Top firms extend over 1.53 lakh PMIS offers to youth, says Nirmala Sitharaman

Companies across India extended more than 153,000 internship offers during the initial two phases of the Prime Minister Internship Scheme, which began operations in October 2024. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reported these figures to the Lok Sabha, detailing that the first round generated over 127,000 positions with 621,000 applications submitted by 181,000 candidates. The second phase commenced January 9, 2025, with 327 participating organizations posting 118,000 opportunities across 735 districts nationwide. Young people aged 21 to 24 with high school diplomas, technical certificates, or undergraduate degrees remain eligible provided they avoid full-time employment or education commitments. The government designed this pilot program to eventually accommodate ten million youth through partnerships with 500 leading corporations over five years.