There’s this totally misconceived notion that internship is a concept that is meant only for students pursuing engineering and other professional courses. In fact, there are plenty of internship opportunities in the country’s capital for students who have opted for different disciplines at the graduation and post-graduation levels.

Several central government departments and constitutional bodies including Parliament are looking to hire interns where they get to do real and meaningful work. Most of these institutions offer a five-digit monthly stipend. An added advantage is that candidates can relocate to the capital city where they have a multitude of options to choose from and make the right career choice. Moreover, aspirants of civil services will be able to familiarise themselves with the culture and functioning of Union Government ministries and departments.

Here are some of the central government institutions where students can find internship opportunities:

The Ministry of External Affairs

Interns will get the opportunity to work under Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officers for a maximum period of six months. There will be no financial remuneration. Graduates can apply at any given time. Those who have completed three years of their five-year course are also eligible to apply. Not more than thirty on-site interns will be engaged by the Ministry at a given point in time. The receipt and scrutinising of applications is the first step in the process of selection. Candidates will have to go through an interview process before being selected. For details, visit:https://www.mea.gov.in/internship-in-mea.htm

Lok Sabha Secretariat

Two types of internship programmes are on offer: Student internship of one-month duration for graduate students above 18 years of age and regular internship of three-month duration for those who have completed post-graduation. For the first category, a stipend of Rs 25,000 will be provided while the candidates of regular internship will be offered a remuneration of Rs 20,000 for the first two months and Rs 30,000 for the third month. The upper age limit is 30 years for both programmes. As many as 30 candidates will be selected. For details, visit: http://sri.nic.in/internship

NITI Aayog

The duration of the unpaid internship programme offered by NITI Aayog is between six weeks and three months. It aims at engaging students pursuing undergraduate/graduate/post-graduate degrees or are research scholars enrolled in recognised university/institution within India or abroad. The following online application link will be open from 1st to 10th of every month: https://www.niti.gov.in/career/internship

Ministry of Finance

PG students with degree in Economics can apply for the six-month internship programme of the Department of Economic Affairs under the Ministry of Finance. The monthly stipend is Rs 10,000

PG students pursuing Economics, Finance, Management and Law courses can do internships with the Department of Expenditure. The duration of the programme is between two to six months. Candidates are required to hold a first class Bachelor's degree from a recognised university. The monthly stipend is Rs 10,000. For details, visit: https://mofapp.nic.in/DEA_Internship/

The Department of Electronics and IT

Second and third year engineering students are eligible to apply for the two-month Digital India Internship programme. The department is looking for interns with passion to work in cyber security, e-governance and software testing profiles. Application can be submitted in May and December. The monthly stipend is Rs 10,000.

The National Museum Institute

Graduates in science, history, architecture, design, engineering, photography, library sciences etc. can apply for the summer and winter internship programmes offered by the National Museum Institute which requires a minimum commitment of 6 weeks and maximum of 12 weeks. There will be no financial remuneration.

The Reserve Bank of India

Candidates with Masters in engineering, business management, economics, econometrics, finance, banking, or statistics can apply for an internship at RBI from April to July. A minimum commitment of 6 months is mandatory. Selected candidates will receive a monthly stipend of Rs 35,000.

Internship opportunities are also available with the Competition Commission of India, Ministry of Law and Justice. Directorate General of Foreign Trade, and the Directorate of Economics and Statistics as well.

How to apply

Application form and detailed instructions can be found on the website of the ministries. Carefully read through instructions before filling out the form and provide complete and accurate information. Selection process involve security clearance and certificate verification. Certain departments would also hold interviews.

The application should contain a letter of motivation. Certain departments would insist on submission of a short essay on the subject field along with the application. Also make sure you submit a clean, attractive and well-presented resume. For clearing doubts, contact the authorities concerned via the e-mail ID given on the official website.