THE SILENT EXPLOITATION OF LEGAL INTERNS IN INDIA: A STUDY OF UNPAID LABOUR AND LEGAL GAPS

AUTHOR – SHRINITHI KRISHNAN R, STUDENT AT SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE IN LAW, THE TAMIL NADU DR AMBEDKAR LAW UNIVERSITY

BEST CITATION – SHRINITHI KRISHNAN R, THE SILENT EXPLOITATION OF LEGAL INTERNS IN INDIA: A STUDY OF UNPAID LABOUR AND LEGAL GAPS, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 6 (5) OF 2026, PG. 555-560, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.

ABSTRACT

Internships constitute an essential component of legal education in India, serving as a crucial link between theoretical knowledge and its practical application. They enable law students to gain exposure to court proceedings, develop research and drafting skills, and understand the functioning of the legal system in a real-world context. In this sense, internships are widely regarded as indispensable for professional development and skill enhancement. However, the increasing prevalence of unpaid legal internships has raised significant concerns regarding fairness, equity, and the potential for exploitation within the legal profession. While such internships are often justified as opportunities for experiential learning, the reality frequently reflects a different scenario. In many instances, interns are required to perform substantial and meaningful tasks, including legal research, drafting, and case preparation, which directly contribute to the functioning and productivity of legal offices. Despite this, they are neither compensated nor provided with structured training or adequate supervision. The issue becomes more critical when examined in the context of the Code on Social Security, 2020 and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020. These legislative frameworks, while comprehensive in scope, do not recognize interns as employees or workers, thereby excluding them from essential labour protections such as minimum wages, social security benefits, and workplace safeguards. This exclusion creates a regulatory vacuum that allows unpaid internships to persist without accountability. This article critically analyzes the nature of unpaid legal internships to determine whether they function as genuine learning platforms or as forms of disguised unpaid labour. It further emphasizes the need for legal and policy reforms to ensure fairness, dignity of labour, and equal access to opportunities within the legal profession.

Keywords: Unpaid Legal Internships, Labour Law, Social Security Code, OSH Code,      Exploitation