The Policy Research & Outreach team at the Centre for Civil Society is inviting applications for two full-time/part-time legal interns to work from our office in New Delhi. This internship offers hands-on experience in policy and legal research, and outreach with a focus on laws governing K-12 education in India.
Our education initiative promotes school choice and quality education for all. We aim to reform education policy to make it more responsive to the needs of each student, and give parents the choice to decide what is best for their child - be it school (public, high-fee private or Budget Private School (BPS) or non-school services.
We engage with policy and opinion leaders in order to reform the education landscape in India through research, pilot projects, and outreach.
About the Project
In India, private schools account for 50% of total student enrolments. However, several cumbersome federal and state laws regulate private schools. This creates a complex web of arbitrary, ever-changing, and contradictory rules, which allows multiple authorities to harass schools. Our project will map the life cycle of the private schools in every state.
Most states require private schools to meet cumbersome capital and infrastructure requirements such as minimum land/building size and labour norms, and subject them to several operational restrictions. These norms are contradictory, costly to comply with, and subject to periodic changes. Further, they impose significant resource constraints on private schools majorly on low-budget private schools.
No study has methodically examined the ease of opening and operating schools across India. We propose to address this gap and build a comprehensive rubric to compare states on the relative ease of opening and operating private schools. Our comparative study will act as the foundation for our efforts on encouraging free enterprise in education to respect the dignity of parents, students, and school owners.
This project aims to reach parents and policymakers. Millions of parents in India struggle each year to secure a seat in a private school. They often blame private schools for the artificial scarcity of seats, capitation charges, and exorbitant fees. Through this project, we will show that burdensome laws create an artificial scarcity of schools and consequently limit the choices available to parents.
Role & Responsibilities
- Conducting research on legal and policy frameworks governing K-12 education, private schools, and education policy.
- Drafting policy briefs, research notes, and outreach documents.
- Assisting in legal and data analysis.
- Coordinating with internal teams and external stakeholders for consultation.
Skills Required:
- Strong research, writing, and analytical ability.
- Keen interest in law, data analysis, and public policy.
- Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced team environment.
Duration:
Internship duration and commitment of 6 weeks with interns expected to devote at least 20 hours per week. (extensions granted on performance and requirement)
Location
Work from Office/Hybrid - Centre for Civil Society, New Delhi
To Apply:
Send your CV and a writing sample, preferably relevant to the thematic area of this position, to internship@ccs.in Subject line: Application – Legal Internship (Policy Research & Outreach – Education)
Last Date: November 16, 2025.
About Centre for Civil Society (CCS)
The Centre for Civil Society (CCS) is India’s leading liberal think tank, working to advance social change through public policy. CCS conducts research, pilot projects, and advocacy across key areas such as education, livelihoods, governance, and ease of doing business. By engaging with policymakers, academia, media, and grassroots communities, CCS strives to bring greater freedom and choice to individuals, while promoting accountability and transparency in governance