Delhi Young Aqua Leader Internship Programme

Summary of the Scheme
Name of Scheme	Delhi Young Aqua Leader Internship Programme
Launch Year	2026
Benefits	₹15,000 monthly honorarium for eligible graduate and postgraduate interns 2-month internship for final-year undergraduate students Up to 6-month internship for graduate and postgraduate interns Practical exposure to Delhi Jal Board’s functioning and the water sector Internship Completion Certificate for interns who fulfil the prescribed requirements
Beneficiary	Final-year undergraduate students, fresh graduates and fresh postgraduates
Nodal Agency	Delhi Jal Board, Government of NCT of Delhi
Subscription	Subscribe here to get Update Regarding Scheme
Mode of Apply	Online

Delhi Young Aqua Leader Internship Programme: A Water-Sector Internship at the Delhi Jal Board

Delhi’s water supply is one of the biggest public services in the country, and most students never get to see how it runs. The Delhi Young Aqua Leader Internship Programme, launched in 2026 by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Government of NCT of Delhi, gives a small group of young people a chance to work inside it.

The most important thing: the deadline has passed

The last date to apply for the current cycle was 15 October 2026, and today is 8 November. Applications for this cycle are closed, and the internship itself began on 1 November 2026. Unless the Board announces a fresh call or an extension, you will need to wait for the next cycle. Keep an eye on the Delhi Jal Board website, since the programme is described as running in cycles.

What the programme is

Interns take part in research, innovation, policy formulation, public outreach, citizen engagement and water sector governance, and they gain practical exposure to how the Board works. A maximum of 40 interns are selected in each cycle: 20 final-year undergraduate students and 20 graduate or postgraduate interns.

Duration and pay

1. Final-year undergraduates: 2 months, with no honorarium (1 November 2026 to 28 February 2027 in the current cycle)
2. Graduates and postgraduates: up to 6 months, depending on performance and departmental requirements, with an honorarium of ₹15,000 per month (1 November 2026 to 30 April 2027 in the current cycle)

Interns who meet the requirements receive an Internship Completion Certificate. Deserving interns may get a Letter of Recommendation based on their performance and their supervising officer’s recommendation, and outstanding interns may receive a Best Intern Award, on the recommendation of the Internship Committee.

Who could apply

1. The applicant must be at least 18 years old on the date of applying.
2. The applicant must be studying at, or have completed studies from, a recognised university, college, institution or technical educational institution.
3. Final-year undergraduate students, fresh graduates (Bachelor’s completed within two years before applying) and fresh postgraduates (Master’s completed within two years before applying) were eligible.

Preference could be given to applicants with strong academics, research aptitude and skills relevant to the internship.

What the application needed

1. Curriculum Vitae
2. Three recent passport-size photographs
3. Valid identity proof, such as Aadhaar, driving licence, passport or voter card
4. Copies of educational certificates
5. The institution’s identity card showing the enrolment number
6. A 500-word write-up on why you want to join the internship
7. A duly signed Parent or Legal Guardian Consent Form, for undergraduates
8. Bank or PAN details, where applicable

Applications were made online through the application link under the Internship Programme tab on the Delhi Jal Board website. No physical applications were accepted unless the Board specifically asked for them.

How candidates were chosen

An Internship Committee headed by an officer not below the rank of Director evaluates applications:

1. Academic performance: 50%
2. Statement of purpose (the 500-word write-up): 30%
3. Suitability of the applicant’s discipline for the functional areas notified for the cycle: 20%

Incomplete applications, or ones that do not meet the conditions, may be rejected.

Terms interns must accept

These rules are worth reading before you apply in future, because they are stricter than many people expect:

1. Interns submit a Joining Report within one week, a Mid-Term Progress Report and a Final Project Report.
2. A minimum of 90% attendance is required for the completion certificate.
3. The Board can end an internship at any stage for unsatisfactory performance, unauthorised absence or breach of confidentiality, and no honorarium is payable for the period not served.
4. Interns sign a Confidentiality-cum-Data Protection Undertaking, and the internship is governed by the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.
5. Nothing accessed during the internship may be published or shared in print, electronic or social media without the Board’s prior written approval.
6. Access to SCADA systems, control rooms and plant control systems is observation-only, under supervision.
7. The Board owns the intellectual property in all reports, studies and research papers prepared during the internship.
8. Field visits are only under supervision, with mandatory protective equipment at water and sewage treatment plants and sewer installations.
9. The Board is not liable for any injury, accident, loss or damage during the internship.
10. The internship gives no right to a job, contract or regularisation, and creates no employer-employee relationship.

What to do now

1. If you applied, watch your email and the Board’s website for the selection outcome. The source does not give a result date.
2. If you missed this cycle, prepare for the next one. Keep your CV updated, collect your certificates and identity card, and start drafting a clear 500-word statement of why water governance interests you, since that write-up carries 30% of the marks.
3. Note the eligibility window: fresh graduates and postgraduates must have finished within two years of applying, so do not wait too long after your degree.

Where to get help

Contact details are on the Delhi Jal Board Contact Details page on its portal. The circular and notice for the programme are linked from the Board’s website.

Another option

The source also mentions the Delhi Social Welfare Internship Programme, another internship opportunity in Delhi, which may suit you if the water sector is not your focus.