What the notice says
MEA international law internship 2026 is the Ministry of External Affairs programme in international law, hosted at MEA headquarters in New Delhi. The live law page and the 2023 policy do not print an application close date. Checked on 4 October 2026, the apply route is still internship.mea.gov.in/law_intern. Policy PDF: MEA Internship Policy in International Law (2023). The 31 December 2026 date on this card is the age-reckoning date in the policy, not a printed last date. This is not the general MEA internship that closed on 27 September 2026.
- What the Ministry of External Affairs actually does
- What kind of seat this is
- Who should apply — and who should skip
- Dates and fee
- Available positions
- 1. International law intern — MEA headquarters, New Delhi Maximum 6 a year
- Educational qualifications
- Selection
- How to prepare (free, official)
- How to apply without getting played
- FAQs
What the Ministry of External Affairs actually does
MEA handles India’s foreign policy and its diplomatic work. The international-law internship is meant to show how that policy is written, how it is carried out, and where international law sits in foreign affairs. The Ministry started this law stream in 2023-24. It is a short engagement, not a foreign-service job and not a promise of one.
What kind of seat this is
Physical work at MEA headquarters, South Block, New Delhi 110011. Each year the law stream takes a maximum of 6 interns. Each intern is engaged for at least one month and at most three months. You arrange your own stay and food in Delhi. Honorarium is Rs 10,000 per month to cover basic costs. One to-and-fro air ticket is covered only up to the economy-class ceiling between Delhi and the state capital of your domicile state, or between Delhi and your college. Selection needs security clearance. The Ministry can end the internship at any time without giving a reason. If you leave, you must give one week’s notice, and any air-fare cost already paid can be recovered from you.
Who should apply — and who should skip
Apply if you are an Indian citizen, you have a graduate or postgraduate law degree from a recognised university, or you are in the final semester or final year of an undergraduate or postgraduate law programme and the internship is a mandatory part of that final-year curriculum, and you are not above 27 years as on 31 December 2026.
Skip if you are in an earlier year and the internship is not a mandatory final-year paper, if you are over 27 on 31 December 2026, if you cannot stay in Delhi at your own cost, if you cannot clear a security check, or if a page asks for a fee. No fee is printed. Do not use the general MEA internship form for this law stream.
Dates and fee
| Item | On the law page and the 2023 policy |
|---|---|
| Application close date | Not printed on the law portal as checked on 4 October 2026. Register only on the official portal |
| Age date | Not above 27 years as on 31 December of the internship year |
| Intake | Maximum 6 interns a year |
| Duration | Minimum one month, maximum three months |
| Fee | None printed |
| Honorarium | Rs 10,000 per month |
| Travel | One to-and-fro air fare, economy ceiling, domicile state capital or college to Delhi |
| Stay | Your own board and lodging in Delhi |
Available positions
1. International law intern — MEA headquarters, New Delhi Maximum 6 a year
Eligibility criteria
Indian citizens. Minimum qualification: a graduate or postgraduate degree in law from a recognised university, or final semester or final year of an undergraduate or postgraduate law programme where an internship is a mandatory part of the final-year curriculum. Age should not exceed 27 years as on 31 December of the year of internship. Apply online only, after registering on internship.mea.gov.in and taking access credentials. Separate merit lists are prepared for male and female candidates, by elimination on academic performance in Class 12 and graduation. Priority goes to applicants from TADP districts at the preliminary screening stage. The policy says all efforts will be made so that a minimum of 30 percent may be filled by women candidates. Candidates called for interview will be three times the interns to be engaged in that term. Interview is by videoconferencing. A maximum of 6 are selected. If someone opts out, the next candidate on the merit list from that state is offered the seat. You are assigned a topic by the Head of Division. Work can be research, reports, analysis of developments, or another task the Head gives. At the end you submit a detailed report and, if asked, present it. The work product stays with MEA. You keep Ministry information confidential.
No category-wise vacancy split is printed on this notice. The 30 percent women line is a diversity effort, not a roster of UR, OBC, SC, ST or EWS seats.
Total seats printed — maximum 6 a year.
Educational qualifications
| Who | Degree line | Extras |
|---|---|---|
| Law graduates | Graduate or postgraduate degree in law from a recognised university | Indian citizen. Age not above 27 as on 31 December of the internship year. Security clearance |
| Final-year students | Final semester or final year of UG or PG law, only if the internship is mandatory in that curriculum | Same. Earlier years are not listed |
Selection
- Register on internship.mea.gov.in and apply online. Other modes are not the process in the policy.
- Preliminary screening on Class 12 and graduation marks, with separate lists for male and female candidates, and priority for TADP-district applicants.
- Personal interview by videoconferencing. Call list is three times the seats for that term.
- Up to 6 offers. Security clearance is compulsory before you join.
- End-of-internship report, and a presentation if the Division asks.
How to prepare (free, official)
- MEA international law internship page
- MEA Internship Policy in International Law, 2023
- Email on the page: internship@mea.gov.in. Address: Ministry of External Affairs, South Block, New Delhi 110011
How to apply without getting played
- Open only internship.mea.gov.in/law_intern. Read the policy PDF before you register.
- Check whether a term is actually open on that portal. This page does not invent a close date the Ministry has not printed.
- Use your own academic marks. Screening is on Class 12 and graduation performance.
- Budget rent and food in Delhi. The Ministry does not pay those.
- Do not pay an agent. No fee is printed. A mail that asks for money is not this scheme.
- Do not mix this up with the general MEA internship (October 2026 to March 2027), which closed on 27 September 2026.
FAQs
What is the last date?
Not printed on the international-law page or in the 2023 policy, as checked on 4 October 2026. The portal is the source. The 31 December date is only the age cut-off date in the policy.
Who can apply?
Indian citizens with a law degree, or final-semester or final-year law students if the internship is mandatory in that year. Age not above 27 as on 31 December of the internship year.
How many seats?
Maximum 6 interns a year. Each seat is one to three months.
Where do I apply?
internship.mea.gov.in/law_intern.
What is the fee and the pay?
No fee is printed. Honorarium is Rs 10,000 per month. One economy air-fare ceiling to Delhi may be paid. Stay and food are yours.
Can second-year students apply?
Only if you are in the final semester or final year and the internship is mandatory in that curriculum. The policy does not open earlier years.
Legal internships on AAG Legal.