SpicyIP Fellowship

Itching to write? Novel, non-obvious and useful posts on exciting IP topics of your choice? Look no further! Apply immediately to become a SpicyIP Fellow!

Year after year, our Fellowship series has attracted some of the brightest minds to the world of IP.

About the Fellowship

For those of you new to the blog, the SpicyIP Fellowship is a coveted position for those seeking to make a mark in the world of IP. Warning though: it entails a high level of rigour in research and writing! Though great fun as well, given the range of topics covered and the freedom you enjoy in creatively crafting your take on various IP cases and developments.

We are looking for a fresh set of sharp, passionate and dedicated Fellows who can help us grow even spicier. Apart from the freedom and the sheer joy of writing on topics that interest them, for an audience that includes IP lawyers, in-house counsels, professors, researchers, students, industry professionals, journalists, government officials as well as judges, the selected Fellows will earn a stipend of INR 1,000 per post (approximately INR 40,000 a year).

Our Journey So Far

SpicyIP’s avowed aim is to produce a more transparent, collaborative and productive IP and innovation ecosystem in India. We’ve been working very hard towards achieving this for the last twelve years. We say so, albeit with modesty: our efforts have not gone unnoticed. Some of our other achievements can be viewed here.

Eligibility

Anybody is welcome to apply. Sex no bar, age no bar, caste no bar, ideology no bar. So long as you are committed to the craft of writing, and possess a keen mind willing to learn and an attitude open to experimenting with fun formats and themes, this is the place for you!

How to Apply? 

  • Interested candidates are required to submit the following to <[email protected]> (with “Application for SpicyIP Fellowship” in the subject line):
    1. At least two (2) blog posts (original and unpublished) for publication on the blog (both need not be sent together; the first one may be submitted as soon as it’s completed);
    2. CV (not exceeding 2 pages); and
    3. A statement (not exceeding 1000 words) as to why the applicant thinks he/she would be a good fit for the blog.
  • The posts must be relevant to the Indian IP landscape even if not directly about an Indian development.
  • Posts that reflect on current IP developments will be preferred. However, posts reflecting on historical IP related issues or larger IP themes at a conceptual or macro level are also welcome.
  • The topic chosen must fit within the broader mission of the blog i.e. to foster a more transparent, collaborative and productive IP/innovation eco-system for India. It must have a public interest and/or transparency related angle to them and to the extent applicable, this must be demonstrated, described or analysed in the post.
  • If the topic has already been covered on the blog, then the post must introduce in a new angle, dimension or perspective. You may search our blog here to check if a topic has already been covered.
  • If you’re not sure whether your topic will be suitable, you may check with us at [email protected] with “Fellowship Topic Check” in the subject line.
  • The posts must be analytical and not merely descriptive.
  • The word count of each post must be 900-1200 words.
  •  They must be written in a blog format and in simple language which can be followed by the uninitiated lay persons. They must include sub-headings to help readers navigate through the post easily and quickly.
  • Citations must be included in the form of hyperlinks to the sources referred (open access version where available) within the text itself. Footnotes must be used only for those sources which are not available online. The post must also link back to previous SpicyIP posts wherever relevant.
  • Fellows will be selected based on the quality of the posts submitted to us. If the two posts submitted by the applicant are not sufficient to make a determination of suitability for the Fellowship, more posts may be required after mutual dialogue with the applicant.
  • If the first post from an applicant is of sub-standard quality, further posts from him/her will not be considered, barring exceptional circumstances.
  • The posts that meet the editorial standards of the blog will be published as guest posts.

Evaluation Criteria

  • Topical relevance/Choice of topic
  • Research skills
  • Analytical skills
  • Grammar, Lucidity and Language skills
  • Logical flow, Coherence and Structure
  • Creativity
  • Enthusiasm/Passion
  • Discipline/Timeliness/Proactivity

Terms and Conditions

  • Once selected, Fellows will be on a probationary period for the first two months of the fellowship. The probationary period may be extended if more time is required to assess the performance of the Fellows.
  • Fellows will be required to write a minimum of 4 posts per month for a period of 12 months. If notified in advance, this can be reduced to 2 posts during the months of internship (maximum twice a year) and exempted during the period of exams (maximum twice a year).
  • These posts can be on either the Fellows’ own preferred topics so long as they fit within our broader mission statement, or ones chosen from a pool of topics open to all members of the team.
  • Each post must be of a minimum of 900 words and preferably under 1200 words (unless the situation otherwise warrants).
  • Apart from the posts, the Fellows may be required to assist in research. Depending on the load of research, posting requirements may be adjusted accordingly.
  • Once the probationary period is over and the fellowship is confirmed, the Fellow will be paid a stipend of INR 1,000 per post. If we receive more donor funding, we may enhance this stipendiary amount.

Termination

  • If the Fellow does not diligently fulfill his/her obligations as set out above or is otherwise deemed unfit for the blog during the probationary period, we will not confirm the fellowship.
  • After confirmation of the fellowship, if a Fellow is found to not diligently fulfill his/her obligations at any time during the fellowship period, we reserve the right to terminate the fellowship at any point in time.
  • If the fellowship is so terminated, the Fellow will receive no more stipend than what they have already received up to that point.

If there are any queries in relation to the Fellowship, please drop us an e-mail at <[email protected]>. We look forward to receiving your applications!

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