Project Fellow

Location: Maharashtra
Experience: 0-2 years with civil society organisations, policy think-tanks or in litigation (preference for grassroots experience)
Compensation: Competitive
Closes on: October 26, 2025

Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy

Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy is India’s premier legal think-tank focused on creating laws that work for everyone and promote socio-economic progress. Established in 2013, Vidhi combines evidence-based research with government collaboration to draft impactful legislation, strengthen public institutions, and realise fundamental rights. The organisation’s work spans diverse areas such as judicial reforms, financial regulations, disability rights, and environmental law. Operating nationally from Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, Vidhi partners with governments, courts, and civil society to improve governance through clearer, contemporary, and more effective legal frameworks.

Role

Vidhi Maharashtra is looking for someone to dive deep into how citizens navigate bureaucracy in rural and semi-urban Maharashtra. You'll spend considerable time in the field—at tehsils and districts, researching the real-world challenges people face when trying to access essential documents like ration cards, birth certificates and domicile certificates.

Duration: 3 months

Responsibilities

Conduct high-quality field research at tehsil and district levels on citizen access to official documents
Analyse findings and draft reports and presentations
Coordinate with local government officials and civil society organisations
Engage directly with affected citizens to understand their experiences
Implement the project independently with support from the Vidhi Maharashtra team
Report findings to the Mumbai-based team and contribute to final report preparation

Requirements

Undergraduate or postgraduate degree in any field (preferably law, humanities or public policy)
0-2 years' work experience with civil society organisations, policy think-tanks or in litigation (preference for grassroots experience)
Fluency in spoken Marathi
Excellent research, writing, presentation and communication skills
Ability to work independently whilst collaborating with a team
Genuine interest in understanding how laws, policies and processes affect people in semi-urban and rural Maharashtra
Availability to join by the first week of November

Benefits

Opportunity to work with an independent legal policy think tank assisting government in making better laws
Direct engagement with citizens and government officials on critical access issues
Potential for contract renewal based on performance and funding availability