INSPIRE Internship (Science Camps) — DST
DST (Department of Science & Technology)
Application deadline
Check the official page
Overview
INSPIRE Internship is a science camp programme of the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India. It is part of the larger INSPIRE scheme (Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research).
It is meant for students who scored in the top one percent of their Class X Board exam and are now studying science in Class XI. You must not have attended a similar camp before. All students in one camp come from the same State or UT.
Selected students attend a 5-day residential science camp (summer or winter) at a university, college or research institute. Camp days do not count travel days. At the camp you attend lectures and discussions with eminent scientists — Academy Fellows, Bhatnagar Awardees and even Nobel Laureates — and do hands-on lab work in Physics, Chemistry, Life Sciences, Earth Sciences and Mathematics. There is also a session where you write your own innovative ideas; the top ten write-ups are awarded at the closing function.
You do not get cash. DST pays the organising institute up to Rs 7,000 per student, which covers your travel, boarding, lodging, books and experiment kits — so the camp is free for you.
Students do not apply on the DST portal. Camps are announced by the host institute in local media or through school Principals. Fill the INSPIRE Internship Registration Form given by your school or the host institute. If selected, you receive an invitation to join the camp.
At a glance
| Who can apply | class11-12 |
|---|---|
| Streams | Science |
| Category | All |
| Age | — |
| Income limit | — |
| Gender | — |
| States | All India |
| Benefit / amount | No cash is paid to the student. DST funds a free 5-day residential science camp — the organising institute gets up to Rs 7,000 per student, which covers your travel, boarding, lodging, books and study kits. |
| Duration | 5 days (excluding travel days), residential |
| Renewable | No |
| Last date | See official page |
| Opened | — |
Documents you'll need
- Filled INSPIRE Internship Registration Form
- Passport-size photograph
- Identity proof
- Class X marksheet showing cut-off marks
- Declaration that you have not attended a similar camp earlier
How you're selected
Selection is made by the institute organising the camp. Only students among the top 1 percent rankers of their Class X Board exam who are now studying science in Class XI are picked. The organiser compares your Class X marks with the official top-1% cut-off list for your board (Table 1 in the guidelines). If more eligible students apply than the seats sanctioned for that camp, the top rankers who applied are selected. All students in one camp must be from the same State or UT.
FAQs
Who can apply? Students who are among the top one percent rankers in their Class X Board exam and are pursuing science in Class XI. You must not have attended a similar camp earlier, and all participants in a camp must be from the same State or UT.
Can Class XII students attend? Yes, but only in a narrow window. The official FAQ says Class XII students can participate before the Class X results of that year are declared.
How much money do I get? You do not get a cash scholarship. DST gives the organising institute up to Rs 7,000 per student to run the camp. This covers your travel, boarding, lodging, stationery, books and small experiment kits, so you attend free of cost.
How long is the camp? Five days, not counting your journey days. The camp is residential, except in metropolitan cities.
What is the last date to apply? There is no single all-India last date. Each host institute runs its own camp and announces its own registration window in local media or through school Principals. Check the official INSPIRE website and ask your school for the current camp notice.
How do I apply? You cannot apply directly on the DST portal — the online portal is for institutes submitting camp proposals. Get the INSPIRE Internship Registration Form from your school Principal or the host institute, fill it, and submit it to the camp organiser. Selected students are sent an invitation.
Can I attend twice? No. One of the eligibility conditions is that you should not have attended a similar camp earlier.