NHAI Expands Internship and GATE Recruitment to Attract Civil Engineering Talent

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is strengthening its talent pipeline through expanded internship programmes and GATE-based recruitment, reflecting growing interest among engineering graduates in careers related to highway infrastructure development.

NHAI recruits around 100 engineering professionals annually through the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) for Deputy Manager (Technical) positions. The organisation said graduates from IITs, NITs and other leading engineering institutions are increasingly choosing careers in the national highways sector.

Following the launch of its structured internship programme in December 2025, NHAI has expanded its Summer Internship Programme 2026, with 423 students placed across 125 field offices and 51 functional divisions at its headquarters. The cohort includes 59 students from IITs and 282 from NITs. Interns receive a monthly stipend of Rs. 20,000 and gain hands-on experience in highway planning, design and project execution.

NHAI has also introduced reforms to strengthen the engineering ecosystem, including fixed-cost Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) and improved remuneration for DPR and supervision consultants. The authority said these initiatives aim to attract skilled professionals and build a strong talent base to support India's expanding National Highway network.