Summer Batch Of Online ‘We for Change’ Research Internship Programme By Consumers India In Collaboration With The Society For Upliftment Of Mases (SUM) [10th June-23rd July 2023]: Apply by 3rd June 2023

Consumers India & SUM?

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. CLICK HERE For The Further Details.

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. CLICK HERE For The Further Details.

‘Internship’ programme 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 by CLICK HERE. The programme 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 of conducting research and survey on a consumer issue and analysing 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.

Details Of The Opportunity

• Period of Internship: 6 weeks + from June 10, 2023 to July 23, 2023
• 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
• Registration form: CLICK HERE to fill out the registration form. Please email your application in word/pdf format along with your recent photograph to [email protected]
• Registration fee: Nil; Totally free
• Important dates:
  1. Finalisation of the selection process and communication to applicants: June 5-9, 2023 
  2. Date of online Induction: June 10, 2023
  3. Date of final submission of research study and other assignments, duly approved by Mentors: July 9, 2023 
  4. Discussion on Infographics and individual activities; final submission of Completion & Evaluation Report and residual assignments: July 10-16, 2023 
  5. Discussion on PPTs, videos and Debriefing workshop (Interns will present their studies through PPTs): July 17-23, 2023 
• Mentors for the Internship Programme: CLICK HERE to go through the profiles of mentors
• Learning Outcome and Goals: At the end of the Internship, you will:
  1. Become an enlightened consumer, familiar with your rights and responsibilities as a consumer
  2. Make well informed decisions in your day-today life
  3. Be able to avoid the trap of misleading advertisements
  4. Be able to report misleading ads to Advertising Standards Authority of India (ASCI) and GAMA and also help others do it
  5. Be familiar with the power of RTI Act
  6. Be able to file RTI applications for seeking information from Public Authorities and also help others do it
  7. 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.
  8. 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:
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Pl ensure that your application is clearly typed and is in word/pdf format. Signatures are not required at this stage.
  4. 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.
  5. Applicants finally selected for this internship will be informed individually through email. No correspondence will be entertained in this regard from unsuccessful candidates.
  6. 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.
  7. No stipend is paid to interns by Consumers India. Similarly, no reimbursement of expenditure incurred on travel etc is made by Consumers India.
  8. Consumers India is not responsible for any arrangements for stay etc for outstation candidates.
  9. 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.
  10. Participation in Induction Workshop is a mandatory requirement. Candidates, who do not participate in the Induction Workshop, will not be inducted into internship.
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. Intellectual inputs and guidelines to facilitate successful completion of this programme will be provided by experts in Consumers India.
  14. 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.
  15. The internship will conclude with Debriefing Workshop, which is generally held on the scheduled date of completion. In this workshop interns will present their studies through PPTs and answer questions posed to them by Consumers India Team.
  16. Internship Certificate will be given to all successful interns by Consumers India.
  17. 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.

For More Information:

CLICK HERE To Visit The Jayashree Gupta (President, Consumers India) Blog Post

CLICK HERE To Know More About The Consumer India

For more details, Click Here