**Executive Summary**
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India, concluded its second two-week Online Short-Term Internship (OSTI) programme of 2026 on March 20, 2026. The programme, which shortlisted 71 students from 1,147 applicants across 17 states and UTs, aimed to impart human rights awareness and foster empathy toward the underprivileged. Key takeaways emphasized that protecting human rights is a shared individual responsibility and encouraged interns to remain engaged with human rights advocacy.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Internship Overview and Participation**
* A total of 71 university-level students (54 girls and 17 boys) from diverse academic backgrounds successfully completed the programme.
* The participants were selected from a pool of 1,147 applicants representing 17 states and Union Territories, including remote and tribal areas.
* This online format was specifically designed to reach students unable to travel to New Delhi, ensuring inclusive access to human rights education.
**Core Educational Themes**
* **Empathy and Awareness:** Chairperson Justice V. Ramasubramanian stated that the primary purpose of the internship is to foster empathy for the suffering of others, noting that learning is worthless without it.
* **Individual Responsibility:** Secretary General Shri Bharat Lal emphasized that upholding human rights and the dignity of individuals is a "sacred and shared responsibility" of every citizen, not just the government.
* **Civic Duty:** Interns were urged to evolve into "model citizens" by internalizing their rights and duties and practicing self-introspection.
**Program Activities and Engagement**
* The curriculum included interactive sessions with NHRC members, government officials, human rights defenders, and domain experts.
* Students participated in various competitions, including book reviews, group research project presentations, and declamation contests.
* During 2025-26, the NHRC organized a total of six online and two in-person (summer and winter) internship programmes to empower youth.
**Impact Analysis**
**University-Level Interns**
**Impact**
Interns gained exposure to various dimensions of human rights and interacted with high-level experts and officials. The programme aimed to transform their perspective on social suffering and their role in society.
**Action Required**
Interns are encouraged to internalize their learning, assist vulnerable groups (such as persons with disabilities or those in beggary), and stay engaged with NHRC through its website, newsletters, and social media.
**National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)**
**Impact**
The Commission successfully utilized digital platforms to expand its outreach to students in far-flung and forested areas, fulfilling its objective of promoting human rights education nationwide.
**Action Required**
The Commission must continue to facilitate both online and in-person programmes to maintain engagement with the youth and provide platforms for interaction with jurists and experts.
**Vulnerable Communities**
**Impact**
These groups (e.g., persons with disabilities) are identified as the primary focus for the interns’ future empathetic actions and support.
**Action Required**
The document suggests that these individuals require support to secure their rightful dues and live with dignity; however, the direct action is placed on the interns to provide this assistance.
Key Entities Referenced
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC): The primary statutory body in India responsible for the protection and promotion of human rights, which organized and conducted the internship program.
Online Short-Term Internship (OSTI) Programme: A specialized awareness initiative designed to reach university students across India to impart knowledge on human rights and foster empathy for the less privileged.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR): The international foundational document referenced by the Commission as the philosophical and legal basis for human equality and rights.
Justice V. Ramasubramanian: The Chairperson of the NHRC who delivered the valedictory address, emphasizing the link between human rights education and social empathy.
Shri Bharat Lal: The Secretary General of the NHRC who defined human rights protection as a shared responsibility and highlighted the needs of vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities.
National Human Rights Commission
NHRC, India’s 2-week Online Short-Term
Internship (OSTI) Programme, March – 2026
concludes today
71 university-level students from diverse academic
backgrounds and different states/ UTs shortlisted out of
1,147 applicants for this programme
In his valedictory address, NHRC, India Chairperson, Justice
V. Ramasubramanian says, knowledge and learning worthless
if it does not lead to empathy towards others' suffering
Secretary General, Shri Bharat Lal says, protecting and
promoting human rights is a sacred and shared responsibility
rather duty
Posted On: 20 MAR 2026 5:23PM by PIB Delhi
The second two-week Online Short Term Internship Programme (OSTI) in the year 2026 organized by the
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India concluded today with 71 university - level students
from diverse academic background successfully completing it. They were shortlisted out of 1,147
applicants from 17 states and UTs, including remote areas. Out of these selected students, 54 were girls
and 17 boys.
In his valedictory address, NHRC, India Chairperson, Justice V. Ramasubramanian said that the internship
programme aims to impart awareness about human rights and foster empathy towards the less privileged.
Quoting Neil Armstrong’s statement on stepping onto the moon on 20th July 1969, “That's one small step
for a man, one giant leap for mankind,” he said that if completing the NHRC internship feels the same to
the interns, its purpose is fulfilled.Referring to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) that ‘All human beings are born equal
and free,’ Justice Ramasubramanian said that it is more philosophical than a reality as all human beings
are not born in the same safe and secure facilities. Once the interns realise this, they will become more
empathetic to the fellow human beings. Being empathetic to people is key to becoming model citizens. He
also quoted from a Tamil poet-sage Thiruvalluvar’s work Thirukkural: ‘What is the point of a person being
identified as learned, unless he has tears in his eyes when he looks at others.’ He said that true knowledge
and learning are worthless if they do not lead to empathy for the suffering of others.
In his opening remarks NHRC, India Secretary General, Shri Bharat Lal congratulated the interns on
completing their internship with the Commission. He urged them to internalise what they learnt to develop
sensitivity and responsiveness, and to evolve as model citizens aware of their rights and duties.
Emphasising self-introspection and reflection on one’s actions, he said that the responsibility to protect
and promote human rights does not lie only with the government but with individuals as well. Protecting
human rights - upholding the rights and dignity of every individual is a sacred and shared responsibility of
every individual.
Shri Lal said that vulnerable people are often victims of their circumstances. He stressed that persons
involved in beggary and persons with disabilities, among others, may need support to secure their rightful
dues and live a meaningful life with dignity. Even a small gesture of helping them can go a long way in
shaping one into a good human being. It’s all about making our own life meaningful. He expressed hope
that the interns would make efforts to spare time to assist such persons to improve their lives and ensure
dignity. Such small efforts can make a meaningful contribution to the society. He also encouraged the
interns to remain engaged with the NHRC through its website, Newsletters and social media posts and to
continue introspecting and reflecting on how to protect and promote human rights as well as keep on
learning.Earlier, Smt. Saidingpuii Chhakchhuak, Joint Secretary, NHRC, presented the internship report. She
highlighted that the students were exposed to various aspects of human rights through interactive sessions
with eminent speakers, including the Chairperson, Members, Secretary General, senior NHRC officers,
officials from the Government of India, human rights defenders and members of civil society. She also
announced the winners of competitions held during the programme, including the book review, group
research project presentation and declamation competitions. This online internship programme has been
started to reach out to students who are unable to travel to New Delhi and can learn various dimensions of
human rights from their place of living. Joint Secretary, Shri Samir Kumar was also present.
The online programme ensures that NHRC is able to reach out to students living in far-flung, remote and
forested/ tribal areas. In the year 2025-26, such 6 online and 2 in-person (summer and winter) internship
programmes have been organized by the NHRC, enabling these students to interact with eminent persons,
domain experts, human rights defenders, academia, diplomats, jurists and senior officials, thus promoting
and empowering youth on human rights.
***
NSK
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