DRDO Scientific Analysis Group, one of DRDO’s premier research labs in Delhi, has announced a SAG DRDO Internship 2026 for 40 candidates across Computer Science, Electronics, Physics and Mathematics streams. The internship runs for 6 months with a total stipend of ₹30,000, and it is open only to final-year B.E./B.Tech, M.E./M.Tech and M.Sc students with a strong academic record. If you are in your IV year of engineering or II year of a master’s programme in 2026-27 and have no backlogs, this is genuinely worth a look. Read this article carefully and go through the official notification before applying.
Information verified from official Scientific Analysis Group notification No. SAG/HR/4205/Paid_Internship/2026/01 dated 05 June 2026.
Quick Summary of SAG DRDO Internship 2026
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Organisation / Employer | Scientific Analysis Group (SAG), DRDO, Ministry of Defence |
| Name of the Post | Paid Internship (6 Months) |
| Total Vacancy | 40 |
| Salary / Pay Scale | ₹30,000 total stipend (two installments of ₹15,000) |
| Additional Salary Benefits | Not mentioned in the official notification |
| Application Mode | Offline (Email submission only) |
| Eligibility | Final-year B.E./B.Tech/M.E./M.Tech/M.Sc; minimum 75% or 7.5 CGPA; no backlogs |
| Selection Process | CGPA / Interview / Interaction, subject to document verification |
| Place of Posting | SAG, DRDO, Metcalf House, Civil Lines, Delhi-110054 |
| Government / Private / Contract | Government (Internship — not employment) |
| Last Date of Application | 15 June 2026 (10 days from advertisement date) |
| Who Can Apply | Final-year students only (Freshers) |
| Interview / Exam Date | Date will be intimated to shortlisted candidates |
About Scientific Analysis Group (SAG), DRDO
The Scientific Analysis Group is a research laboratory under the Defence Research & Development Organisation, which reports to the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. Located in Civil Lines, Delhi, SAG works in specialised mathematical and computing research areas that support national security. For a final-year student, an internship here means structured exposure to a working defence research environment, supervised project work, and a certificate that carries weight on a CV for both higher studies and industry placements.
Read more about DRDO recruitments and internships on our dedicated category page.
How This Compares to Other Central R&D Internships in 2026
This is the “How this compares” view since SAG is an All-India recruitment with posting in Delhi. Editorial context, not part of the official notification: DRDO labs typically run two kinds of student programmes — short summer internships of 4–8 weeks and longer 6-month project attachments like this one. The 6-month attachment is the more competitive of the two because it overlaps with the final-year project window and often feeds directly into B.Tech/M.Tech project reports. Comparable 2025 internships at ISRO Centres, BARC, and CDAC paid in a similar band of ₹5,000–₹10,000 per month, with most central R&D labs setting CGPA cut-offs between 7.0 and 8.0. SAG’s 7.5 CGPA bar sits in the middle of that range, but the all-India open call and tight 10-day application window will compress the applicant pool to the genuinely prepared.
Important Dates
The application window is short — only 10 days from the date of publication. The notification was dated 05 June 2026, which sets the last date at 15 June 2026. Email applications submitted after this date will be rejected without further communication, so do not wait for the final day to compile your documents.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification Published | 05 June 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply (by Email) | 15 June 2026 |
| Information to Selected Students | Last week of June 2026 |
| Internship Start Date | 01 July 2026 |
| Internship End Date | 31 December 2026 (as per Annexure-I) |
Vacancy Details & Salary
Here’s the breakdown of posts, total vacancy and stipend for your reference. SAG has not split the 40 vacancies branch-wise in the notification — the total is pooled across the four eligible disciplines.
| Branch Code | Branch / Discipline | Essential Qualification | Vacancy | Stipend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CS | CS / AI / IT / ISE / Cyber Security | B.E./B.Tech or M.E./M.Tech | Pooled | ₹30,000 (total) |
| EC | Electronics / ECE / EIE | B.E./B.Tech or M.E./M.Tech | Pooled | ₹30,000 (total) |
| PH | Physics | M.Sc. | Pooled | ₹30,000 (total) |
| MA | Mathematics / Statistics | M.Sc. | Pooled | ₹30,000 (total) |
| Total | 40 |
The stipend is paid in two equal installments. The first ₹15,000 is released after the third month, and the second ₹15,000 after the sixth month. The lab also requires you to be physically present for at least 15 working days per month to qualify for that month’s portion of the stipend. Lodging, food, local travel and medical costs are your own responsibility for the full 6 months.
Editorial context, not part of the official notification: Comparable 6-month research internships at IITs and IISc in 2025 paid roughly ₹5,000–₹10,000 per month with similar in-person presence requirements. SAG’s effective rate of ₹5,000 per month is on the lower end of that band, so the real return on this internship is the experience and the DRDO-issued certificate, not the cash.
Eligibility Criteria
The eligibility criteria for SAG DRDO Internship 2026 include education and academic-record requirements. Candidates should make sure they meet all the conditions before applying.
Educational Qualification
- B.E./B.Tech (IV Year) full-time course in CS, AI, IT, ISE, Cyber Security, Electronics, ECE or EIE.
- M.E./M.Tech (II Year) full-time course in the disciplines listed above.
- M.Sc. (II Year) full-time course in Physics or Mathematics/Statistics.
- The college or university must be AICTE or UGC approved.
- Academic record must show minimum 75% or 7.5 CGPA in completed semesters.
- Candidates with any backlog (failed paper) in any semester are not eligible to apply. This is a hard filter — even a single carry-over disqualifies the application.
- Indian citizens only. No foreign nationals or OCI cardholders.
The notification does not state an upper age limit. Eligibility is anchored to the current academic-year status (final year of UG or PG in 2026-27), not to age.
Selection Process
Selection is on merit, based on CGPA and an interview or interaction if the lab requires one. There is no written test. SAG has been explicit that selection is entirely on merit and that no communication will be sent to rejected applicants.
- Screening of applications and academic records (CGPA-based shortlist).
- Interview or interaction round if conducted by the lab.
- Verification of original documents.
- Final selection notification by email in the last week of June 2026.
- Joining on 01 July 2026 at SAG, Delhi.
One practical point from the notification — only selected candidates will be contacted through the email ID listed in their application form. Make sure that email is one you check daily through June, not a half-forgotten college ID.
Application Fee
There is no application fee for the SAG DRDO Internship 2026. The notification states this directly under Section 4: “There is no application fee.”
How to Apply for SAG DRDO Internship 2026
Applications are accepted by email only. There is no online portal and no offline counter submission. Follow these steps:
- Download the official notification PDF from the DRDO website (link in the table below).
- Fill the Application Form on page 3 of the PDF in full. Attach a passport-size photo (4.5 cm × 3.5 cm).
- Get the No Objection Certificate (Annexure-I) signed by your Principal / HOD / TPO on college letterhead, with office seal. Without this, the application is incomplete.
- Scan all required documents in PDF format.
- Send the email to saghr.sag@gov.in.
- The email subject line must read exactly: “Application for Paid Internship – July 2026” followed by your Branch Code and Branch/Discipline.
- Address the email to The Director, Scientific Analysis Group (SAG).
- Send before the close of 15 June 2026.
Documents Checklist Before You Hit Send
- Application Form (page 3 of the notification PDF), filled and signed, with passport photo affixed.
- No Objection Certificate (Annexure-I) on college letterhead, signed by Principal / HOD / TPO with office seal.
- 10th Mark Sheet (scanned).
- 12th or Diploma Mark Sheet (scanned).
- Mark Sheets of all completed semesters of your current B.E./B.Tech/M.E./M.Tech/M.Sc.
- Aadhaar Card (scanned).
- College ID Card (scanned).
At the joining stage, you will also need a police verification from your hometown or current address, undertakings under the Indian Official Secrets Act, 1923 (Annexure-II) and the MoD IT Rules (Annexure-III), and a cancelled cheque for stipend transfer. Originals of all academic documents must be produced for verification on joining.
Important Links
Candidates applying for the SAG DRDO Internship 2026 are advised to visit the important links below for the official PDF and application form:
| Resource | Link |
|---|---|
| Official Notification PDF | Download Official Notification PDF |
| Apply (Email Submission) | saghr.sag@gov.in |
| Latest DRDO Recruitments | Browse DRDO jobs and internships |
| Latest Internships in India | See all current internship openings |
| Government Jobs in Delhi | Delhi government jobs category |
Should You Apply?
If you are a final-year B.Tech, M.Tech or M.Sc student with a 7.5+ CGPA and zero backlogs, and you can spend six full months in Delhi without breaking your degree timeline — apply. The certificate from DRDO carries real signalling value for both higher studies abroad and PSU/defence-sector recruitment in India. For Cyber Security, AI/ML and Cryptography aspirants in particular, this is one of the few legitimate on-ground exposures to applied defence research that does not require a service commitment.
Skip it if your seventh or eighth semester has classes you cannot miss, if your college will not issue a clean NOC, or if the ₹5,000-per-month effective stipend will leave you unable to afford Delhi rent without family support. The notification is explicit that no boarding or transport is covered, and Delhi north-campus rentals start at ₹8,000–₹12,000 per month for shared accommodation — editorial context, confirm rates locally.
Realistic competition is sharp. Tier 2 context: DRDO’s central labs typically draw applications from across the IITs, NITs, IIITs, top central universities and strong state engineering colleges. With 40 pooled vacancies across four disciplines and a national applicant base, expect a CGPA cut-off well above the stated 7.5 floor — closer to 8.0+ in CS and EC at the shortlisting stage.
The honest trade-off is opportunity cost. Six months at SAG means six months not spent on a final-year project at a company that could lead to a pre-placement offer. For a student certain of higher studies or a defence/PSU career path, the trade-off favours SAG. For a student with strong placement prospects at a private tech firm, the calculation is closer.
FAQs — SAG DRDO Internship 2026
Will the internship guarantee a job at DRDO or SAG afterwards?
No. The notification states clearly that SAG and DRDO have no obligation to offer employment after the internship and that interns cannot claim any right to a position based on completion. Recruitment into DRDO scientist cadres is through the separate RAC and DRDO Entry Test process.
Can I do this internship while my final-year college classes are still running?
Only if your college formally releases you. The NOC in Annexure-I requires the college to confirm they will relieve you for the full six months. If your institute insists on physical class attendance, you will not be able to participate.
Is the ₹30,000 stipend taxable, and is there a TDS deduction?
Tier 2 context, not in the official notification: Internship stipends from central government bodies are generally exempt from income tax under Section 10(16) when paid for the pursuit of education, but TDS treatment varies by lab. Confirm with the SAG HR office at joining and keep your bank account PAN-linked.
What is the typical career path after a DRDO lab internship?
Tier 2 context: Past interns have moved into M.Tech or PhD programmes at IITs, IISc and abroad with the DRDO project as a strong CV line; some have cleared the DRDO Entry Test (now DRDO RAC) for direct scientist entry; others have joined R&D wings of HAL, BEL, BDL and private defence-tech firms. The certificate is recognised across the defence ecosystem.
What appens if I drop out mid-internship for placements or personal reasons?
No certificate will be issued. The notification is explicit on this — students who leave before completing the six-month tenure receive no internship certificate, and the second stipend installment is also forfeited.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sandeep Khati is the founder of India Job Alerts and a B.Tech in Computer Science from JGEC (2010). He started his career as a Systems Engineer at TCS and has been active in digital publishing since 2011, beginning with SearchDarjeeling.com(2011) and working as a web developer and designer at Darjeeling Informatics. Launched in April 2025, India Job Alerts is his most focused project — dedicated to publishing verified government and PSU job notifications for West Bengal, Sikkim, and All-India candidates. Every post is cross-checked against official notifications before publishing.. Know more