Working with MCA on Prime Minister's Internship Scheme portal: CII

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on Tuesday said it was working with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) on the functionalities of the portal for the Prime Minister’s Internship Scheme.

The scheme, announced in the Budget 2024, aims to provide internship opportunities to 10 million youth in 500 top Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) spend companies over the next five years.

For this, the MCA will launch a portal through which individuals can apply for internships with various companies. It will serve as a centralised hub for both applicants and companies seeking interns.

"CII has been actively working with the technical team on the portal's key functionalities," the industry body said.

CII also noted that it has been working "closely with each of the companies to develop an action plan for their participation in the internship scheme."

"In this regard, CII has already conducted industry interactions with the MCA in New Delhi, Mumbai, and virtually across the country," the statement read.

The Centre launched consultations with the industry last month.

"With internships for 10 million youth across sectors including manufacturing and services, this scheme will cultivate a skilled workforce ready to take on future challenges," said Sanjiv Puri, President, CII and Chairman and Managing Director, ITC Limited.

"By offering on-the-job training to youth, it will prepare them to meet the evolving industry demands, while ensuring that businesses get access to a skilled and agile future workforce, fostering progress and innovation," said Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, CII.

"The scheme is set to transform the skilling and employment landscape in India. It will provide youth, particularly those from marginalised socio-economic backgrounds, with a unique opportunity to gain practical experience, improve employability, and, most importantly, align their learning with the needs of the industry," said Aditya Ghosh, Chairman of CII National Committee on Skill Development, Co-Founder of Akasa Air, and Founder of Homage.