The Defence Materials and Stores Research & Development Establishment (DMSRDE), Kanpur — one of DRDO’s premier laboratories — has invited applications for its Paid Internship 2026 programme under Advertisement No. DMSRDE(HRD)/Paid Internship/2026/02.
This is a genuinely competitive opening. DMSRDE works on defence materials — polymers, composites, textiles, specialty materials for armour and protective systems — and a project stint there carries real weight on a research or core-engineering résumé.
DRDO DMSRDE Paid Internship 2026: Overview
Nine final-year engineering and science students will be selected for a six-month paid internship at the Kanpur lab, with a monthly stipend of ₹5,000. Applications close on 28 September 2026 at 17:00 hours, and both an email copy and a physical hard copy must reach DMSRDE by that deadline.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Organisation | DMSRDE, Kanpur (DRDO, Ministry of Defence) |
| Advertisement No. | DMSRDE(HRD)/Paid Internship/2026/02 |
| Programme | Paid Internship for UG & PG Engineering/Science students |
| Number of Vacancies | 9 |
| Branch Code | 01 |
| Monthly Stipend | ₹5,000 |
| Duration | 6 months |
| Location | DMSRDE, GT Road, Kanpur – 208013 |
| Eligibility | Final year UG/PG students only, Indian citizens |
| Last Date to Apply | 28 September 2026, 17:00 hrs |
| Application Mode | Email + hard copy (both mandatory) |
| Official Email | director.dmsrde@gov.in |
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Disciplines Eligible (Branch Code 01)
All nine vacancies fall under a single branch code covering both engineering and science streams:
Engineering disciplines
- Chemical Engineering
- Polymer Science & Technology
- Materials Science Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Textile Engineering
Science disciplines
- Chemistry
- Material Science
- Textile
Candidates must clearly mention “Branch Code 01” on the envelope when posting the hard copy — DMSRDE uses this to segregate applications.
Eligibility Criteria for DMSRDE Internship 2026
Academic Requirements
- Must be pursuing a Graduate degree in Engineering, or a Post Graduate degree in Engineering or Science, in the relevant discipline.
- The course must be a full-time programme from a recognised Indian University or Institute.
- Final year students only. For UG candidates this means the 7th or 8th semester; for PG candidates, the 1st or 2nd year.
- Minimum 65% marks or a CGPA of 6.5 or above, from an AICTE/UGC approved college or university.
Age Limit
Applicants must be below 28 years of age as on 28 September 2026.
Nationality
Open to Indian citizens only.
Institutional Endorsement
This is the condition that trips up most applicants. The Dean, HOD, Director or Principal of your institution must send a request letter recommending you for the paid internship. The advertisement specifies that institutions should forward such requests only for their highly deserving, meritorious students. A referral letter from the Principal or Director is mandatory and must be attached to the application form.
Start this conversation with your department immediately — institutional letters on official letterhead with a seal routinely take a week or more to arrange.
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Selection Process
Selection is purely on merit. The process runs as follows:
- Screening of applications against the academic, age and documentation criteria.
- Shortlisting based on CGPA, along with an online interview or interaction where required.
- Document verification — selection is subject to satisfactory verification.
- Intimation to selected candidates, sent only to the email ID mentioned in the application form.
Two points from the advertisement are worth taking seriously. First, incomplete or erroneous applications, and anything received after the due date, will be rejected outright, with no further correspondence. Second, no communication will be entertained for non-selected candidates — if you don’t hear back by mid-October, you weren’t selected.
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Last date for receipt of application | 28 September 2026, 17:00 hrs |
| Intimation to selected students | 13 October 2026 |
| Internship start date | 26 October 2026 |
These are the dates stated in the advertisement; DMSRDE has described them as tentative apart from the application deadline.
Stipend and Payment Terms
The internship carries a stipend of ₹5,000 per month for the six-month period, but the conditions attached matter:
- The stipend applies only if the student is present at the lab for a minimum of 15 working days per month.
- Payment is released in two instalments — the first after three months of the internship, the second on completion of six months.
- The stipend is transferred directly to the student’s bank account, so bank details must be submitted at joining.
- No boarding or lodging expenses are admissible, and DMSRDE does not provide accommodation. Arranging a place to stay in Kanpur is entirely the student’s responsibility.
- Candidates must not be receiving payment for any other internship during the training period.
Documents Required With the Application
Send all of the following together — a missing document means outright rejection:
- Completed application form (Page 01 of the advertisement format)
- Request letter from the Institute/University (Pages 02–03 format, on college letterhead, signed and sealed by the Principal/Director)
- Undertaking for the Indian Official Secrets Act and IT Rules & Regulations (Page 04 format)
- High School mark sheet (for date of birth proof)
- All previous mark sheets of the concerned UG/PG course
- Copy of the photo identity card issued by your Institute/University
- Student bio-data
What the Application Form Asks For
The prescribed format requires a passport-size photograph (4.5 × 3.5 cm) affixed to the form, plus your name, date of birth, Aadhaar number, college name and contact details, discipline and branch code, current semester or year, CGPA on a scale of 10 (with a copy enclosed), achievements or professional memberships, languages known, permanent and local addresses, two contact numbers, and your email ID. The referral letter from your Principal or Director must be attached without exception.
How to Apply for DMSRDE Paid Internship 2026
The application has two parts, and both are compulsory.
Step 1 — Email the advance copy. Send the completed application form with all required documents to director.dmsrde@gov.in on or before 28 September 2026.
Step 2 — Send the hard copy. Dispatch the physical documents by Speed Post, or deliver them by hand at the DMSRDE main gate, to:
The Director Defence Materials and Stores Research & Development Establishment (DMSRDE) Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO) GT Road, Kanpur – 208013
Step 3 — Label the envelope correctly. Write “Application for Paid Internship” clearly on top of the envelope, followed by “Branch Code 01”. This is explicitly required for sorting.
Given how close the deadline is, send the email the same day you finalise your documents, and dispatch the hard copy by Speed Post without waiting.
Documents to Submit at the Time of Joining
Selected candidates must carry the following on their joining date:
- Reference or request letter
- Letter from the college for the paid internship
- Bonafide certificate from the college
- No Objection Certificate (NOC) in original, on college letterhead, stating the student will be relieved for the internship at DMSRDE
- Police verification from the hometown or place of residence
- Undertaking for adherence to the Indian Official Secrets Act, 1923
- Undertaking to follow IT Rules and Regulations applicable to the Ministry of Defence
- Bank account details for stipend transfer
- Aadhaar Card in original along with the college ID card
- Three passport-size photographs
- All previous semester mark sheets in original, or a letter from the college certifying the originals are held with them
Police verification takes time in many districts. If you clear the selection on 13 October and the internship begins on 26 October, that leaves under two weeks — so it’s worth initiating the process early if you’re a serious contender.
FAQs
Q1. What is the last date to apply for the DMSRDE Paid Internship 2026?
28 September 2026 at 17:00 hours. Applications received after this cut-off will not be entertained.
Q2. How many internship positions are available?
Nine positions under Branch Code 01.
Q3. What is the stipend for the DRDO DMSRDE internship?
₹5,000 per month, payable in two instalments — after three months and after six months — provided the intern is present for at least 15 working days each month.
Q4. Who is eligible to apply?
Final year students pursuing a full-time UG degree in Engineering, or a PG degree in Engineering or Science, in the listed disciplines, with 65% marks or a CGPA of 6.5 or above from an AICTE/UGC approved institution, and below 28 years of age as on 28 September 2026.
Q5. Can second or third year students apply?
No. The advertisement specifies final year students only — 7th or 8th semester for UG, and 1st or 2nd year for PG.
Q6. How do I submit my application?
Email an advance copy with all documents to director.dmsrde@gov.in, and separately send the hard copy by Speed Post or deliver it by hand at the DMSRDE main gate, with “Application for Paid Internship – Branch Code 01” written on the envelope.
Q7. Is a letter from my college mandatory?
Yes. A request letter from your institution on college letterhead, signed and sealed by the Principal or Director, is compulsory, as is a referral letter attached to the application form.
Q8. Does DMSRDE provide accommodation?
No. DMSRDE does not provide accommodation, and no boarding or lodging expenses are reimbursed.
Q9. Will I get a job at DRDO after this internship?
No. DMSRDE and DRDO are under no obligation to offer employment, and interns cannot claim any right to a job on the basis of completing the internship.
Q10. When does the internship begin?
Selected students will be intimated on 13 October 2026, and the internship is scheduled to start on 26 October 2026.