Research Fellow

ABOUT VIDHI

The Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy (“Vidhi”) is an independent think tank doing legal research to make better laws and improve governance for the public good. 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 is an equal opportunity employer and neither practices nor tolerates any kind of discriminatory behaviour.

ROLE DESCRIPTION

Research Fellows at Vidhi work closely with their teams to conduct legal and policy research, draft publications, and contribute to evidence-based law and governance reform.

In this role, the Fellow will begin their term with the Charkha team, while also being part of an institutional pool of researchers who work with other teams during their tenure, based on organisational needs and individual strengths.

The Research Fellow will be expected to:

• Undertake high-quality legal research, analysis, and drafting in areas of constitutional law and public law.
• Prepare reports, position papers, research notes, and presentations.
• Coordinate and attend meetings/consultations/presentations with government officials, academics, researchers, and other stakeholders.
• Write articles, blogs, and participate in podcasts and other audio-visual mediums to disseminate research work.

REQUIREMENTS

Essential

• Undergraduate degree in law.
• 0-1 years of demonstrable work experience in the domain of legal research, academia, or litigation.
• Bilingual fluency in an Indian language.
• Excellent legal research and writing/drafting skills.
• Excellent communication/presentation skills.
• Must be organized, detail-oriented, self-driven, and able to meet deadlines.

Desirable

• Master’s degree in law, particularly, constitutional law.
• Prior experience of interacting with civil society groups and ability to engage with diverse stakeholders.
• Demonstrable record of publications and research.
• Ability to explain complex constitutional law issues in a comprehensive and accessible manner.
• Experience of public speaking.

LOCATION AND REMUNERATION

• This is a full-time position based out of New Delhi.
• Remuneration will be competitive, in line with experience and existing structure at Vidhi.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Interested candidates should apply through our online portal by filling in the required details in the application form and uploading the following documents:

• Latest Curriculum Vitae (CV) (not exceeding two A4 pages)
• Statement of motivation (maximum of 500 words) explaining why the candidate is interested in this position
• Details of two references including names, contact details, and nature of professional relationship
• An original writing sample of not more than 1000 words with an in-depth analysis of a recent constitutional issue (judgment, legislation, political developments) that demonstrates the candidate’s legal analysis and writing skills. The writing sample must be well-referenced, engage with all potential arguments for and against, be clearly drafted, and remain within the specified word count. Prior written work by the candidate can be submitted.

Please ensure that the file is titled “FirstName LastName_Application for Position Name” and is uploaded as a single PDF file under the field of ‘Additional Documents’.

The deadline to submit applications is 10 January 2026. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Only applications submitted through the online portal will be reviewed. Please do not email resumes and cover letters; only queries may be sent via email to careers@vidhilegalpolicy.in with the subject line “Query – Charkha – Application for Research Fellow”.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.