The PM Internship Scheme is proving to be a significant driver for enhancing workforce skills, offering broad industry flexibility to shape roles and directly train final-year graduates and postgraduates, according to senior officials. At the CII Annual Business Summit, Deepti Gaur Mukerjee, Secretary of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, highlighted the scheme’s aim to bridge the gap between industry needs and skill development while nurturing the personal and professional growth of young individuals.
Balamurugan, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, emphasized the scheme’s unique feature of allowing industries complete freedom in structuring roles, sectors, duration, qualifications, and training methods. He noted that this level of flexibility is unparalleled both nationally and globally. The government supports the scheme by funding 90% of stipends, offering one-time aid, and insurance coverage.
Addressing the audience, Deepti Gaur Mukerjee pointed out that talent is abundant across the country, particularly among youth from tier-2 and tier-3 cities who aspire to learn from top companies. Mr. R Mukundan, President Designate of CII, stressed the importance of internships in providing practical exposure to young individuals, helping them develop skills beyond theoretical education. Sunil Chordia, Chairman of CII National MSME Council and Chairman & Managing Director of Rajratan Group, highlighted the scheme’s role in supporting MSMEs and their supplier networks in establishing effective training and talent development frameworks.
Amitav Mukherji, Group CHRO at ITC Limited, underscored the significance of structured onboarding, mentorship, and continuous professional growth in ensuring the success of young professionals entering the workforce. Anil Bahuguna, Chief of Skill Development at ONGC, emphasized the need for industry-specific internship programs tailored to the technical competencies and workforce demands of the sector to create a sustainable talent pool. Dr. K M Suceendran, Head of the Academic Alliance Group at Tata Consultancy Services, shared that nearly 80% of program participants were absorbed into his organization.
