Newz Desk, Durgapur: Despite surpassing its target for generating internship opportunities, the Prime Minister Internship Scheme (PMIS) has managed to attract only a small fraction of candidates, according to data presented in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Harsh Malhotra informed the House that companies participating in the pilot phase of the scheme have so far extended 1.65 lakh internship offers, but only 20% of these were accepted by applicants. Many candidates declined offers citing issues related to work location, role suitability and internship duration.
20% Acceptance, 20% Dropouts: PM Internship Scheme Struggles With Retention
The PM Internship Scheme, launched under the Union Budget 2024, aims to facilitate internship opportunities for one crore youth in India’s top 500 companies over five years. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs began a pilot implementation in October 2024 with a goal of generating 1.25 lakh internships in one year—a target that has already been exceeded.
First Round: High Applications, Low Conversions
In the first phase of the pilot, companies posted 1.27 lakh openings, attracting nearly 6.21 lakh applications. However, of the 82,000 offers made, just 8,700 candidates—or 10.6%—accepted positions.
The government also reported high attrition: 4,565 interns, accounting for more than half of those who joined in the first round, left their internships before completing their tenure.
Second Round: Slight Improvement, But Challenges Persist
The second round, rolled out from January, saw companies listing 1.18 lakh internship opportunities and receiving 4.55 lakh applications.
As of November 26, companies had made over 83,000 offers, with 24,600 candidates—or 30%—accepting them.
Attrition remained a concern, though lower compared to the first round. The Minister stated that 2,053 interns, or 8.3% of those who joined in the second phase, exited prematurely.
Overall Picture
Across both rounds:
- 1.65 lakh offers were made
- 33,300 offers accepted (20.2%)
- 6,618 interns quit before completing their term (19.9% of those who joined)
Budget Cuts and Spending
The pilot was initially allocated ₹840 crore, but the amount was later reduced to ₹380 crore for FY 2024–25.
So far, utilisation stands at ₹73.72 crore.
Officials say the ministry is examining the reasons behind low acceptance and high dropout rates, with potential adjustments expected before the scheme is scaled up to full national implementation.
Image courtesy@internet
