Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled the dedicated mobile application for the Prime Minister Internship Scheme (PMIS) at the New Parliament House in New Delhi on March 17, 2025. The initiative aims to provide internship opportunities to 1.25 lakh youth during the 2024-25 fiscal year, with plans to expand to 10 million young professionals over five years. The digital rollout supports India’s broader push toward digital governance and benefit distribution systems, which have already demonstrated significant success in reducing fraud and improving service delivery.
The PMIS specifically targets youth from Tier II and III cities to help bridge the gap between industry requirements and available skills. Following a successful pilot launch in October 2024 that generated over 1.27 lakh internship opportunities, the second round began in January 2025 with 118,000 positions offered by 327 companies. Applications for the current round remain open until March 31.
Under the scheme, interns receive monthly financial assistance of Rs 5,000 for 12 months and a one-time grant of Rs 6,000 for incidental expenses. Participants are also covered under the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana insurance programs. The program works in conjunction with India’s expanding digital identity infrastructure, which includes the recent extension of digital ID cards and benefits to gig economy workers.
Eligible candidates must be between 21 and 24 years old, have completed Grades 10 and 12, and possess an undergraduate degree, ITI diploma, or other technical qualifications. The program has identified the top 500 companies based on their average CSR expenditure over the past three years, though participation remains voluntary. Authentication and verification of participants will use India’s robust digital identity infrastructure, similar to systems used in the country’s UPI payment platform.
“Today, our youth are going through various different courses as per their aptitude and our industry is also going through a lot of change. They are bringing in AI, robotics, and various other things,” said Sitharaman during the launch event, highlighting Prime Minister Modi’s vision in recognizing the evolving landscape of both education and industry. The initiative is part of India’s broader digital transformation efforts, including the expansion of biometric systems like DigiYatra for air travel.
The mobile application and website are available in multiple languages to ensure widespread accessibility. Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Harsh Malhotra and other officials attended the launch ceremony.
Sources: Business Standard, India TV News, YouTube, Press Information Bureau
Follow Us