The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has introduced a short-term internship programme of up to three months for students pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The initiative is designed to provide hands-on, project-based learning through active participation in the authority's ongoing programmes.
According to official details, the internship aims to create environmental awareness among young learners while enhancing their employment prospects in biodiversity conservation and natural resource management. The programme also seeks to nurture participants as future biodiversity ambassadors.
In addition to the short-term initiative, the NBA continues to run its flagship Biodiversity Samrakshan Internship Programme (BSIP), a year-long engagement that can be extended for up to two additional years. In the current sixth cycle, 24 interns have been selected and placed across State Biodiversity Boards and Union Territory Biodiversity Councils to gain practical exposure and support institutional activities.
During the programme, interns participate in meetings, organise awareness programmes, and undertake field studies, alongside contributing to routine functions of the boards and councils. Those interested are offered an opportunity to continue for extended durations to further develop their expertise in biodiversity conservation.
The BSIP was launched in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the United Nations Development Programme to create a pool of trained young professionals through field-based learning. Interns are selected through a nationwide competitive process and deployed across states and Union Territories.
The first cycle of the programme (2019-20) was inaugurated on May 22, 2020, during the International Day for Biological Diversity 2020.
The NBA currently invests around Rs 1 crore annually in these internships, aiming to strengthen biodiversity conservation efforts and build a skilled workforce in the sector.
