LPAI Internship Programme 2026 (September-October) at Land Ports Authority of India, Ministry of Home Affairs

The Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) is a statutory body under the Department of Border Management, Ministry of Home Affairs, established by the Land Ports Authority of India Act, 2010 and made effective from 1 March 2012. Under Section 11 of the Act, LPAI develops, sanitises and manages facilities for cross-border movement of passengers and goods at designated points along India's international borders, deploying systems that address security imperatives at the land ports while facilitating cross-border trade.

LPAI operates Integrated Check Posts including Attari, Agartala, Dawki, Petrapole, Raxaul, Rupaidiha, Jogbani, Moreh, Sutarkandi, Srimantapur, Sabroom, Darranga and the Passenger Terminal Building at Dera Baba Nanak, with further land ports under development.

LPAI offers internships to students and research scholars to familiarise them with the process of land port development, cross-border trade and passenger movement, and the nuances of border issues, bordering dynamics and borderlands. The Authority's stated endeavour is to promote policy-oriented, applied field-based and desk research on issues pertaining to the functioning of land ports in India, and it encourages interns to contribute ideas and research support to the policymaking process.

The programme has been extended to the BBIN region (Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal) to foster regional collaboration and knowledge exchange. LPAI particularly encourages applications from students interested in the challenges and opportunities of land port development in India's Northeast states. Interns may engage in a range of research methods including policy-oriented research, social impact assessments and economic impact assessments.

The application window for the Internship 2026 (September-October) batch is open until 23 August 2026.

The internship programme is open to students from all disciplines, in accordance with the eligibility criteria in the LPAI Internship Guidelines, 2025. Indian students from recognised universities in India or abroad must have secured a minimum of 60% marks in their most recent degree or certificate examination and fall under one of the following categories:

• Completion of education under the 10+2+3 schooling pattern, that is 15 years of formal education;
• Completion of a Polytechnic Diploma or Degree;
• Pursuing the 4th year in the Engineering stream under the 10+2+4 pattern;
• Pursuing an MBA or PGDBM from a premier institute;
• Pursuing the 4th or 5th year of an integrated or dual degree course under the 10+2+5 pattern;
• Completion of the 2nd year of an Engineering or Science course from any IIT or NIT;
• Pursuing M.Tech, M.Eng. or MCA from a prestigious institute;
• Completion of the 2nd year in a law degree from a prestigious law institute or university.

Students from BBIN countries follow the same application procedure. Qualifications may be relaxed in deserving cases based on the Authority's requirements, as recommended by the Member (Finance), LPAI and with prior approval of the Chairman, LPAI. Meeting the minimum qualifications does not guarantee an internship; preference goes to candidates with exposure in the intended internship area, a solid academic background and higher capability per the organisation's needs, and to students from the Northeast region and wards of stakeholders deployed with LPAI.

The minimum duration of the internship is eight weeks, extendable up to three months subject to the Authority's requirements and the intern's availability. Extensions beyond three months are permitted only in exceptional cases on the recommendation of the relevant authority and with prior approval of the Member (Finance), LPAI.

Interns are assigned to the LPAI research team and/or the head of the relevant Division within the Authority. The application form requires candidates to state their preferred place of internship, either LPAI Headquarters at Lok Nayak Bhawan, Khan Market, New Delhi, or a Regional Office. Supervisors create work plans and schedules that interns must follow, and at the end of the internship each intern must submit a report or paper detailing their internship activities to the Research team. The Member (Finance) or Director (Operations) at Headquarters endorses this document to confirm successful completion.

LPAI states clearly that the internship does not constitute employment and does not guarantee future employment with the Authority.

No stipend is paid for the internship period. However, any expense incurred in the efficient conduct of the internship can be reimbursed with prior approval of the competent authority. Candidates called for a personal interview will not receive any TA or DA reimbursement.

On completion of the internship and submission of the report, certificates are issued to interns by Headquarters, provided the report is countersigned and accepted by the competent authority.

Applications for the September-October 2026 batch go only through the official Google Form linked below. The form is live and closes on 23 August 2026. Alongside personal, address and academic details (Class X, Class XII and highest qualification), it requires four items you should have ready before you begin:

• A public LinkedIn post about LPAI - your understanding of the role of land ports in driving economic growth and regional prosperity, or another relevant LPAI post - tagging LPAI's official LinkedIn account. The post URL is entered in the form.
• A self-introductory video of no more than one minute, uploaded to your Google Drive with viewing rights enabled, covering why you want to intern at LPAI and your area of interest.
• A presentation of 5-6 slides on your chosen area of interest, uploaded as a PDF or presentation file (maximum 10 MB).
• A single PDF combining a government-issued photo ID, your Class X marksheet and your latest highest-qualification marksheet, plus an updated CV as a separate PDF.

You must also select one of six thematic domains; law applicants should choose Governance, Law & Public Policy (Legal, Public Policy, Institutional and Regulatory Framework). The form closes with a self-undertaking on the truth of the information given, adherence to security and confidentiality guidelines, and personal responsibility during any field visit organised by LPAI.

After an initial eligibility assessment, the applications of shortlisted candidates are placed before a selection committee constituted with the approval of the Member (Finance), LPAI. The committee may conduct personal or telephonic interviews if necessary. Any request for relaxation of criteria is submitted to the Member (Finance), LPAI for approval.

Interns selected by the Authority must abide by LPAI's code of conduct. Key obligations include:

• Signing and submitting a Non-Disclosure Agreement on joining;
• Bringing their own laptop or tablet for work;
• Following the general rules and regulations applicable to Authority employees and complying with the Authority's confidentiality protocol;
• Obtaining prior permission before presenting internship work to academic bodies, seminars or conferences, and stating in any published paper that the views expressed are personal;
• Refraining from interacting with or representing the Authority before third parties or the media unless specifically authorised.

An intern who wishes to end the engagement should give two weeks' notice, which may be extended to one month for interns staying longer than two months. On termination, all documents, equipment, assets, badges and ID cards issued by the Authority must be returned.