Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is an organisation owned by the government of India which is managed by the department of space. ISRO develops and delivers application specific satellite products and tools to the nation. It’s headquarter is located in Bangalore. This is the primary space organization of the Indian government and its one of the largest space agencies in the world to be owned by the government.

ISRO was formed in 1969 with an aim to develop space technology in the nation and to develop an independent space program which will also help the country for its rapid growth and development. The primary motive of ISRO is to enhance space technology and expand its applications for the benefit of the nation.

Internship with ISRO

Do stars twinkling in the sky delight or admire someone or want to wonder what the place outside the world looks like? The best opportunity lies with having an internship with ISRO because having a graduate fellowship with such an organisation can mark the beginning of one’s exploration towards becoming a space scientist.

The Indian Space Programme includes internships such as Summer internship, Winter internship and Long term Internships which consists of various themes and multi level training, workshops etc.

The number of internships launched by the ISRO is limited and hence the competition is tough. So, to ensure a seat with ISRO one has to prepare themselves in advance to beat the competition. There are various centres of ISRO in the nation so one has to firstly find out about the centres in which a student will be applying for.

ISRO offers a very limited number of internships for undergraduate and engineering students. For most of the internships, interns are unpaid and apprentices here receive a stipend and work here for around an year. The intern will not pay any amount of money for being there but yes one may have a wonderful experience which will boost their morale to continue for the same.

How to apply for an internship?

1. Application through Head of Department (HOD) – To apply for an internship with ISRO one can make a request to their head of department to forward their application to the Program planning and Evaluation group, the Human Resource (HR) department at ISRO. A students application should contain all their interests and profile like their academic performance, projects they’re interested in, courses pursued in relation, and their time of availability for the internship and yes do not forget to attach a copy of resume, past academic results and the letter that states that the college allowed to be an intern at ISRO.

2. Campus Recruitment – ISRO visits some selected colleges such as IITs, NITs, BITs Piplani and many others so that ISRO can find suitable interns according to their requirement in the organisation.

3. Online Application – In the previous decades ISRO used to accept offline applications of the candidates willing to apply for the internship. But nowadays ISRO has also started accepting online application forms. However some institutions also require a student to send their hard copy of the application.

ISRO Centres- www.isro.gov.in/about-isro/isro-centres

ISRO’s recruitment procedure 

Since there are various units of ISRO so in some units selection takes place purely on the basis of application form, while in others an interview may also get conducted. So, in the process students are asked questions related to their academic background and their interest in working with the organization. 

Some sample questions are:

1. What is a student’s favorite subject and why?

2. What does the candidate know about ISRO?

3. Which is more important—work ethic or work management?

4. Would candidates still work if they have sufficient money?

 ( The candidate has to be self-prepared for the organisation applying for, say ISRO and visit every information in detail.)

Some scientists are also interested to conduct face to face conversation and ask regarding the candidate’s educational knowledge to check them. So, studying well and getting detailed information about the place the candidate is applying for is the most important and the very first step to go for an internship.

What to expect after you secure an internship at ISRO?

ISRO internships provide great learning with lots of experience and are an amalgamation of fun, excitement, and learning of a lifetime. Once the selection process is completed with all the applications, students are allotted to scientists either in groups or individually. And the best thing about this internship is that mentors assign the projects on the basis of a candidate’s interest. ISRO has the most advanced technologies, and as an intern, they may get a chance to try those technologies practically. Interns are encouraged and motivated to actively participate in both on-going projects and co-curricular activities. Last but not the least, the campus will organise various workshops to make candidate’s learning better. 

Tips from ex-interns:

1. A high CGPA with 8 and above in student’s academics enhances and increases the chances of getting hired during campus recruitment.

2. Researching about the department that the candidate is applying for an internship in and presenting relevant work experience may bring the candidate at the top from the rest of the application forms. 

3. A taste for innovation and interest to learn new skills are highly appreciated at ISRO. 

The above presented is all about the information regarding how a student can make their place as an intern at ISRO. ISRO has to let you know about how things practically work there as it will provide you magical experiences. Now apply to ISRO internships and take yourself close towards your dream!