If you’re someone who is keen on finding the nitty-gritty details and diving deep into the core technicalities of things, then research is your field to go. DRDO (Defence Research Development Organization) is the one elite government organization that offers research internships for people who are in the field of research and development and seeking a career in the same field.
DRDO offers internships to both graduate and postgraduate students. However, the competition is tough and not everyone qualifies for the internship. So, it’s a must to understand how the system works in DRDO and how you can qualify for the internship.
Let’s have a look at the different research areas of DRDO in which you can choose to research:
DRDO’s Research Areas
DRDO comprises different laboratories spread across the country and each laboratory has a separate field of research, development, and core support. Now, you must choose one of these research areas to become a DRDO intern.
- Advanced Computing
- Naval System
- Combat
- Vehicle
- Electronics
- Aeronautics
- Simulation and Life Science
- Armaments
The most crucial step is to choose an area that interests you and where you can excel with your abilities and experience. These laboratories, which are overseen by the Ministry of Defence, have varying training programs based on their security constraints.
The only authority who may approve such industrial training is the Director of the relevant lab. So, you should contact the Director of the relevant lab directly rather than through the Head of your College/Institute. Any more information about the training process and policies may be received from the lab where they wish to receive their training.
You can consider an internship in one of these DRDO centers:
- HAL (Hindustan Aeronautical Limited) in Bangalore
- Defense Research Development Organization Lab in Hyderabad
- Research and Development Establishment in Pune
Here’s the list of other DRDO centers along with their research area and laboratories which can help you filter out the DRDO center that will help you boost up your research career. Now let’s check the application process in DRDO:
How to Apply for an Internship in DRDO?
1. Students who want to complete an internship or acquire training projects should send an email with their application and an updated résumé to the DRDO’s corresponding department. They must then wait for a response from the appropriate department. Here are some essential and fundamental items to mention in your resume:
- Academic Detail
- Your Objective for the Internship
- Early work experience (if you have any)
- A letter of intent and a cover letter
If you’re not able to design a resume that can grab the recruiter’s or even director’s eyes, just let neveropen’ Online Resume Builder do the work for you while you prepare to get your dream chance.
2. If their profile fulfills the requirements of the internship program, the Department head will notify students directly through email.
3. Once the student has been accepted for the internship/training, they will get an email from the appropriate department with the interview dates.
4. Along with the details of the interview, they will be given vital information regarding the required papers that students must bring for verification.
5. After passing the interview, the students will go through document verification and be assigned a site and date for the internship.
6. Students must choose a field of interest at the DRDO before beginning internship or project training.
Eligibility Criteria
These are the eligibility criteria and you must meet them before you apply for an internship:
- This is the most basic one as you must be an Indian citizen.
- Your age must be between 19 years to 28 years.
- You should have the distinction as the minimum score must be over 60% for all semesters.
- You must also have good knowledge and skills in the area you are applying for an internship.
DRDO Internship Duration
Internships differ between colleges and institutions. DRDO posts internship openings twice a year. Once in March (during the first week of March) for the summer internship, and once in November for the winter internship. Some departments may permit a 2, 3, or 6-month internship. DRDO often provides internship/training programs lasting at least two months.
Usually, M.Tech/BCE (Bachelor of Civil Engineering) students do two months of internship, and the ones doing 6 months of internship are Ph.D. students.
Certification
During the training/internship, the DRDO assigns projects. Since the internship is unpaid, you will be awarded a certificate for successfully completing the internship based on your performance. If you do a brilliant job, you could even earn a LOR (Letter of Recommendation), which will help you tremendously if you go for higher education in another country.
Career at DRDO
After successfully completing your internship, you can apply for career possibilities with the DRDO. Following your written interview, you may be recruited by DRDO. Because you have received DRDO training, you get an upper hand compared to other students.
These are the positions available at DRDO that you can later apply for:
- Administration & Allied official
- Research Fellow Men
- Scientist
- Technical Staff
- Student trainer and other project managers
Contact Details of DRDO Laboratories
If you want to contact directors or the authority in the lab of your wish where you want to intern, go through the Laboratory and Establishments list of DRDO and check their contact details.
Final Thoughts
Getting an internship in DRDO is a once-in-a-million chance. The competition is too high but nothing is impossible if you know the right way to apply. With the right knowledge and determination, you too can grab an opportunity to be a trainee in DRDO.
