80 university-level students from diverse academic backgrounds shortlisted out of 1,114 applicants
Urging the interns to imbibe human values, Chairperson, Justice V. Ramasubramanian emphasises compassion and forgiveness as the hallmark of age-old traditions and customs of Indian society
Secretary General, Bharat Lal says, the internship aims at sensitising the youth to evolve as defenders and ambassadors of human rights
The first two-week Online Short Term Internship Programme (OSTI) in 2026 of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India has begun. Chairperson, Justice V. Ramasubramanian inaugurated it in the presence of Secretary General, Shri Bharat Lal and senior officers. 80 university-level students from diverse academic backgrounds shortlisted out of 1,114 applicants from 19 States and Union territories across the nation are attending it. The two-week programme will conclude on 13th February 2026.
Addressing them, Justice Ramasubramanian said that the OSTI, in line with the mandate of the Commission under the PHRC Act to propagate the human rights discourse in the country, aims to provide college / university students with a comprehensive understanding of promotion and protection of Human Rights. Quoting shlokas from ancient Indian scriptures like the Rigvedahe highlighted that compassion and forgiveness have been the hallmark of age-old traditions and customs of Indian society.
He encouraged the interns to make the best use of the exposure to the various aspects of human rights during their internship with the Commission. He urged them to evolve as better human beings by developing a sense of compassion towards others’ suffering before becoming better professionals.
Before this, Shri Bharat Lal, Secretary General NHRC emphasised that the internship programme also aims at sensitising youth to evolve as defenders and ambassadors of human rights. He said that the selected interns should imbibe the values and knowledge from the eminent speakers during the OSTI Programme. He said that at their core, human rights are about real people, lived experiences and everyday conduct. Therefore, the interns also need to look beyond statutes and judgements to observe values in action, understand grievances, engage with lived realities and reflect on how violations occur and more importantly how they can be prevented by spreading awareness.
Smt. Saidingpuii Chhakchhuak, Joint Secretary, NHRC gave a detailed overview of the programme’s carefully designed curriculum. This includes lectures and virtual tours of institutions such as Tihar Jail, Shelter Home and Police Station to offer direct insights into the realities of human rights. She further informed the interns about various activities and competitions aimed at enhancing their understanding of human rights and boosting their confidence.
Lt. Col. Virender Singh, Director, NHRC and staff of the Training Division were present in the inaugural session.
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