GS 2 Schemes
Objective: The scheme aims to offer internships to 1 crore youth over a span of five years in 500 leading companies.
Skill Development & Employability: Designed to enhance employability by providing practical work experience across various industries, the initiative emphasizes skill development.
Contribution to Atmanirbhar Bharat: It plays a role in India’s self-reliance vision by developing a skilled workforce.
Administration: The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) oversees the scheme through an online platform.
Financial Allocation
Total Budget: ₹2 lakh crore has been earmarked under the Prime Minister’s Employment and Skilling Package.
Annual Allocation: ₹2,000 crore is allocated for the financial year 2024-25, with a revised estimate of ₹380 crore for the same year. An additional ₹10,831 crore has been planned for 2025-26.
Eligibility Criteria
- Age Requirement: Applicants should be between 21 and 24 years old and must not be engaged in full-time education or employment.
- Educational Qualifications: Candidates must have completed at least high school, hold a diploma from ITI/polytechnic institutes, or possess a graduate degree (such as B.A., B.Sc., or B.Com).
- Exclusions: Those with advanced degrees (MBA, CA) and graduates from IITs and IIMs are not eligible.
- Reservation Policy: The scheme follows government job reservation guidelines for SCs, STs, OBCs, and persons with disabilities.
Internship Structure
- Sectors Covered: Internships are available in industries such as pharmaceuticals, automotive, agriculture, and healthcare.
- Duration: Each internship lasts for 12 months.
- Stipend: Interns receive ₹5,000 per month, of which ₹4,500 is provided via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) by the government, and ₹500 is contributed by companies through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds.
- Additional Support: A one-time allowance of ₹6,000 is provided for incidental expenses.
- Insurance Coverage: Interns are insured under the PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana.
Enhancements Following the Pilot Phase
- Geotagging & Transparency: The system will include geotagging and detailed company information to ensure better transparency.
- Support System: A multilingual helpline and a grievance redressal mechanism will be introduced.