTOR 