New Delhi, 4 February 2022 – West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced the ‘Student Internship Scheme’ under which 6,000 graduate students will be selected as interns. These selected candidates will get the opportunity to work in various government departments and gain experience for their future. On Monday, 31st January 2022, the West Bengal CM stated that students graduating with 60% marks and above will be roped in for a paid internship by the State government for a year. Banerjee added that each of the selected 6,000 interns will receive a monthly remuneration of INR 5,000.
Student Internship Scheme – Eligibility Criteria
- Candidates who are residents of West Bengal can apply for this internship.
- Apart from graduates (any stream), candidates who will secure 60% marks in polytechnics and ITIs this year will also be considered eligible to apply for this internship scheme.
- The applicant should be 18 years of age and not exceed 40 years of age while applying.
- Existing students, who have started their final year of graduation, are also eligible to apply. However, they must receive a ‘no objection certificate’ from their respective institutes to apply for the internship opportunity.
Student Internship Scheme – Benefits
- Yearly Internship Opportunity – As per the details shared after the cabinet meeting on Student Internship Scheme, the CM said that the internship will be offered to students for a year only. This would ensure that every year more students would get exposure and a better understanding of how things work at different projects in government offices.
- Internship Closer to Home – During the time of internship, the interns will be posted closer to their places of residence. They would be posted at:
- Government offices
- Block offices
- District level offices
- Government acquired agencies
- Subdivision offices
- Opportunity to Work on Social Projects – During the internship, the interns would be offered the scope to work on various boards, projects and programmes of the state, which shall be headed by the Chief Secretary. This would ensure that they learn to do more social work.
- Each student’s work will be reviewed at the end of their tenure.
- Certification – A certificate will also be awarded to the interns after the completion of the student internship.
Student Internship Scheme – Application and Selection Process
Students who are interested to apply for this internship scheme are required to submit their application in online mode only. Even though the application start date has not been announced till now, the State government has assured to reveal the exact dates soon. Additionally, the state government is also planning to introduce a separate portal for the student internship scheme.
As the project will be run with the coordination of the West Bengal Education Department, the interns will be selected by the Chief Secretary of the Selection Board. The section will be based on 2 aspects:
- Merit on academic career
- Rules as per government norms
Overview of Student Internship Scheme
| Scheme Name | Student Internship Scheme |
| Launched By | Government of West Bengal |
| Sector of Internship | Government Projects |
| Receiver of Internship | Students residing in West Bengal |
| Application Process | Online only |
| Beneficiary/ Applicants | Graduates |
| Monetary Benefit | Stipend of INR 5,000 per month |
| Age limit | 18 to 40 years |
More About Student Internship Scheme
Those students, who for any specific reason, fail to get a chance in a particular year will be considered for selection the next year. The entire process will be preceded in coordination with the Education Department. The West Bengal government has also intimated to several institutes that after the NOC has been obtained, no concerns regarding any negative impact on the intern’s continued education will be considered.
For more updates on the Student Internship Scheme, keep an eye on the website of the West Bengal Education Department and this space.
