Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) Summer Internship Programme 2025

Applications are invited from academically outstanding and highly motivated graduate and postgraduate students and college teachers of Indian Nationality for the Summer Internship Programme to be held in Hybrid (offline and online) MODE by the Physical Research Laboratory from May 06-July 04, 2025.

Please note that ONLY a limited number of projects will be available for the internship. The participants will work on a specific project with a faculty member of the institute. The nature of the project will decide the offline/online mode.

About PRL

Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), an autonomous unit of the Department of Space, Government of India, conducts basic research in the areas of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Solar and Heliophysics, Space & Atmospheric Sciences, Geosciences, Planetary Sciences and Solar System Exploration, Atomic, Molecular & Optical Physics and Theoretical Physics.

The Laboratory has several world-class experimental, observational, and computing facilities spread over its four campuses at Navrangpura and Thaltej in Ahmedabad, the Infrared Observatory at Mt. Abu, and the Solar Observatory in Udaipur. Research in PRL includes niche areas, like Planetary and Space missions, Astro-chemistry, Femto-second Lasers, Quantum Communication, Exo-planets, Biogeosciences, Paleo-climatology, Laboratory analysis of Meteorites/samples, Neutrino physics.

Summer Internship Programme 2025

• The summer internship programme will provide a platform for interaction with Scientists/Engineers to allow young academic talent scholars and researchers from reputed academic institutions pursuing Graduation / Post-Graduation/Research in the disciplines of Science / Technology relevant to PRL programmes.
• The Scheme has the following stated objectives:
  • To allow young academic talent to be associated with PRL scientists for mutual benefit;
  • The “Interns” may benefit from exposure to the Research Institute’s functioning and applying theory into practice. This programme would facilitate the young talent to choose a career path;

Eligibility criteria and other details about the Programme for Students

Duration: May 06-July 04, 2025

The following candidates are eligible to apply for the Internship Scheme:

1. Candidates must be Indian citizens.
2. The candidate should be pursuing UG/PG at a recognized Indian university/institution.
3. The candidate should possess an aggregate of Min. 60% or a CGPA of 6.32 on a scale of 10 at all levels.
4. The applications are encouraged by the disciplines of optics, Laser Physics, Space Physics, Geology, Geophysics, Atmospheric Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Meteorology, Chemistry, Ocean Sciences, and related subjects.
5. Preference will be given to candidates who are KVPY/DST INSPIRE fellows/Summer Research Fellows selected by three National Science Academies in India.
6. Prospective candidates is expected to have reasonably good proficiency in basic physics and mathematics.

Eligibility criteria and other details about the Program for Teachers

Duration: from May 06-July 04, 2025.

The following candidates are eligible to apply for the Internship Scheme:

• Teachers having an academic background in Physics, Applied Physics, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Optics, Laser Physics, Space Physics, Geology, Geophysics, Atmospheric Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Meteorology, Chemistry, Ocean Sciences, and related subjects and presently teaching postgraduate/graduate level with interest in pursuing research in any of the research areas of PRL are invited to apply for the summer internship program. The application must be forwarded through the institution’s head/principal. Any application received without this recommendation will not be considered. The selected candidates will be informed through e-mail. No interim queries in this connection will be entertained.
• Essential Qualifications: Five years of teaching experience, research interest shown by publications/projects, and a Ph.D. degree.

List of Projects

List of Projects for PRL Summer Internship Programme 2025

General Instructions

1. Student/Teacher Applicants should wait 3-4 days for a reply from a faculty member they may have contacted before approaching another faculty member/project. The final right of student selection lies with the concerned faculty member, subject to fulfilling the minimum criteria mentioned above.
2. The selected applicants report to the Head of Academic Services at the Dean’s Office of PRL with letters from their respective colleges/universities.
3. The experts will review the students’ projects through a seminar to be given by the students towards the end of the internship period in online/offline mode. After the recommendation from the reviewers, a soft copy of the Project report duly certified by the Project Guide should be submitted to the Head of Academic Services, PRL. This should be done before the end of the programme. A form will be shared to enable the submission of the reports.
4. The results from the project work, if any, can NOT be used/published in any manner without the written permission of PRL.
5. Total working days will be considered as per PRL’s working days (Monday to Friday per week except for scheduled holidays).
6. PRL administration will provide temporary Identity cards to the students selected for final semester project training, which will be required to enter PRL premise(s). The students should keep their identity cards visible when in PRL.
7. PRL Canteen facilities can be availed on a payment basis at applicable rates from time to time.
8. The training at PRL will NOT cover medical and transport expenses.
9. Students will have to get prior permission, if any, in case of absence during the project duration. Any deviations to this will result in the termination of the project, and the information to this effect shall be passed on to their HoD.
10. The training mode can be offline/online, and the PRL supervisor can decide this based on the project training requirements.
11. A certificate will be issued at the end of the training, subject to giving a final seminar at PRL and receiving an endorsement from the project supervisor. Evaluation at PRL is not in lieu of assessment to be carried out by the college/University towards the fulfilment of granting the degree. The students will have to follow the norms of the University/college for their final semester project evaluation.
12. No article(s) resulting from the work carried out in PRL as a part of the project training can be submitted to Tech—Fest/conference/seminars/journal without the written permission of the Project Supervisor of PRL.

Summer Research Fellows (SRFs) are supported by the three National Academies of Sciences/KVPY/DST/DAE, etc. – SRFs selected through external funding sources can visit PRL from May 06-July 04, 2025.

A very limited paid accommodation is available, and these may be provided on receiving a request from the students subject to the availability and on a first-come, first-served basis:

• Accommodation rates – Rs. 120/- per day
• If the accommodation is provided, it will be available only up to 05 July 2025, and any request for an extension beyond this date will not be entertained.
• In case of delay in joining, the accommodation will not be reserved.

How To Apply

1. A list of projects is attached to the above link, along with the contact details of the respective project supervisors.
2. Student/Teacher applicants interested in a specific project must contact the supervisor.
3. A maximum of two students can work with a supervisor.
4. After a proposed supervisor gives his/her consent to the prospective applicant, the applicant needs to fill out an ONLINE application form. After submitting the ONLINE application form, the proposed PRL supervisor will receive an e-mail from Dean’s office and will be required to submit their confirmation in the format supplied to the supervisor before the last date, 15 April 2025. After this date, all the completed applications so received will be processed further, and the final decision will be conveyed to the selected students/teachers/prospective PRL supervisors by the end of April 2025 to enable initial interactions between the students and supervisor to start planning/working on their designated project.
5. Students/teachers selected for the offline project will be allowed to visit PRL, and PRL will inform such candidates of the necessary formalities to be followed.
6. All students seeking internship opportunities shall submit a Bonafide certificate duly issued by the institute’s Head of the Department/ Principal/ Director and other documents mentioned below.
   • Prescribed Recommendation letter from the HoD/Dean/Principal of college/Training & Placement officer of the concerned University/College.
     (Annexure-I)
   • Prescribed ‘Undertaking form’ with the student’s signature, Internal supervisor (as applicable), and the HoD/Dean/Principal of college/Training & Placement officer of the concerned University/College.
     (Annexure-II)
   • Consent from the PRL project supervisor in a prescribed format.
     (Annexure-III)

The selected candidates will be informed through e-mail. No interim queries in this regard will be entertained.

The interns are not eligible for any stipend/remuneration / financial assistance.

Date of application and completion of selection: Between 25 March and 20 April 2025.

• Notification and Application
• PRL Website