In a significant step towards strengthening youth employability and industry readiness, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has expanded the eligibility criteria of the pilot phase of the Prime Minister Internship Scheme (PMIS) to include final-year students of graduate and postgraduate programmes. 

This is expected to unlock early access to structured internship opportunities in top companies across India for students, enabling them to gain hands-on industry exposure before completing their formal education. The decision has been formalized in consultation with the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education.

New Changes

• Final-year undergraduate and postgraduate students are now eligible to apply under PMIS
• Applicants must continue to meet the existing eligibility criteria under the scheme
• Students are required to submit a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from their respective educational institutions during the application process
• The NOC must confirm that participation in the internship will not interfere with academic requirements  
• Authorized signatories include Heads of Department, Deans, Principals, or Training & Placement Officers 

India’s National Education Policy (NEP) places significant emphasis on experiential learning, including internships, industry engagement, and hands‑on exposure, as a core component of higher education. By enabling students to participate in structured, paid internships while they are still enrolled, PMIS advances this objective by embedding real‑world learning into the academic journey. It supports the NEP’s goal of enhancing student employability and skill development, ensuring smoother transitions from education to work. 

Early exposure to professional environments helps students develop critical workplace competencies such as problem‑solving, communication, teamwork, and adaptability, which are essential for success in today’s dynamic economy. By enabling students to participate in internships while still enrolled, PMIS aims to reduce the gap between academic learning and industry expectations, enhance job-readiness at the point of graduation, provide real-world exposure to business environments, corporate processes, and professional culture.

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About the Prime Minister Internship Scheme (PMIS)

The Prime Minister Internship Scheme is a flagship initiative of the Government of India designed to provide structured, paid internship opportunities to youth across the country.
As part of the scheme:

• Interns will receive minimum financial assistance of ₹9,000 per month
• Paid internships in top companies are available across sectors in India

More than 300 companies have participated in the pilot phase of PMIS to offer internship opportunities across roles and sectors. Currently, the third round of the pilot phase is underway wherein companies are posting internship opportunities on an ongoing basis.  Eligible youth between 18-25 years of age can apply through the official PMIS portal (www.pminternship.mca.gov.in) and explore internship opportunities aligned with their interests and career aspirations.