According to data shared by Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Lok Sabha on July 21, the first round of the pilot saw over 6.21 lakh applications for 1.27 lakh internships posted by partner companies.
Out of this, companies made about 82,000 offers, and only 28,000 offers were accepted. Eventually, only over 8,700 students actually joined their internships.
The second round of the pilot began in January, and a similar pattern was seen. While 1.18 lakh internship opportunities were posted, 4.55 lakh applications came in.
As of mid-July, companies have made over 71,000 offers, but only 22,584 offers have been accepted so far. Many companies and students are still in the process of confirming final placements.
This gap is visible across most states.
In Uttar Pradesh, 6,259 offers were made, but only 2,623 were accepted. In Delhi, out of 1,141 offers, only 431 were accepted.
States like Himachal Pradesh saw even lower numbers, 104 accepted offers in the second round.
The government also shared that in some districts, like Shimla, internship offers dropped sharply from 120 in the first round to 32 in the second.
PMIS is designed for youth aged between 21 and 24 years who have completed schooling or hold diplomas and degrees (such as BA, BSc, BCom, BCA, or BPharm) and are not in full-time jobs or education. The internships are meant to provide hands-on experience in a real work environment.
Internships are managed through a central online portal where students register, companies post openings, and candidates are shortlisted. Despite the wide reach and high number of opportunities, the actual participation remains low.
Experts say the low turnout could be due to several factors, including location mismatch, low stipends, lack of follow-up, or limited awareness among students. The government says it is working with states, companies, and colleges to improve communication and awareness about the scheme.
The government has a long-term target of one crore internships in five years and will need to close the gap between application, offer, and actual joining to make the PMIS a real success.
