Summer Internship Scheme of DGFT

What is the Summer Internship Scheme of DGFT?

The Summer Internship Scheme of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) is a short internship programme under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Under the scheme, DGFT engages students with a background in economics, finance, management, law or public policy as interns for a short period during the summer, giving them exposure to India's foreign-trade policy and its administration while drawing on their analytical work.

According to DGFT's internship advertisement, interns work on assigned trade-policy topics for the duration of the internship and receive a completion certificate. For the 2025-26 batch, the advertisement provided a consolidated token remuneration of Rs 10,000 per month, which it expressly clarified is not a salary.

This is a niche, competitive, limited-intake internship. It is not a job, not a scholarship, and not open to the general public. It exists to give a small number of qualified students structured exposure to trade-policy work.

Who is eligible for the DGFT Summer Internship?

You can apply if:

• You are an Indian national, residing in India or pursuing studies abroad.
• You hold a graduation degree in public policy, economics, finance, management or law with at least 60% marks from a recognised institution (National Schools of Law, Central Universities, AICTE-recognised finance or economics institutions, recognised national management institutes, foreign universities or other institutions of excellence).
• Candidates pursuing or holding a postgraduate degree in economics, finance, management or law are preferred.

You cannot apply if:

• You are not an Indian national.
• You do not meet the 60% marks threshold or are not from an eligible discipline/institution.
• You are looking for a salaried job. This is not employment and creates no employer-employee relationship.

Meeting the eligibility does not guarantee selection: DGFT shortlists interns against slot availability and the consent of the concerned division.

What are the benefits?

The main benefit is the exposure and the completion certificate. Interns work on trade-policy topics inside DGFT, which is valuable for students intending to work in trade, economics, public policy or law.

On payment, the position varies by year. The official 2025-26 advertisement offered a token remuneration of Rs 10,000 per month, described as a consolidated token amount and expressly not a salary. Because this figure and whether any payment is made can differ between batches, applicants should treat the current year's advertisement as the authority for that batch.

What documents are required?

How to apply for the DGFT Summer Internship

1. Watch for the internship advertisement. DGFT issues a summer internship advertisement on its website (dgft.gov.in), typically in the months before the summer window. Note the application dates in that notice.
2. Confirm your eligibility. Check that you are an Indian national with an eligible graduation degree (60%+ marks); a relevant postgraduate qualification improves your chances.
3. Fill the online application form at the link given in the advertisement, usually a web form.
4. Attach the required documents: CV, photograph and the declaration of secrecy, plus a permission/no-objection letter if you apply during coursework.
5. Submit before the deadline stated in the advertisement.
6. Await the shortlist and offer. A committee reviews applications and sends offers by email based on slot availability, division consent and approval. The committee's decision is final. If selected, report as directed and complete the internship to receive your certificate (and any token remuneration notified).

Points to keep in mind

The internship gives no claim to any appointment in DGFT or the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and creates no employer-employee relationship. Application windows are short — for the 2025-26 batch the window was only a few weeks, so applicants should watch the DGFT website closely rather than relying on a fixed annual date.

Because the stipend/token remuneration and the exact duration have varied between batches, treat the figures here as reflecting the 2025-26 notice and confirm the current terms in the live advertisement. Internship queries can be directed to DGFT using the contact details in its advertisement (for example dgftedi@nic.in), while 1800-111-550 is DGFT's general helpline rather than an internship-specific line.