Guidelines for Internship Scheme in Department of Agriculture & Farmers

Welfare.

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Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) proposes to commence an

Internship Scheme. This Scheme seeks to engage students pursuing Undergraduate/
Graduate/ Post Graduate Degrees or are Research Scholars enrolled in recognized
University/Institution within India, as "Interns". These "interns" shall be given exposure to
various Verticals/ Divisions/Schemes//Units within The Department and would be expected
to supplement the process of analysis within it through empirical collection and collation of
in-house and other information. For the "Interns" the exposure to the functioning of the
Indian Government may be an add-on in furthering their future interests.

2. The internship will be on unpaid basis.

3. The Scheme

3.1 Name of the Scheme: The DA&FW Internship Scheme.

3.2 Purpose: To allow short term exposure of "selected candidates" with the different
Verticals/ Divisions/Schemes/Units of DA&FW, Government of India as „interns‟. A list of
domains/areas for which Internship is invited is enclosed as Annexure ’A’.

3.3 Objectives of the Scheme: The Scheme has the following stated objectives:

a. To allow young academic talent to be associated with the DA&FW‟s work for mutual
benefit.

b. The "interns" shall have an opportunity to know about the Government functioning
and Developmental Policy issues in Government of India and contribute to the Policy
formulation by generating policy inputs such as empirical analysis, briefing reports, policy
papers, etc.

3.4 Internship:

(i) Internship shall be available throughout the year based on the requirements of
Department.

(ii) Eligibility: Bonafide students of any recognized university/ Institution within India or
abroad, fulfilling following conditions are eligible to apply for the internship:
 a. Under-graduate students, having completed/appeared in the term end exams of
second year/4th semester of the bachelor degree course and secured not less than
85% or equivalent marks in 12th class.

b. Graduate students having completed/ appeared in the term end exams of first year/
2nd semester of their post graduate programme or perusing research/ Ph.D. and
secured not less than 70% or equivalent marks in Graduation.

c. The students who have appeared in the final exam or just completed Graduation
/PG and walking for admission for higher studies may also be considered for
internship provided that-

 They have secured 75% or more cumulative marks in all the years/ semesters of
their graduation/post-graduation till the date of application.

 The period between the month of declaration of result of final exam and the desired
month of internship should not exceed six months e.g. if the result is declared in the
month of June then he/ she can apply for the internship beginning till the month of
December.

(iii) Period: The period of Internship shall be at least six weeks but not exceeding six
months. Interns not completing the requisite period will not be issued any certificate.

(iv) Experience Certificate: A certificate regarding successful completion of Internship

shall be issued by the Joint Secretary of the concerned Subject Division in the enclosed
format at Annexure ’B’.

3.5 Logistics & Support: Interns will be required to have their own laptops. DA&FW
shall provide them working space, internet facilities and other necessities as deemed fit by
the concerned Heads.

3.6 Procedure and conditions for Applicants:

i. Application will be invited through the online portal in the month of January, April,
July and October every year. Interested applicants may apply online only in the
address link to be indicated in the website of the Department. Application can be
submitted six months in advance but not later than 2 months before the quarter
in which internship is to be started. For example, if any applicant wants to join
internship programme which is commencing on any date in the quarter beginning
with April-2025 then he/ she can apply in the month of October-2024 and
 January, 2025.

ii. Applicants must also clearly indicate the area of interest (upto three in order of
priority).

iii. Applicants must also indicate the period of his/her availability for the internship.

iv. A candidate can apply for internship only once during a financial year.

v. The applicants who do not fulfil the eligibility conditions, their applications shall
be rejected.

vi. The selected applicant has to produce original mark sheets and NOC from the
college/ institution at the time of joining, failing which his/her candidature shall be
cancelled.

3.7 Procedure for Selection and Other Modalities of the Scheme:

(i) All the applications received will be put up to a Committee for further scrutiny and
selection of eligible candidates as per these guidelines.

(ii) Selection of candidates will be completed by the end of the next month. For
example, all applications received in the month of July, 2024 will be considered in the
month of August, 2024 and results published by the end of August, 2024. This will be
irrespective of the quarter in which internship is proposed to start.

(iii) The Heads of Verticals/ Divisions/ Schemes/Units can take a maximum of 2 (two)
interns for Internship at a time. This number may be relaxed beyond 2 (two) with the
permission of Secretary, DA&FW. The decision of the Committee regarding the suitability of
a candidate as intern shall be final and binding.

(iv) The selected candidates may be asked to submit the soft copy of their NOC from
their Head of the Department/ Principal by giving sufficient time before issuance of the offer
letter by the Head of the Division. It also has to be indicated in the NOC that the student
would not be registered for any course requiring his/her attendance in the class during the
period of internship. The Administration Division has to obtain the original NOC issued by
the college/institution at the time of joining of the candidate and also verify his/her eligibility
from the original documents. If any discrepancy is found, the candidature of the candidate
will be cancelled by the Department.
(v) The Administration Division will upload the list of selected candidates on
Department‟s website through Digital Agriculture Division of this Department.

(vi) Depending upon the number of applications received against a particular domain
area, the Department reserves the right to fix up the eligibility criteria, limit the number of
applicants to be called for a particular period and to decide about the mode of screening
thereof.

(vii) The concerned heads of Verticals/ Divisions/Schemes/Units shall be personally

responsible for ensuring that the work programme and output mutually agreed upon with
the Intern is satisfactorily completed. Interns shall be required to submit a brief report/paper
at the end of their assignment to the Heads of the concerned Verticals/
Divisions/Schemes/Units about their learning experience.

3.8 Attendance: While doing internship in the Department, the candidate should have a
minimum of 75% attendance and they have to mark In and Out time on daily basis. In case
of less than 75% attendance no extension of internship period is allowed and no experience
certificate will be issued. The attendance record and the details of work supervision shall be
maintained by the Heads of the Verticals/Divisions/Schemes/Units.

3.9 It may be strictly observed that the conduct of the interns and their access to data
shall be the sole responsibility of the concerned Head of the Division only.

3.10 Scheme Review: DA&FW reserves the right to review the scheme at any time. The
Scheme so reviewed will be placed on the website of the Department.

3.11 Relaxation: Secretary, DA&FW will have the power to relax any of the conditions
mentioned above, in respect of any deserving candidate.

4. This issues with the approval of Secretary, DA&FW.

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 Annexure “A”

Domains/Area available for internship

a. Agriculture – Economics & Statistics;

b. Digital technology in Agriculture;

c. Agri Start-Ups;

d. Foodgrains/Oilseeds/Oilpalm Schemes;

e. Horticulture;

f. Agriculture Credit/Agriculture Insurance;

g. Agriculture Marketing/FPOs;

h. Agriculture Infrastructure/Post Harvest Management/Value Chain;

i. Natural Resource Management/Climate resilience;

j. Inputs like Seeds/Pesticides/Fertilizers;

k. Agriculture Extension.

l. Any other special area, to be decided from time to time.

 Annexure “B”

FORMAT OF INTERNSHIP COMPLETION CERTIFICATE

(To be given on Letter Head)

Dated: ………………

TO WHOMSOEVER IT MAY CONCERN

This is to certify thatShri/Ms. ___________a student of <University/Institutions> has

successfully completed his/her Internship with the Department of Agriculture & Farmers

Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India from __________

to _________. During the period ofInternship he/she worked under ________________in

the following areas.

(i)

(ii)

2. He/She has shown special flair for_____________and his/ her performance in

preparation of the report has been rated as__________.

3. During the period of his/her internship programme he/she was punctual and

hardworklng.

4. I wish him/ her every success in his/ her life and career.

(Signature)

Joint Secretary
 'Annexure C’

FORMAT FOR NOC TO BE OBTAINED FROM COLLEGE/INSTITUTION

(To be given on Letter Head)/To be signed by HOD/ Principal

Dated :-

Subject:- No Objection Certificate for DA&FW Internship Programme.

It is certified that Shri/Ms. ……………………………………….. is a bonafide student

of ……………………………………. College ID. No…………………….. of

Semester/Year…………………… of ………………………….. of this Institution/College.

The Institution/College has no objection for doing the Internship programme at

DA&FW for the period from ----- to -----. It is also certified that he/she is not registered for

any course requiring his/her attendance in the class during the said period.

The conduct of the student as recorded by the college/institution has been found

good/ satisfactory/ unsatisfactory.

(Signature and Seal)