Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to formally inaugurate the Prime Minister Internship Scheme (PMIS) on December 2, marking a significant step toward enhancing employability among India’s youth.
He is also likely to distribute the first set of joining orders to a select group of candidates chosen under the pilot programme, which was initiated on October 3, on the occasion, according to sources.
As many as 280 corporates out of top 500 CSR spenders in the country is offering 1.28 lakh internship opportunities across 745 districts and 25 sectors under PMIS. And, the scheme has in all received 6.2 lakh applications via the registration window that was closed on November 15.
Modi 3.0 government had in this year’s budget unveiled a ₹ 2lakh crore ($ 24 billion) spending plan for job creation and skilling of 4.1 crore youth in next five years. PMIS, which is part of prime minister’s package of five schemes announced in this year’s budget to facilitate employment, skilling and other opportunities, aims to skill 1 crore youth (aged 21-24) over five years. The government has set aside ₹ 800 crore for the pilot scheme, which aims to provide 1.25 lakh internships in FY25.
The PMIS is being administered by Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA and it has set December 2 as target date by which the 1.25 lakhs internships would be provided.
Under the pilot programme, the dedicated PMIS portal —www.pminternship.mca.gov.in— was opened on October 3 for corporates to onboard and register their internship opportunities and it was closed on October 20. The window for the registration of youngsters was opened on October 12.
PMIS allowed youth to apply for up to 5 internship opportunities in their own State or any other State. The response to the scheme has been overwhelmingly positive, with a diverse range of industries eager to engage young talent and shape the future workforce.
Youth aged 21-24 and who have passed 10th, 12th, ITI, Polytechnic, Diploma or graduates are eligible to avail the benefits under the scheme.
Some of the top corporates who have offered internship opportunities to youth include Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Consultancy Services, Larsen & Toubro , Reliance Industries, HDFC Bank, Maruti Suzuki, Tech Mahindra, ONGC, Bajaj Finance, Eicher Motor, Max Life Insurance, Muthoot Finance, Shriram Finance and Jubilant Foodworks.
The sectors where one has seen maximum number of internship opportunities are Oil Gas & Energy, automotive , travel and hospitality, banking and financial services and metals and mining.
The other key sectors that saw internship opportunities posted by corporates are manufacturing & industrial, infrastructure and construction, IT and software development, FMCG and telecom.
The PMIS directly aligns with the prime minister’s vision of a “Viksit Bharat,” an India that is prosperous, advanced, and equipped to face future challenges.
PMIS Benefits
Under the PMIS, there will be an allowance of ₹5,000 per month and ₹ 6,000 as a one-time grant.
MCA has recently stipulated that internship aspirants looking to avail benefits of PM Internship Scheme need to possess Aadhar number or undergo Aadhaar authentication.
Ramesh Alluri Reddy, CEO, TeamLease Degree Apprenticeship, said that skilling is the clarion call for shaping the future of India’s youth, and with initiatives like the PM Internship Scheme, the government is making significant strides toward bridging the gap between education and employability.
The PM Internship Scheme addresses these gaps by providing structured, real-time experiences coupled with financial support, democratising access to skill-building for diverse socioeconomic groups, he said.
“By focusing on candidates aged 21-24 and excluding graduates from premier institutions such as IITs, IIMs, National Law Universities, IISERs, NIDs, IIITs, and individuals with professional qualifications like CA, CMA, CS, MBBS, BDS, MBA, or advanced degrees, the scheme ensures inclusivity for underrepresented groups, empowering participants to “learn by doing” and “earn while learning”, Reddy added.