BIRD EYE VIEW OF CAPACITY BUILDING

LOKNITI – CSDS (2022 – 2024)

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1. INTERNSHIPS AT LOKNITI – CSDS

Lokniti is a programme of comparative democracy at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS). The programme was established in 1997 and has been primarily engaged in survey-based research studies. Historically, the programme has been involved in studying and understanding the democratic and electoral politics of India and its neighbourhood through a network of scholars extensively studying the political sphere and engaging with the larger questions of democracy. However, with the passage of time, the programme has widened the scope of its academic pursuit. Now, Lokniti – CSDS also engages with both inter and intra disciplinary topics often overlapping public policy, governance, international relations, law, sociology, communication studies amongst others. We welcome students with a social sciences background and continue to attract those pursuing technical sciences as well.

Importantly, one of the core foundational blocks of the programme has been to train a new generation of scholars who can intervene in the discourse of democratic politics. For this, the programme offers an internship opportunity to undergraduate/postgraduate students or research scholars on a rolling basis throughout the year. Those interested in the field of social sciences are welcome to join us for a one-month internship program. Due to a large influx of applications in each cycle, the final selections are based entirely on merit. Moreover, as the programme engages with a lot of projects that change from time to time, each internship is in itself a unique opportunity, providing young scholars with valuable insights and helping them advance their knowledge about the larger domain of social sciences.

2. TIME LAPSE: APPLICATION PROCESS & INTERNS

To give a brief overview, Lokniti – CSDS has analysed all the interns that have worked at the programme from 2022 to 2024. In these three years, the estimated number of total internship applications received are 1336. This makes up an average of 445 applications each year, making the internship highly sought after and extremely competitive. Most young scholars send their Curriculum Vitae, prior research experience (if any) and statement of purpose in emails to apply for the internship. The programme coordinator goes through each of these documents manually and then shortlists a few of them. Here most of applicants are trimmed and only able, passionate and competent names prevail. These applicants are then lined up for an interview with the Director of Lokniti. After a successful interview, the candidate becomes an intern. This rigorous process ensures that the most deserving of candidates are able to fill in the position.

Typically, the interns join the programme at the starting of month. It is important to note that the initial commitment for the internship is only for a month, but a majority of the interns end up doing two months long internship. However, in a case selected few, based upon exceptional performance, the internship gets extended up to three or four months.

More importantly, as part of their engagement, the interns are given various work assignments during their internship period. Some of these assignments are on a short-term weekly basis that change frequently, whereas others continue throughout their time at Lokniti. Such measures are taken to ensure a holistic learning process. The nature of both assignments can be different based on the requirement and need of the programme and each assignment is tailored keeping in mind individual characteristics of every intern. These assignments involve a variety of research methods. A few of these research methods are: Data compilation from both primary and secondary sources; Going out into the field and collecting data through a structured questionnaire (fieldwork); Preparing a draft chapter for a report based on empirical data; Content analysis; Data analysis; Copy editing and doing background research on various topics both related to current affairs and those with long terms consequences and sundry others.

These research methods equip the interns with valuable skill sets as they plan their journey ahead. While a majority of the interns that join the programme are not well equipped with handling quantitative data (except a select few), by the time they finish here, we have built with them a rich quantitative research vocabulary that not only helps them further in academia but also in their individual pursuits.

Many interns have joined us in the last three years. Table 2.1 gives a brief overview of the total number of interns that have joined the programme between 2022 to 2024. Lokniti has had a total of 91 interns in this period. In the year 2022, sixteen interns have joined us accounting for 18 percent of the total interns in the three-year period. In the year 2023, a greater number had joined us. 21 interns worked with the programme accounting for 23 percent of the total interns between 2022 to 2024. With about 54 interns in 2024, the year had the greatest number of interns, accounting for nearly 59 percent of all the interns within these three years.

Table 2.1: Overall Interns: 2022-2024

Note: A total of 91 interns have joined us in this period. The number of interns for 2022 is 16; 2023 is 21 and 2024 is 54.

3. THE DIVERSITY DIVIDEND

Lokniti-CSDS prides itself in the diversity of the interns that have joined the programme. This diversity is reflected in the background discipline, gender distribution, public/private institutional background and the numerous states they have come from. This creates a tapestry of different coloured threads representing different backgrounds, making the working space truly cosmopolitan. More often than not, most of the interns come from a mixed bag of academic disciplines. For instance, the majority, nearly half of the students that have joined us from 2022 to 2024 are from political science background. About one in ten have done B.A. Programme (9%) and economics (8%). About five percent have done their degrees in law and English. Three percent are from history and mass communication. Two percent, each, have indicated that their last/pursuing degree is in commerce, development studies, global studies and philosophy. The remaining interns came from even more diverse backgrounds – Arts and Aesthetic, Future Governance, Human Rights & Humanitarian Policy, Politics and Society, Urban Studies, Diplomacy, Law & Business; International Politics; Mechanical Engineering, and Urban Studies (Table 3.1).

This goes on to show that even though Lokniti – CSDS is a premiere institute attracting students from the social science background, the programme also interests those from other fields like law, commerce and mechanical engineering.

Table 3.1: Background Discipline of the Interns: 2022 - 2024

Note: The remaining interns belong to these backgrounds: Arts and Aesthetic; Future Governance; Human Rights & Humanitarian Policy; Politics and Society; Urban Studies; Diplomacy, Law and Business; International Politics; Mechanical Engineering; Urban Studies

 

Those who have joined us came from both public and private universities. Over three quarters have come from a public university – either a state university or a central university. The remaining quarter have joined us from private universities (Table 3.2). It is important to note that Lokniti – CSDS is an avenue which helps students in furthering their knowledge and skill sets. The programme boasts of the greatest and the most prodigious repositories of credible data on political behaviour in South Asia. It is precisely due to this reason that some of the students from prestigious universities like University of Oxford, Columbia University, Carleton University, SOAS, University of London, and University of Edinburg, have joined us for the internship programme.

 

Table 3.2: Whether a Public or Private University: 2022 - 2024

Note: Includes international public/ private institutions
Lokniti is also acutely aware of existing gender inequalities, especially of opportunities in higher education. The programme stands with a firm belief that equal representation of all genders is not only important, but a dire necessity. Keeping this in mind, when we finalise the applicants, equal weightage is given to the all the genders, and if it so happens that the current cohort is skewed towards a particular gender, then the opportunity given to fresh recruits will be more significantly from other genders. Resultantly, we are proud to declare that over half of the interns that have joined from 2022 to 2024 have been females (Table 3.3). On the other hand, a little over two-fifths have been males and others have identified themselves within the spectrum of LGBTQIA+.

 

Table 3.3: Gender Diversity: 2022 - 2024

Note: The remaining interns have identified themselves within the spectrum of LGBTQIA+.
The programme receives a diverse pool of applicants from different states each year. The biggest proportion of interns, about one-third are from Delhi. Next to that is Uttar Pradesh, accounting for 14 percent of the total interns that have worked with Lokniti between 2022 to 2024. A little over one in ten have come from Haryana and seven percent from Rajasthan. Four percent from Bihar and Assam, each. Three percent of the interns have joined from Karnataka, Kerala, West Bengal and Maharashtra (each). About two percent, each, came from Jharkhand, Punjab, Gujarat and Jammu & Kashmir. The remaining interns were either international students or came from the states of Madhya Pradesh and Odisha (Table 3.4).

Table 3.4: State-wise distribution: 2022 - 2024

* The rest were either international students or have come from Madhya Pradesh and Odisha.

Conclusively, with cherished ideals of diversity and inclusion, we plan to pave a road ahead that reverberates with our larger aspirations of a truly cosmopolitan working space. We believe that each intern is special and unique and every internship is learning curve for us. By allowing a free, careful and accommodating space in both individual and group projects, we plan to nurture the leaders of tomorrow. We don’t teach our interns; we work with them. They are what makes the foundation – the people (Lok) of Lokniti.

March 2025 INTERNS