Government Internships for Students in India: Full List

Last updated: 23 October 2026 · By the Asuraa Team

Quick answer: Government internships for students in India are run separately by ministries and regulators. NITI Aayog offers unpaid internships of six weeks to six months for undergraduates who have finished second year, with applications from the 1st to the 10th of every month. The RBI's summer placement pays Rs 20,000 a month to penultimate-year postgraduate and integrated-course students, and the MEA takes up to 30 interns per term.

Key takeaways

• NITI Aayog's internship is unpaid, lasts six weeks to six months, and accepts online applications only from the 1st to the 10th of each month.
• NITI Aayog requires undergraduates to have completed second-year exams with at least 85% in Class 12, and postgraduates to have 70% in graduation.
• The RBI's summer placement takes up to 125 penultimate-year students a year at Rs 20,000 a month, with applications from 15 October to 15 December.
• The Ministry of External Affairs offers up to 30 internships per term, with at least 30% of places reserved for women and selection by merit list and video interview.
• NABARD's Student Internship Scheme 2025-26 paid postgraduates Rs 18,000 a month for 8 to 12 weeks across 39 seats.

Government internships for students in India are run by individual ministries and regulators, each with its own rules: NITI Aayog takes undergraduates after second year for unpaid internships of six weeks to six months, the Reserve Bank of India takes penultimate-year postgraduate and integrated-course students for paid summer placements, the Ministry of External Affairs takes up to 30 interns per term, and NABARD runs a paid student internship scheme for postgraduates. There is no single common application.

Which government internships can students in India apply for?

Students can apply directly to ministry, regulator and public-sector internship schemes, each through its own portal. The table compares the ones whose rules are published, based on the latest official notice or recent reporting. Confirm every detail on the official site before applying, because amounts and windows are revised.

Sources: NITI Aayog from its internship guidelines and internship page; RBI from its 2026 summer placement notice as summarised by LawBhoomi; MEA from its internship policy and CareerIndia (September 2026); NABARD from its SIS 2025-26 notification.

For internships by degree, year and format beyond government, see our internships guide for India.

How does the NITI Aayog internship work?

NITI Aayog runs an unpaid internship that places students with its verticals, divisions and cells for six weeks to six months. Applications are accepted online only from the 1st to the 10th of each month (NITI Aayog).

Key rules from the guidelines:

• Undergraduates must have completed or appeared in second-year (fourth semester) exams and scored at least 85% in Class 12.
• Postgraduates must have completed or appeared in first-year exams and scored at least 70% in graduation; research scholars are also eligible.
• You can apply up to six months ahead but no later than two months before the month you want, and each application is valid only for that month.
• Interns submit a short report at the end; no certificate is issued if you leave early or attendance falls below 75%.

How does the RBI summer internship work?

The RBI's summer placement is a paid internship of up to three months for students in the penultimate year of postgraduate, five-year integrated or three-year law programmes. As summarised by LawBhoomi from the 2026 notice, it takes up to 125 students a year, pays Rs 20,000 a month, and accepts applications from 15 October to 15 December for internships starting the next April.

Candidates apply to one RBI regional office based on their college's location. Shortlisted students are interviewed in January or February, and selected outstation candidates are reimbursed rail fare from their institute to the placement city. Check the RBI's official opportunities page before applying, since the notice is reissued every year.

How does the MEA internship work?

The Ministry of External Affairs runs term-based internships in New Delhi with up to 30 interns per term. Its policy allocates 26 places across 14 states, 2 to union territories and 2 to the highest scorers from aspirational districts or underprivileged sections, with at least 30% of places for women (MEA internship policy).

Selection is a two-step process: a state-wise merit list built from Class 12 and graduation marks, then a video-conference interview of about three times as many candidates as places. For the October 2026 to March 2027 term, CareerIndia reported a Rs 10,000 monthly honorarium, one return economy airfare, and an upper age limit of 25 as of 31 December 2026. MEA's Term I 2026 notice opened applications on 10 February 2026 (MEA notice).

How do you apply for a government internship, step by step?

You apply separately on each organisation's own portal and plan around their windows. A practical sequence:

1. Check eligibility first. Match your year of study and marks against the rules above; NITI Aayog, for example, will not consider a first-year undergraduate.
2. Mark the windows. NITI Aayog accepts applications monthly, RBI once a year from October to December, NABARD once a year, and MEA per term.
3. Prepare documents. Most ask for marksheets and a bonafide or authorisation letter from your college; RBI asks for a photograph, signature and college authorisation.
4. Write a short statement of interest. Name the division or topic you want and one relevant course or project.
5. Apply only on the official site. Government internships do not charge placement fees through agents.
6. Prepare for an interview. RBI, MEA and NABARD interview shortlisted candidates.
7. Plan your costs. Most do not provide accommodation, and NITI Aayog is unpaid.

A tidy one-page CV matters at the shortlisting stage; our guide to a resume for an internship in India shows the format.

What do most guides on government internships get wrong?

Most guides list dozens of "government internships" without saying who is eligible, so students apply to programmes they cannot qualify for. The biggest correction is about year of study: most of these schemes are built for second-year undergraduates onwards or for postgraduates. RBI wants penultimate-year students of specific courses, NABARD wants postgraduates, and NITI Aayog needs at least four completed semesters.

Two more:

• Unpaid is not a red flag here. NITI Aayog's internship is unpaid by design. The red flag is any agent asking you to pay for a government internship seat. Our post on unpaid internships in India explains how to judge an unpaid role, and fake internship scams covers fee-based frauds.
• Old figures circulate. NABARD's 2025-26 notice set the stipend at Rs 18,000 a month; always read the current year's notification.

Which other government internships should you check?

Several other bodies run schemes, including the Securities and Exchange Board of India, which has run internships such as an IT department programme for MBA and MCA students (Outlook Business), and other ministries and research organisations listed on the government's myScheme portal. Check each official site for the current notice.

The PM Internship Scheme is a separate programme with its own eligibility rules; our PM Internship Scheme guide explains it. If you are also weighing a government career after graduation, see the government jobs guide.

Related guides

• Internships in India: A Guide by Degree, Year and Type
• How to Email a Professor for a Research Internship
• IIT Madras Summer Fellowship Programme: Eligibility and Process
• Research Internships at IITs for UG Students: How to Apply

FAQ

Which government internships are paid in India?

Several are. The RBI's summer placement pays Rs 20,000 a month according to its 2026 notice as summarised by LawBhoomi, the MEA paid a Rs 10,000 monthly honorarium for its 2026-27 Term II, and NABARD's Student Internship Scheme 2025-26 paid Rs 18,000 a month plus allowances. NITI Aayog's internship, by contrast, is unpaid under its official guidelines.

Can undergraduate students apply for the NITI Aayog internship?

Yes, but only after second year. NITI Aayog's guidelines require undergraduates to have completed or appeared in their fourth-semester exams and to have at least 85% in Class 12. Applications are accepted online from the 1st to the 10th of each month, between six months and two months before the month you want to start, for six weeks to six months.

Who is eligible for the RBI summer internship?

Students in the penultimate year of a postgraduate programme, a five-year integrated course in management, statistics, law, commerce, economics, econometrics, banking or finance, or a three-year law degree at a reputed Indian institute, according to the 2026 notice as summarised by LawBhoomi. Applications run from 15 October to 15 December, and you apply to one RBI regional office based on your college's location.

How are MEA interns selected?

Under the MEA internship policy, candidates are first ranked in separate state-wise merit lists for men and women using Class 12 and graduation marks. About three times as many candidates as places are then interviewed by video conference, and up to 30 are offered internships per term, with at least 30% of places for women.

Do government internships charge any fee?

The schemes covered here, NITI Aayog, RBI, MEA and NABARD, are applied for directly on official portals and do not involve placement agents. If someone asks you to pay to secure a government internship seat, treat it as a likely scam, verify the notice on the official website, and do not share bank or identity details.

Can first-year students get government internships?

Rarely. NITI Aayog requires undergraduates to have finished second year, RBI wants penultimate-year students of specific courses, and NABARD wants postgraduates. First-years can instead join their college's NSS unit or look for small virtual and college-based internships, then apply to government schemes once they meet the year rules.

Final thoughts

Government internships reward students who check eligibility early and track each organisation's window. Alongside them, keep an eye on private and startup internships on Asuraa's job board, so a missed government window does not mean a summer without work.