Prime Minister’s Internship Scheme (Pilot Project) 2024-25 – Complete Guide

The Government of India, through the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), has launched the Prime Minister’s Internship Scheme (PMIS) – Pilot Project for the Financial Year 2024-25, as announced in the Budget 2024-25. The scheme is designed to provide a transformative platform for Indian youth, offering internship opportunities in the top 500 companies of the country. It aims to equip interns with practical exposure to the corporate and business environment, bridging the gap between academic learning and industry requirements. Over a period of five years, the government targets providing one crore internship opportunities across various sectors, with this pilot phase focusing on 1.25 lakh internships.

This scheme provides a structured opportunity for youth to gain work experience, develop employability skills, and explore diverse career options while contributing to India’s economic growth. Unlike traditional internships or government skill development programs, this scheme is independent and innovative, offering direct financial support to interns along with exposure to real-life business operations.

Important Dates

• Date of Office Memorandum: 03.10.2024
• Financial Year: 2024-25
• Internship Duration: 12 months
• Pilot Project Coverage: 1.25 lakh internship opportunities

Note: The detailed dates for application submission, selection, and commencement of internships are provided on the PM Internship Scheme portal.

Objectives of the Scheme

The Prime Minister’s Internship Scheme is designed with multiple objectives:

1. Skill Development: To enhance youth employability by providing practical exposure to professional work environments.
2. Industry-Academia Linkage: To bridge the gap between academic education and real-world corporate requirements.
3. Inclusive Opportunities: To ensure participation of youth from diverse social, educational, and economic backgrounds.
4. Corporate Engagement: To engage top companies in India in developing the next generation of skilled professionals.
5. Direct Financial Support: To provide interns with a structured stipend, allowing them to focus on gaining experience without financial constraints.
6. Pilot Project Evaluation: To test operational systems, monitor challenges, and incorporate learnings before scaling up the scheme nationwide.

Key Features of the Scheme

The scheme is distinguished by several innovative features:

1. Internship Duration:
   • The internship period is 12 months, with at least half of the duration spent in an actual job environment, ensuring practical exposure.
2. Eligible Companies:
   • The top 500 companies are identified based on their CSR expenditure over the last three years.
   • Additional companies, banks, or financial institutions can participate with MCA approval.
   • Companies may collaborate with supply chain partners or group institutions to provide internships.
3. Financial Assistance:
   • A monthly stipend of ₹5,000 is provided to each intern.
   • Companies release ₹500 per month from CSR funds, and the remaining ₹4,500 is transferred by the government via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
   • One-time grant for incidentals: ₹6,000 paid upon joining.
   • Training costs are borne by the company through CSR funds.
   • Insurance coverage is provided under government schemes: Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana.
4. Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT):
   • All payments to interns, including stipend and incidentals, are made via Aadhaar-seeded bank accounts for transparency.
5. Selection and Shortlisting:
   • Candidates register on the PM Internship Scheme portal.
   • Resumes are generated automatically, and candidates can apply for up to five internship opportunities.
   • Shortlisting prioritizes social inclusivity, giving representation to SC, ST, OBC, and PwD candidates.
   • Companies finalize selection based on merit and suitability.
6. Recognition of Best Practices:
   • Exceptional interns and companies may be recognized and awarded for innovation, performance, and contribution to the scheme.
7. Grievance Redressal Mechanism:
   • A multilingual call center and online query tools including chatbots ensure timely resolution of issues.
8. Monitoring and Evaluation:
   • A Monitoring and Steering Committee (MSC), comprising MCA officials, representatives from other ministries, and industry members, oversees the implementation.
   • A concurrent monitoring, evaluation, and learning framework (MEL) is established to ensure performance tracking.
9. Awareness and Capacity Building:
   • Comprehensive communication initiatives, including FAQs, instructional videos, and user manuals, support candidate participation.
10. Coordination with State Governments:
    • State Governments, PRIs, and urban local bodies (ULBs) are involved for local facilitation and awareness.

Eligibility Criteria

To participate in the PM Internship Scheme 2024-25, candidates must meet the following requirements:

1. Age Limit:
   • 21 to 24 years as of the last date of application submission.
2. Nationality:
   • Only Indian nationals are eligible.
3. Employment Status:
   • Candidates must not be employed full-time or engaged in full-time education.
   • Enrollment in online/distance learning programs is allowed.
4. Educational Qualifications:
   • High School pass
   • Higher Secondary pass
   • ITI Certificate
   • Diploma from Polytechnic Institute
   • Graduate degree (BA, B.Sc, B.Com, BBA, BCA, B.Pharma, etc.)
5. Ineligibility Criteria:
   • Graduates from IITs, IIMs, NIDs, IISERs, IIITs, or National Law Universities.
   • Professionals with CA, CMA, CS, MBBS, BDS, MBA, or higher degrees.
   • Candidates currently enrolled in any government skill, apprenticeship, internship, or training scheme.
   • Candidates who completed training under National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS) or National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS).
   • Candidates from families with annual income above ₹8 lakh (FY 2023-24).
   • Candidates from families where any member is a permanent government employee.

Note: “Family” includes the candidate, parents, and spouse.

Reservation Policy

The scheme emphasizes social inclusivity:

• Priority is given to candidates from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and Persons with Disabilities (PwD).
• The online portal ensures equitable shortlisting and representation of all eligible groups.

Distribution of Stipend and Benefits

Application Process (Step by Step)

1. Registration:
   • Candidates register on the PM Internship Scheme portal.
   • Generate an automated resume.
2. Browse Internship Opportunities:
   • Candidates can search for internships by sector, functional role, location, and qualification.
3. Apply for Internships:
   • Apply to a maximum of five internships as per preference.
4. Shortlisting by Portal:
   • Candidates are shortlisted based on preferences, educational background, and social inclusivity criteria.
5. Selection by Companies:
   • Companies finalize the selection and send internship offers to candidates.
6. Acceptance by Candidate:
   • Candidates accept the offer through the portal.
7. Joining & Onboarding:
   • Interns report to the assigned company and receive stipend, incidentals, and training support.
8. Monitoring & Feedback:
   • Internship progress is monitored via portal dashboard and MEL framework.

Renewal / Extension Policy

• The scheme is designed for 12-month internships.
• Renewal or extension of internship beyond 12 months is subject to approval by MCA and the partner company.
• Any additional support will follow the DBT mechanism and company policies.

Withdrawal / Termination Policy

• Interns can withdraw before joining or during the internship by notifying the company and updating the portal.
• The company or government may terminate the internship in case of:
  • Misconduct or non-performance
  • Violation of company rules
  • Ineligibility discovered after joining
• Stipend disbursal is pro-rated based on duration of actual participation.

Implementation and Monitoring

• Monitoring and Steering Committee (MSC): Oversees policy, selection, grievance redressal, and operational guidelines.
• Concurrent Monitoring: Uses dashboards, KPIs, and performance scorecards.
• Evaluation Studies: Conducted periodically to assess impact and improve operations.
• Capacity Building: FAQs, instructional videos, and guides provided to assist candidates.
• Coordination with States: Ensures smooth implementation and awareness.

Recognition of Best Practices

• Exceptional interns and companies may be awarded for:
  • Innovation and creativity
  • Outstanding performance
  • Contribution to skill development
  • Social inclusivity initiatives

This recognition motivates companies and interns to maintain high standards of performance.

Grievance Redressal Mechanism

1. Online Portal:
   • Chatbots and query registration tools for real-time tracking.
2. Multilingual Call Center:
   • Handles candidate and company grievances efficiently.
3. Timely Resolution:
   • Ensures smooth internship experience and overall satisfaction.