Law Internship in Jaipur: Rajasthan High Court Bench

There are two routes to a law internship in Jaipur. One is a chamber at the Rajasthan High Court’s Jaipur Bench. The other is the formal internship scheme of the Rajasthan State Judicial Academy, which runs at Jodhpur and not Jaipur. The second has published rules, and they are strict.

Know which court is where

The Rajasthan High Court was set up in 1949, and its principal seat is at Jodhpur. It also has a bench at Jaipur. Most Jaipur lawyers appear at the Jaipur Bench, which hears matters from its assigned districts, and most students who say “Rajasthan High Court internship in Jaipur” mean a chamber at that bench. The Jaipur Bench has no separate internship scheme that I could find. Students go through individual advocates.

The NCLT also has a bench at Jaipur, so if you want company law, a chamber that appears there is another option.

The formal scheme: RSJA Jodhpur

An order of the Rajasthan High Court, No. 09/S.O./2023 dated 18 January 2023, sets the guidelines for internships at the Rajasthan State Judicial Academy in Jodhpur. The facts that matter:

• Who can apply. Students of government and recognised private law colleges, universities and NLUs approved by the Bar Council of India, from 2nd and 3rd year of the three year LL.B., 4th and final year of the five year integrated course, or 1st or final year of the LL.M.
• Length. Normally 15 days, extendable up to one month.
• Seats. A maximum of three seats per year, allotted first come, first served. This is the number to remember. It is very small.
• Format. Full time, following the academy’s working hours.
• Work. The academy assigns a topic and you submit a paper, report or dissertation at the end.
• Pay. None. No honorarium, travel allowance or dearness allowance.
• How to apply. A prescribed form with a photo ID proof, forwarded by your institution in the prescribed format, plus a synopsis of about 400 words. It must reach the academy at least one month before the internship, addressed to the Director.
• Conditions. A dress code, undertakings on confidentiality, no job placement, and arranging your own lodging and transport. The study outcome belongs to the academy. The internship can be cancelled for poor performance, unauthorised absence or lack of discipline.
• Certificate. Issued on successful completion, and the Director’s decision on completion is final.

Because the application must come through your institution, speak to your internship cell first. And because there are only three seats, treat this as a long shot and apply anyway if the topic suits you. Check the academy’s current notice for any change to these rules, since the order I read is dated 2023.

The usual route: a chamber in Jaipur

Most students intern with an advocate. One account on a legal listing site describes a month with a senior bar office bearer at the Jaipur Bench, from mid July to mid August. The student worked 10 am to 4 pm, Monday to Friday, did research on civil and criminal procedure and family law, prepared case briefs for civil writ petitions and attended court. She had met the advocate through a law awareness society at the High Court and emailed her CV, and joined the next day. It was unpaid. That is a typical shape: in person, a month, unpaid, found through a contact.

Two lessons from it. First, an introduction beats a cold email. If your college has an alumnus at the Jaipur Bench, ask them for a name. Second, the work was research and briefs. Be ready to do the same.

What to send

A short email with your name, year, college, dates and one line on what you want to learn. Attach a one page CV and a brief writing sample if you have one. Hindi is the working language of many district proceedings and client talks in Rajasthan, so say that you read and write Hindi if you do. Name the court you want, the Jaipur Bench, so the advocate knows you have thought about it.

When to apply

I could not verify a Jaipur calendar, except the RSJA rule that applications must reach the academy at least a month early. For chambers, write four to six weeks before your break. Summer interns tend to apply in April, winter interns in October and November.

What the work looks like

At the Jaipur Bench, the day starts with the cause list. You check whether your supervisor’s matters are listed, find the court hall and item number, and gather the papers. In court you sit and watch. In the chamber you prepare a chronology, find judgments and draft. The work is not glamorous but it is the real working life of a High Court junior.

At RSJA, the work is academic: a topic, reading and a final paper. It teaches you research discipline and gives you a certificate with an institutional name on it.

Before you accept any offer

1. Check that the advocate is enrolled and practising.
2. Agree dates, hours and whether the work is in person.
3. Ask for a certificate on letterhead and in the form your university wants.
4. Do not pay a fee for a seat.
5. Keep client information strictly inside the chamber.

University rules

Bar Council of India rules, as applied by your university, may require minimum internship weeks and a certificate from a recognised office. Check with your internship cell whether a research placement like RSJA counts, since some universities prefer court based work for part of the requirement.

Remote and writing options

If you cannot travel, remote research for an advocate or a writing programme such as Lexfolio’s virtual internship can add edited, published work to your CV. It does not replace court time.

In short

For Jaipur, the best bet is a chamber at the Jaipur Bench through a contact. For a formal certificate, try the RSJA scheme with its three seats and early deadline. Apply to both if your dates allow.