New Delhi, May 12 (IANS) The PM Internship Scheme is emerging as a powerful catalyst for workforce development by giving industry wide flexibility to design roles and directly train final‑year graduates and postgraduates, senior officials said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a session on PM Internship Scheme during the CII Annual Business Summit, Deepti Gaur Mukerjee, Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, said the scheme was conceptualised to bridge the gap between industry demand and the skilling ecosystem and to contribute to the emotional, professional and personal development of youth.

Balamurugan, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, stressed the national internship scheme’s ability to provide industries complete flexibility in designing roles, sectors, duration, qualifications, and training formats.

“No other programme, no other scheme in the country or maybe even in the world will give you this kind of flexibility,” said Balamurugan.

The government funds 90 per cent of stipends, provides one‑time assistance and insurance under the program.

Deepti Gaur Mukerjee mentioned that “talent lies across the entire spectrum of the country,” particularly among youth from tier-2 and tier-3 cities who are seeking opportunities to learn from leading companies.

Mr R Mukundan, President Designate, CII, emphasised that internships provide young people with critical practical exposure, helping build future-ready capabilities beyond classroom learning.

Sunil Chordia, Chairman, CII National MSME Council and Chairman & Managing Director, Rajratan Group, highlighted that the scheme is emerging as a strong enabler for MSMEs and supplier networks that often face constraints in building structured training and talent development mechanisms.

Amitav Mukherji, Group CHRO, ITC Limited, emphasised structured onboarding, mentorship, and continuous professional development in ensuring the success of young professionals entering the workforce.

Anil Bahuguna, Chief of Skill Development, ONGC, stressed that industry-linked internship programmes must be structured around the technical strengths and workforce requirements of the sector to create a sustainable talent pipeline.

Dr. K M Suceendran, Head, Academic Alliance Group, Tata Consultancy Services, shared that nearly 80 per cent of interns who were participants of the program were absorbed into his organisation.

—IANS

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