Project Fellow

ABOUT VIDHI

The Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy is an independent think tank doing legal research and assisting the government in making better laws. Vidhi is committed to producing legal research of the highest standard with the aim of informing public debate and contributing to improved governance. Vidhi works with Ministries of the Government of India and State Governments, as well as other public institutions, providing research and drafting support at various stages of law-making. Vidhi also conducts and freely disseminates independent research in areas of legal reform, which it believes is critical to India’s future.

Vidhi Maharashtra aims to facilitate legal reforms at the state level by providing research and drafting assistance to the Maharashtra State Government and through independent legal research projects. Vidhi Maharashtra’s work can be accessed from the website here.

Vidhi is an equal opportunity employer and neither practices nor tolerates any kind of discriminatory behaviour.

ROLE DESCRIPTION & ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

This call for applications is for individuals interested in working with Vidhi’s Maharashtra team as a Project Fellow on its project, “Streamlining and simplifying procedures for obtaining official documents”. The goal of the project is to conduct field-level research at the tehsil and district levels on the difficulties faced by citizens in accessing certain important official documents, such as ration card, birth certificate, domicile certificate, etc. The role will involve considerable time in the selected field areas. We are looking for someone who can join by the first week of November.

The Fellow will work as an integral part of the Vidhi Maharashtra team and will be expected to undertake high-quality field research, analysis and drafting of reports and presentations for the project outlined above. The Project Fellows will also be expected to coordinate with local government officials, civil society organisations and engage with affected citizens.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Undergraduate or postgraduate degree in any field, but preferably in law, humanities or public policy.
• A minimum of 0-2 years of demonstrable work experience with a civil society organisation/ policy think-tank/in litigation. Preference will be given to candidates with work experience at the grassroots and engaging with the stakeholders stated above.
• Fluency in Marathi (spoken).
• Excellent research, writing, presentation and communication skills.
• Ability to implement a project independently (with support from the team).
• Desire to work at the grassroots and understand laws, policies and processes affecting people in semi-urban and rural regions of Maharashtra.
• Possibility of joining by the first week of November.

LOCATION AND REMUNERATION

• This is a three-month fellowship based out of Maharashtra. The fellow will be required to conduct field work and report to the Vidhi Maharashtra team in Mumbai to discuss findings and prepare a report.
• The Fellow will be engaged in this position for a duration of three months, with renewal for a further duration being subject to performance and availability of funds.
• Remuneration will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Interested candidates should apply through our online portal and must submit the following documents merged into a single document:

• Latest Curriculum Vitae (CV) in not more than two A4 pages;
• A brief statement outlining your motivation for applying for the position, along with a summary of your relevant professional experience (if any);
• Names and contact details of two referees (academic/professional) who may be contacted for references.

The deadline to submit applications is 26th October 2025.

Only queries may be sent only through email, titled ‘Vidhi Maharashtra – Application for Project Fellow’ addressed to careers@vidhilegalpolicy.in. Due to the volume of applications we receive, we will only be able to contact shortlisted candidates