Which top firms are offering 1.18 lakh internships to youths under the PM's scheme?

New Delhi, July 29 (NationPress) In the second phase of the PM Internship Scheme pilot initiative, which began on January 9 this year, approximately 327 leading companies have advertised more than 1.18 lakh internship positions across 735 districts nationwide, the Parliament was informed on Tuesday.

Over 4.55 lakh applications were submitted by more than 2.14 lakh candidates during this round. As of July 23, 2025, partner companies have extended over 72,000 offers to young individuals, with more than 22,800 of these offers having been accepted, stated Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Harsh Malhotra in a written response to a query in the Rajya Sabha.

Currently, the process of issuing offers and the acceptance of positions by interns is ongoing, he mentioned.

Eligible youths aged between 21 and 24 years, who have completed high school or higher secondary education, hold a certificate from an ITI, possess a diploma from a polytechnic institute, or have university degrees such as BA, B.Sc, B.Com, BCA, BBA, B.Pharma, etc., and are neither engaged in full-time employment nor in full-time education, are invited to apply.

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs is collaborating with various stakeholders including state governments, industry associations, and educational institutions to promote and execute the scheme. The Ministry is also conducting information, education, and communication initiatives to connect with the target demographics throughout the country, the minister elaborated.

Malhotra remarked that the top 500 companies for the pilot initiative were identified by the Ministry based on their average CSR expenditure over the last three years. Additionally, any other company, bank, or financial institution wishing to participate in the scheme may do so with the approval of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, which will consider underrepresented sectors. The partner companies comprise private sector firms as well as Central and state public sector enterprises.

This pilot initiative is being executed through an online portal that acts as a centralized platform for managing the entire scheme and internship lifecycle. Each partner company is provided with a dedicated dashboard on the portal to post internship opportunities.

Eligible candidates are required to register on the portal and apply for internships based on their preferences, which include location (state, district), sector, functional role, and qualifications. A pool of candidates, based on their applications, is shortlisted for each internship opportunity through the portal and forwarded to the companies. These companies then select candidates and extend internship offers according to their specific selection criteria and processes.

Under the PMIS Pilot Project, it is expected that the company will provide the individual with practical working experience in a skill pertinent to the company’s operations. At least half of the internship duration should occur within a real-life business environment. Consequently, the scheme allows youth to receive training and gain experience and skills within the operational frameworks of various businesses or organizations, with the goal of enhancing their employability by bridging the gap between academic knowledge and industry needs.

According to the pilot project guidelines, companies will implement their own mechanisms for evaluating candidates periodically. A Quarterly Assessment Report for the candidates will be uploaded by the companies on the portal, the minister added.