PM Internship Scheme: Govt Prepares Cabinet Note To Implement Changes; Check Details

The government is preparing to introduce certain changes to the Prime Minister's Internship Scheme (PMIS) following the review of two pilot phases. These changes aim to improve the scheme's effectiveness, which draws from the experience of the initial phases.

Also, pilot projects have attracted increasing attention from corporations outside of the top 500 as well as from industry associations like the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). This increased participation highlights the scheme's expanding reach and potential impact.

According to a government source, the proposed tweaks will be formalized in a cabinet note, which is currently being prepared and will soon be submitted for approval. The source said, "The government will bring in some tweaks in the scheme based on its experience from the pilots. It will have to be approved by the Cabinet. The Cabinet note process is on." PTI reported this development.

The PM Internship Scheme (PMIS), announced in the Union Budget 2024-25, plans to offer one crore internships over five years by engaging the top 500 companies. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs identified these businesses based on their average CSR (corporate social responsibility) spending over the previous three years.

The scheme targets unemployed youth aged 21–24 and aims to provide one crore internships over five years, starting with a pilot of 1.25 lakh internships in FY25. About 1.27 lakh internships were posted in 745 districts during the scheme's first phase, which involved 280 organizations from 25 different sectors. During this phase, almost 82,000 youth were able to get internships.

The second phase which started in January 2025, has seen further growth with 327 companies posting over 1.18 lakh internships. Each intern is paid a monthly stipend of Rs 5,000, with Rs 4,500 coming from the government and Rs 500 added by the employer based on attendance and performance.

The government anticipates that these changes would improve the scheme's adaptability and reach which enables it to assist more young job searchers nationwide.