New Delhi: The government has expanded the eligibility criteria for the Ministerial Internship Scheme (PMIS) to allow final year undergraduate and postgraduate students to apply, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs said on Wednesday.
The scheme now covers candidates in the age group of 18-25 years, up from the earlier norm of 21-24 years, a government order published on the official PMIS portal showed. By enabling students to undertake placements during their academic programme, the scheme aims to enable students to integrate classroom learning with practical experience.
Interns will receive financial assistance in the amount of ₹9,000 per month under the scheme in the third round of the pilot project, of which 90% will be funded by the government, the ranking showed. The duration of the internship is one year.
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In addition, interns will receive financial assistance in the amount of ₹6,000 from the government in two installments, the order showed. In earlier rounds, a monthly stipend of Rs ₹5,000 and a one-time grant of ₹6000 was given.
“For organisations, the scheme creates a structured, low-risk way to engage early talent, assess capabilities in real-world work environments and build a future workforce tailored to business needs. The inclusion of new sectors such as Global Capability Centers (GCC), renewables and semiconductors signals a clear intention to align the scheme with emerging economic priorities,” said Nipuntice Team Sharma, Managing Director of Apprentice Team Sharma.
The age revision allows students aged 18 to 25 to apply for paid internships at participating companies while still completing their degrees. The decision was taken in consultation with the Ministry of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs said.
Under the updated framework, applicants must continue to meet the existing eligibility conditions. In addition, final year students must submit a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from their institution confirming that the internship will not interfere with their academic commitments. The certificate should be issued by authorized persons such as heads of departments, deans, directors or training and placement staff.
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The change comes as part of an effort to align the scheme with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP), which emphasizes experiential learning and industry exposure in higher education.
For PMIS to deliver at scale, execution will be critical. Third-party aggregators can play a central role in managing candidate matching, onboarding, compliance and payments associated with DBT while ensuring consistency in program delivery, Sharma said.
Over five years, the program promises 10 million opportunities for youth internships in the country’s top 500 companies. Insurance cover will be provided to every intern under Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana.
So far, more than 300 companies have taken part in the pilot phase, offering roles across industries, the statement said.
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Currently, the third round of the pilot phase is underway, companies continue to publish internship offers on the PMIS portal. Eligible candidates can apply online and explore the available opportunities according to their interests and career preferences.
The program aims to improve students’ work readiness by equipping them with workplace skills such as problem-solving, communication, teamwork and adaptability, while facilitating a smoother transition from education to employment, the statement said.
