Forest and Climate Change Internship Scheme (MoEFCC)

What is the Forest and Climate Change Internship Scheme?

The Forest and Climate Change Internship Scheme is a short-term internship programme run by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India. According to the Ministry, the scheme offers students, research scholars and graduates or postgraduates from recognised institutions in India and abroad a chance to work inside the Ministry's divisions, regional offices, autonomous organisations, subordinate offices and ENVIS centres across the country.

The purpose is to give interns direct exposure to how the Government functions on environmental policy, forests and climate regulation, while letting them contribute through research, analysis and policy-related inputs. It is a learning and training placement, not a recruitment channel and not a promise of a job in the Ministry.

Key features

• Stipend of Rs 10,000 per month during the internship.
• Internship period of not more than 3 months.
• Conducted twice a year. A Summer Internship and a Winter Internship.
• Applications accepted online, once per financial year per candidate.

Who is eligible for the MoEFCC internship?

You can apply if:

• You are pursuing graduation, post-graduation or research work at a recognised university or institute, whether in India or abroad.
• You can arrange a letter from your supervisor, head of department or principal confirming your status in the institution, and a No Objection Certificate.

Preference: Students pursuing MSc or PGDM from the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM) are given preference in selection.

You cannot apply if:

• You have already completed an internship in this Ministry in any discipline; repeat applications are not entertained.
• You have already applied or interned once in the same financial year, as each candidate can apply only once during a financial year.

The Ministry also reserves the right, depending on the number of applications in a particular domain, to fix additional eligibility criteria, limit the number of applicants called for a period, and decide the mode of screening.

What documents are required?

How to apply for the Forest and Climate Change internship

1. During an open session, visit the Ministry's internship portal (linked from moef.gov.in under the Internship Scheme section) and click Apply Online.
2. Fill in the online application form with the mandatory fields — name, date of birth, address, e-mail, mobile number, area of interest, educational qualification, present course, employment and experience details, and any other relevant information.
3. Upload your photograph and the required documents (self-attested where needed) in the prescribed file type and size.
4. Click Submit to lodge the application.

After submission, all applications are forwarded to the concerned Heads of Verticals, Units or Divisions in the Ministry and its formations. Each Divisional Head forms an Internal Scrutiny Committee of subject experts, which selects interns on a merit basis. The names of selected candidates are sent to the Administration through the portal, and the final list is displayed on the Ministry's website.

What benefits do interns receive?

• Stipend: Rs 10,000 per month. No stipend is paid if the intern leaves before completing one month; for longer periods the stipend is paid proportionately. Absence beyond 3 days in a month causes a proportionate deduction for the excess days.
• Experience certificate: Issued by the Divisional Head on successful completion, in the format prescribed in the scheme's annexure. Interns who do not complete the required period receive no certificate.
• Logistics: The Ministry provides working space, internet and other facilities as decided by the Head of Division. Interns must bring their own laptops and arrange their own boarding, lodging, transport and stationery.

Sessions and schedule

The internship runs in two sessions each financial year, a Summer Internship and a Winter Internship. The exact application window and joining schedule for each session are published on the Ministry's website when the session opens; for example, the summer 2026 nomination window was announced on the MoEFCC site. Because the programme is small and session-based, watch the Internship Scheme page on moef.gov.in for the current notice rather than assuming fixed dates.

Help and contact

Queries about an open session and the application portal should be directed through the contact details published with each session's notice on moef.gov.in. No standalone national helpline number is published for this internship scheme, so avoid any third-party number claiming to register you for a fee. The online application is free and made directly to the Ministry.

How to check your application status

The Forest and Climate Change Internship Scheme does not run a separate online status-tracking dashboard the way large welfare schemes do. Because the intake is small and session-based, status updates happen through these channels instead:

1. Selection list on the Ministry's website. After the Internal Scrutiny Committee of the concerned Division finishes merit-based screening, the names of selected candidates are sent to the Administration through the portal and the final list is published on moef.gov.in under the Internship Scheme section for that session (Summer or Winter). If your name does not appear on the published list, your application was not selected for that round.
2. Confirmation e-mail or communication from the Division. Selected candidates are typically informed so they can complete joining formalities (bringing their NOC, ID proof and other originals for verification). If you applied but hear nothing by the time a session's list is published, treat that as a signal to check the published list directly rather than wait further.
3. Writing to the concerned Division or Unit. Since applications are forwarded to the specific Head of Vertical, Unit or Division the internship was sought under, a genuine status query is best sent to the contact details published with that session's notice on moef.gov.in, quoting your application details (name, session applied for, area of interest, and date of submission).
4. No paid or third-party tracking. No SMS service, call centre or helpline number is published for checking status on this scheme. Any website or agent offering to "track" or "confirm" your internship status for a fee is not connected to the Ministry; the only reliable source is the official portal and the Division you applied to.

Because each session is short and the candidate pool is comparatively small, applicants should plan to check the Ministry's website around the time a session's joining dates are expected, rather than expect a proactive notification for non-selection.

Common reasons for rejection

Most rejections under this scheme trace back to a handful of avoidable issues rather than merit alone:

• Incomplete or missing mandatory documents. All four documents, photograph with signature, mark sheet or degree, supervisor/HoD/Principal letter, and NOC, are mandatory. An application missing even one of these, or uploading a document that does not clearly serve its stated purpose (for example, a mark sheet that does not match the course you claim to be pursuing), is set aside at the scrutiny stage. Fix: Assemble all four documents before you start the online form and verify each one states the correct course, institution and dates.
• No NOC or supervisor letter confirming current enrolment. The scheme requires proof that you are actively enrolled or engaged in research, not just that you hold a past degree. A stale or generic letter that does not confirm your present status in the institution is a common cause of rejection. Fix: Get a fresh, dated letter that explicitly states you are currently pursuing the course or research you have named in your application.
• Applying for a second internship with the Ministry. The scheme explicitly bars anyone who has already completed an internship with MoEFCC in any discipline. Repeat applicants are filtered out regardless of how strong the new application is. Fix: If you have already interned with the Ministry once, you are not eligible to apply again; use other MoEFCC or environment-sector opportunities instead.
• More than one application in the same financial year. Each candidate is allowed only one application (and, in effect, one internship) per financial year. Submitting a second application in the same year, even for a different Division or area of interest, does not get separate consideration. Fix: Decide on one Division or area of interest and submit a single, complete application per financial year.
• Missing the announced application window. Because the scheme runs only twice a year, in narrow Summer and Winter sessions with dates announced on short notice, applications submitted outside the open window are not considered at all, however strong the profile. Fix: Watch the Internship Scheme page on moef.gov.in for the session announcement and apply as soon as the portal opens rather than waiting.
• Lack of fit with available divisions or high competition in a domain. The Ministry can limit how many interns it takes per domain or division depending on the volume of applications received, and it gives preference to MSc/PGDM students from the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM). A qualified applicant in an oversubscribed area of interest can still be turned down for lack of capacity rather than any defect in the application. Fix: If your area of interest is heavily subscribed, mention any secondary areas of relevant interest or experience in the application to broaden your chances of being placed.