₹5,000 per month paid in two installments (after 3 months and after completion of 6 months).
Minimum 6 months (extendable 4–6 months for PG students without stipend).
Final‑year B.Tech (VII/VIII semester) or second‑year M.Tech/MSc students from AICTE/UGC approved institutions with minimum 75% marks and age below 28 years.
Attested marksheets, Aadhaar copy, college ID copy, referral letter from Principal/HOD on college letterhead, filled application form, undertakings for Official Secrets Act and IT rules.
Getting inside a DRDO lab, even as an intern, is something many engineering students quietly aim for. The exposure alone can reshape how you think about real-world defence technology.
Applications for the 2026 DRDO RCI Paid Internship at Research Centre Imarat (Hyderabad) closed on June 20, 2026. The next cycle is expected around the same time next year. This program offered 160 internship seats and a ₹5,000 monthly stipend. Work happens inside one of DRDO’s key missile avionics labs.
While applications are currently closed, you can review the eligibility criteria and required documents now. Preparing these will help you apply quickly when the next cycle opens.
The application process is slightly old-school. You need to submit the filled form and documents via Speed Post. Miss the paperwork and the application won’t be considered.
Particular Details
| Internship Name | DRDO RCI Paid Internship
| Organisation | Research Centre Imarat (RCI), DRDO
| Location | Hyderabad
| Total Seats | 160
| Stipend | ₹5,000 per month
| Duration | Minimum 6 months
| Eligibility | Final year UG or PG Engineering/Science students
| Application Deadline | Applications for 2026 closed on 20 June 2026. Next cycle expected around same time next year.
| Internship Start Date | 03 August 2026 (tentative)
If you’re exploring multiple DRDO programs, it’s worth checking our complete guide to DRDO Internships. Several labs open separate internships every few weeks.
Research Centre Imarat, usually called RCI, is one of DRDO’s premier laboratories. The lab functions as the modern avionics hub for India’s missile and defence programmes.
Teams here work on guidance systems, avionics electronics, radar technologies and advanced sensors used in missile systems. Interning here means seeing how theoretical engineering turns into operational defence technology.
This kind of lab exposure is rare at the undergraduate level.
If you're actively tracking DRDO openings, you might also want to read about the DRDO VRDE Paid Internship and the DRDO CAIR Internship in Bengaluru. Different labs, different domains, but similar selection style.
The eligibility rules are fairly strict. DRDO expects strong academic records and nominations from your college.
The internship is offered strictly in offline mode at RCI Hyderabad. There is no remote option.
RCI is mainly focused on avionics and defence electronics, but the internship covers a wide range of engineering and science disciplines.
The total 160 seats are distributed across these disciplines.
The stipend for the DRDO RCI Paid Internship is ₹5,000 per month.
But there are a few conditions attached:
Also note, no boarding or lodging expenses are provided by DRDO.
The internship runs for a minimum of 6 months.
For M.Tech and MSc students, the project internship can be extended by another 4 to 6 months. However, that extended period does not include stipend payment.
Another rule many students overlook: if you leave the internship midway, you won’t receive the stipend or completion certificate.
Selection for the DRDO RCI Paid Internship is completely merit based.
The process usually includes:
Selected students will be informed through the email ID mentioned in the application form.
The official document also includes two important undertakings students must submit during joining.
This declaration confirms that the student understands the provisions of the Indian Official Secrets Act, 1923. Interns must agree not to disclose any sensitive defence information obtained during the internship.
This undertaking confirms the intern will follow the IT rules and security policies of the Ministry of Defence during their internship.
Both forms require the student’s signature and personal details.
All original documents are returned immediately after verification.
Event Date
| Application Start | 05 June 2026
| Last Date to Apply | Applications for 2026 closed on 20 June 2026. Next cycle expected around same time next year.
| Selection Intimation | Second week of July 2026
| Internship Start | 03 August 2026
If you want to track more government internships like this, you can always browse all opportunities on Talentd. New openings from DRDO, ISRO and IIT labs appear there almost every week.
RCI tends to prefer academically strong students, but that’s not the only factor.
I’ve seen students lose opportunities simply because their application envelope missed the branch code. Small details matter here.
Guide
Explore all DRDO Internships
Technical Content Writer
Radhika is a Technical Content Writer at Talentd, where she creates clear, practical, and research-driven content focused on jobs, internships, career guidance, and technology. She specializes in simplifying complex technical topics and turning them into easy-to-understand resources for students and fresh graduates. At Talentd, Radhika contributes to articles related to hiring updates, interview preparation, career roadmaps, and industry trends, helping thousands of learners stay informed and make better career decisions. Her work focuses on delivering accurate, actionable, and student-friendly content that supports the growing Talentd community.
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