PM internship scheme sees low interest, high dropout rates

India Jan 14, 2026

The Prime Minister's Internship Scheme (PMIS), designed to offer one crore internships over five years with top companies, is struggling to attract and retain students.
Despite a big budget, only a small fraction has been used so far, with most offers either declined or not leading to actual participation.

Why should you care?

Out of about 1.65 lakh internship offers across two rounds, just 16,060 students joined—and 41% quit before finishing.
Long durations (12 months), a modest ₹5,000 monthly stipend, travel restrictions, repetitive tasks like data entry, and no job guarantee have kept many away.
The next phase plans more flexible options to make internships actually work for young people looking for real experience.