Facing obstacles to PM Internship Scheme; Only 10,000 internals are included despite 1.25 lakh targets – CNBC TV18

The government’s Pradhan Mantri Internship Scheme is facing challenges in its pilot phase. Despite setting a target of holding 1.25 lakh intern, only less than 10,000 candidates attended the program, sources reported to CNBC-TV18.

This is from 28,000 to 30,000 applications accepted from more than 6 lakh registrations on the PM internship portal.

Given the participation of strong industry, this deficiency is surprising.

In the first phase, 280 out of 500 shortlisted companies, including Reliance Industries, Tata Consultancy Services, HDFC Bank, and Maruti Suzuki – surpassed the initial target with a total of 1.26 million internship posts.

However, participation from candidates has been much lower than anticipated.

Sources suggest that poor response stems from large -scale logical concerns. Many interns were reluctant to move to their assignments, resulting in a high dropout rate.

To address this, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) is considering several measures for the next phase, including disclosing the names and places of companies. The purpose of this step is to help candidates make more informed decisions before accepting offers.

The government is also searching for the possibility of expansion of eligibility to include a master’s degree or other higher education programs to promote participation.

With the Rs 2,000 crore allocated for the scheme in FY 2024-25, the program aims to provide practical industry risk and bridge the gap between education and employment. However, the lukewarm response in the pilot phase indicates the need for strategic adjustment to achieve its full potential.

In the next phase, the government has planned to focus on increasing participation by addressing logistics challenges and enhancing talent pool.

The program to connect young talents with industry leaders and equip them with necessary skills remains intact.