J&K Centre for Peace, Research and Sustainable Development in Collaboration with J&K Students Association here on Tuesday conducted a virtual interactive session on Legislative Assistant to Member Parliament (LAMP Fellowship). LAMP Fellowship is one of its kind in the country where the fellows are provided with the opportunity to be guided by a Member of Parliament and witness various processes of policy. The webinar was inaugurated for the audience by the J&K Students Association National Convener & Founder of J&K Centre for Peace, Research and Sustainable Development Nasir Kuehami with the welcome address. The whole session was moderated by Aadil Bhat and Umar Massoodi, Media Coordinators of JKCPRS.
Two Current LAMP Fellows Adnan Yusuf Bhat and Kashvi verma were the key note speakers for the Session. The duo speakers are currently working under LAMP Fellowship for the year 2021 – 2022. They talked in detail about the application process, eligibility criteria, role of LAMP fellows and other aspects of Fellowship. Both the Speakers answered various queries asked by the aspirants during the Session.
Adnan Bhat who is currently LAMP Fellow with Lok Sabha Member Manish Tewari apprised the participants that Candidates from any background like engineering, economics, commerce, arts, law, history, Journalism, public policy, etc. anyone can apply and is eligible to apply for the Fellowship. While addressing the gathering, he talked at length on LAMP Fellowship and the SOPs of writing for the fellowship. Adnan is first Kashmiri who was selected as LAMP Fellow in the year 2021. It is one of the most unique opportunities to learn about inner workings of India’s legislature, he said.
Kashvi Verma, who is currently working as LAMP Fellow with Raj sabha Member Dr John Brittas provided a candid insight into the fellowship. While addressing participants she said that, To be selected in the Fellowship program, one needs to prove enough interest and understanding in legislative policy, which is measured through the application process. It is a great opportunity to get an up close and personal sense of policy-making and the work of parliamentarians. The pragmatic approach and serious attitude of writing for the fellowship has worked for me and any aspirant can achieve so; keeping the style in mind while filling the writing part, Kashvi added.
The Session was joined by Youth Leader Waheed Rehman Para, who had been invited for Australia- India Youth Dialogue which is a track two young leaders dialogue besides spoken at Multiple National and International Forums including SAARC emerging leaders Program at Nepal and has availed several of prestigious fellowships. He apprised that participants that the selection process in such fellowships is very objective and hailed the efforts of J&K students Association for taking student centric initiatives. He told Kashmiri students are very much talented , but somehow they lack the exposure to such fellowships and scholarships. He exhorted the participants to apply for such Fellowship and hoped many such workshops are conducted in future for guidance of J&K students with relevant quarters of government.
Danish Iqbal, Youth Leader and Additional spokesperson of J&K National Conference speaking on the Occasion said that, I think it’s important that we realise the importance of legislative processes. A variety of problems that surround our world could be solved if laws are drafted that cater to the subtleties of such problems. LAMP is a great opportunity to learn the process of law making and it inculcates a sense of duty amongst the young students, he emphasized.
Nasir Khuehami, Chairman of J&K centre for peace, research and sustainable development impressed upon the participants to to apply for the fellowship. He told participants that this fellowship provide you opportunity to work with people from different walks of life and various regions of India. He said that Adnan who is presently working with LAMP Fellow with Manish Tewari has brought a phenomenal change and every aspiring Kashmiri can do that; with Fellowship like these, if every step in this Fellowship is followed carefully”. He said LAMP fellowship is a bumper package of learning, re-learning and honing your skills.” Over the years, the LAMP fellows have impactful careers and many have also pursued advanced degrees from institutions like Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Oxford, London School of Economics, etc. Some have continued to work with their MP, political parties or other political consulting organisations.”, he added. Khuehami assured students every possible help so that maximum number of students are selected from J&K.
National Spokesperson of J&K Students Association Ummar Jamal said “Since the Applications for the LAMP Fellowship (Legislative Assistants to Members of Parliament) for 2022-23, for young Indians, to learn law-making and public policy, have now opened, we conducted the workshop to acquaint J&K students with the application process. The fellowship provides invaluable exposure and serves as a launch pad for future careers in management, law, public policy, journalism, Jamal added.
