The launch of the much-awaited PM Internship Scheme, originally scheduled for December 2, 2024, has been delayed. The postponement is due to a review of the insights gained from the pilot phase of the program, which aims to offer internship opportunities to students at leading Indian companies.
Announced in the Union Budget 2024-25, the scheme was designed to provide valuable exposure to the country’s youth, targeting one crore students over the next five years. The initiative focuses on enhancing employability by connecting students with internships at top firms across India.
The scheme, which is open to candidates aged 21 to 24 years who have completed at least Class 10, offers a one-time allowance of ₹6,000 and a monthly stipend of ₹4,500, with an additional ₹500 monthly contribution from the participating companies.
The pilot phase, launched between October 12 and November 15, 2024, saw impressive interest, with 1.27 lakh internship opportunities posted and over 6.21 lakh applications received. The government had allocated ₹2,000 crore for the scheme, with ₹6.04 crore already utilized by November 20, 2024.
The scheme’s list of top 500 companies, selected based on their average Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) spending over the last three years, is set to be voluntary for participation. Further details about the new launch date will be announced soon.
