Legislative Assistants to Members of Parliament (LAMP) Fellowship null

About PRS Legislative Research

PRS is a leading research group with the mission to strengthen India’s democracy by helping Parliament and state assemblies be more effective. These institutions make laws, hold the governments accountable and allocate public funds. It is important that they have information and analysis to perform their functions well, and that citizens have channels of engaging with their elected representatives.

Your role

Role of a LAMP

• The Fellow's primary task involves providing research support to the Member of Parliament (MP) that she/he is assigned to.
• A significant amount of the research a LAMP Fellow will undertake will be Parliament related, such as inputs for bills, parliamentary questions, policy discussions, and standing committee meetings.
• LAMP Fellows are also required to provide background research for the conferences and media events MPs attend in their official capacity.
• While some MPs may delegate constituency-related work to their LAMP Fellows, taking up such work (including visits to the constituency) is subject to the agreement between the MP and the LAMP Fellow.

LAMP Fellows research topics as diverse as defense, food security, environment, economics, and foreign affairs. Research tasks may include

• Legislative research
• Data Analysis
• Framing parliamentary questions
• Background research parliamentary debates
• Research for Standing Committee meetings
• Drafting Private Member Bills
• Media-related work including drafting press releases, preparing interventions for TV appearances
• Research for constituency-related issues
• Interacting with stakeholders

Training & progression

The Fellowship starts in the middle of June with a rigorous 1-month long training. The Fellows will be assigned to their respective Member of Parliament during the Monsoon session of Parliament and will continue to work with the MP till the end of the Budget session the following year.

PRS conducts intensive training during the initial 1 month, where LAMP Fellows will be familiarised with the basics of the Indian Constitution, basics of Economics, parliamentary procedures, information sources, and research tools. Attendance is mandatory for the entire training period. LAMP Fellows will also have an opportunity to learn more about public policy in India through various policy workshops organized by PRS during the course of the Fellowship. 

Salary & benefits

LAMP Fellows receive a stipend of INR 20,000/- per month during the course of the Fellowship ( Source: PRS legislative research).

• LAMP Fellows are allowed 2 days' leave every month through the duration of the Fellowship.
• However, any such need to take leave must be first brought to PRS for approval and then approved by the assigned MP.
• LAMP Fellows are discouraged from taking leave during Parliamentary sessions.
• PRS will also inform LAMP Fellows of any other scheduled leave periods during the programme.

Career progression

LAMP Fellowship provides an opportunity to be mentored by a Member of Parliament for a period of 10-11 months, subject to the Parliamentary calendar. During the course of the Fellowship, the Fellows will get the opportunity to engage with experts from diverse sectors and understand the important policy and development issues of the country.

Some LAMP Fellows have pursued advanced degrees in prestigious institutions like Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Oxford, London School of Economics, SciencesPo, leading IIMs, ISB, XLRI, JNU, etc. Some have continued to work with Members of Parliament, political parties, or other political consulting organizations. A few have joined either multilateral institutions like the World Bank, Foreign Embassies, or leading public policy organizations such as CPR and NIPFP, or chosen a career in the corporate sector including consulting investment banking, and e-commerce. A few have joined the civil service as Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officers. 

Work-life balance

LAMP Fellows rarely have a "typical" work day. Requests for research may have varying deadlines - ranging from thirty minutes to a couple of days, depending on the specifications of the MP. When Parliament is in session, the workload is likely to be heavier than the time period between sessions.

Culture & vibe

PRS taught many employees how to present themselves professionally. This is the place that led as a foundation for many and motivated them to do good jobs. A Great place to begin your journey as an Associate Analyst - The best company to learn the nuances of 'Politics behind policymaking'. The Organization is very rigid in its practices with good diversity and inclusive culture. It has a Collegial environment and a steep learning curve.

About You

To apply for this position, you must have the following eligibility criteria:

PRS seeks to engage with highly-motivated, bright young people for the LAMP Fellowship.

• LAMP Fellowship is open to candidates who are 25 years of age or below
• The candidate must have at least a Bachelor's degree in any academic discipline.
• Only Indian citizens are eligible for the LAMP Fellowship. 
• Candidates from all academic backgrounds are welcome to apply.
• Candidates must have at least a Bachelor’s degree in any academic discipline.
• Previous LAMP Fellows come from diverse academic backgrounds with Bachelor's or Master’s degrees in Engineering, Law, Economics, Pure Sciences, Literature, Journalism, Political Science, Commerce, etc.

How to Apply

To apply for this role, simply click the "Apply on employer site" button below which navigates to the career page where the application can be filled with necessary details and submitted directly to PRS Legislative Research for the LAMP fellowship.

• Applications to LAMP Fellowship 2023-24 are now open.

Instructions for filling up the application form: 

• Partial responses cannot be saved. Please make sure to fill up the application form all at once. 

Things you need to have ready before filling up the form:

• Academic scores/grades (Undergraduate and upwards) 
• Details of work experience/internships/ volunteer work 
• A 500-word essay justifying  your candidature for the  LAMP Fellowship
• A 500-word essay on a policy or law 

For more information and details about the fellowship please click here.