The Prime Minister’s Internship Scheme has captured the attention of thousands of young aspirants across the country. Recent government data shows an impressive response to posted internship opportunities, but the number of candidates completing their internships remains low compared to the offers made.
The scheme, launched as a pilot project, continues to draw applications from students and graduates looking to gain industry experience.
According to official records, the government noted that Round II of the PM Internship Scheme has also seen strong participation, with over 1.18 lakh internship opportunities posted and more than 24,600 offers accepted.
This data underlines sustained enthusiasm for the initiative, but also raises questions about the journey from offer acceptance to internship completion.
More than 1.27 lakh internship opportunities were posted by partner companies under round 1 of the Prime Minister’s Internship Scheme (PMIS) pilot project, against which 82,077 offers were made, and 28,141 offers were accepted, according to data shared by the Ministry of Finance.
The numbers suggest that while companies are eager to participate, conversion to actual interns remains a challenge.
ROUND 1 PARTICIPATION AND OUTCOMES
States with the highest number of internship offers in Round1 of PMIS
| State / UT | Opportunities Posted | Offers Made | Offers Accepted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | 9,027 | 11,563 | 4,656 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 5,627 | 6,244 | 2,058 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 4,973 | 6,164 | 1,970 |
| Haryana | 7,764 | 5,990 | 1,293 |
| Bihar | 2,802 | 5,668 | 2,418 |
| Gujarat | 11,690 | 4,541 | 1,019 |
| Telangana | 7,913 | 4,439 | 1,380 |
| Rajasthan | 4,653 | 4,314 | 1,410 |
| Assam | 3,457 | 3,843 | 1,780 |
| Maharashtra | 13,664 | 3,718 | 1,188 |
States with the highest Round1 internship completion metrics (as on Nov30,2025)
| State / UT | Offers Accepted | Interns Completed | Completion Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assam | 1,780 | 544 | 30.6% |
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 7 | 2 | 28.6% |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 14 | 3 | 21.4% |
| Himachal Pradesh | 177 | 26 | 14.7% |
| Goa | 7 | 1 | 14.3% |
| Kerala | 524 | 72 | 13.7% |
| Jammu & Kashmir | 296 | 34 | 11.5% |
| Chandigarh | 35 | 4 | 11.4% |
| Tripura | 110 | 11 | 10.0% |
| Uttarakhand | 230 | 22 | 9.6% |
As of November 30, this year, a total of 2,066 candidates have completed their internships, Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman informed Parliament in the ongoing winter session.
This means only a small percentage of accepted offers have translated into completed internships so far.
The Ministry informed that during round 1, partner companies received over 6.21 lakh applications from about 1.81 lakh candidates. This shows the high level of interest among youth, but the number of actual completions lags far behind the initial enthusiasm.
Companies issued more than 82,000 offers to over 60,000 candidates, of which over 28,000 were accepted. Still, only a fraction have seen the process through to the end.
REGIONAL INSIGHTS AND PROGRAM DESIGN
Internship duration under the pilot project is 12 months, with completion timelines for round 1 interns stretching from November 2025 to March 2026, depending on joining dates.
Participants are given a flexible window for completion, which may contribute to staggered completion rates.
Notably, Assam recorded the highest completion rate among all states, accounting for more than one-fourth of its accepted candidates completing internships by the end of November 2025.
The government clarified that the PM Internship Scheme is not a placement programme, though companies may offer jobs based on performance and internal requirements.
MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND FUTURE OUTLOOK
A Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) framework and a dedicated dashboard are in place to track key performance indicators such as applications, selections, grievances, and outcomes.
As round 1 interns approach their completion deadlines stretching into early 2026, the focus remains on whether more candidates will finish their internships in the months ahead.
– Ends
