The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) on Friday organised the PMIS Industry Awards in New Delhi to recognise leading partner companies for their contribution to the successful implementation of the pilot phase of the Prime Minister Internship Scheme (PMIS).
The event, held as part of the Independence Day celebrations, was chaired by the Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, and attended by senior ministry officials, representatives of leading industry partners and more than 100 current and former PMIS interns from across the country.
The awards recognised organisations for their efforts in creating quality internship opportunities, nurturing young talent, adopting effective internship management practices and supporting the government’s objective of building a future-ready workforce.
Mahindra & Mahindra Limited was named the Overall Industry Champion for its leadership and contribution to promoting internships and youth engagement under PMIS.
Industry representatives at the event shared their experiences of participating in the scheme and highlighted the benefits for both companies and interns.
A representative of Mahindra & Mahindra said the group had crossed the milestone of welcoming 1,000 interns, nearly five times the number that joined in Round II, reflecting the expansion of PMIS from a developing initiative into a programme operating at scale.
IBM highlighted the contribution of interns through fresh perspectives, curiosity and a willingness to learn, saying their participation had supported innovation and strengthened the focus on developing future-ready, industry-relevant skills.
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories shared an example of an intern who used the PMIS internship certificate to secure admission to a pharmaceutical course at Long Island University, Brooklyn. The example highlighted the potential of the scheme to support not only workplace exposure but also higher education and long-term career development.
Western Coalfields Limited said PMIS had helped the company attract young talent to its operations in rural and semi-urban areas of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, where sourcing interns had traditionally been challenging.
Award winners
Among the Top PSU Partners, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), NTPC Limited and Western Coalfields Limited were recognised.
The Top Private Partners awards went to Reliance Industries Limited, Infosys Limited and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Limited.
HDFC Bank Limited received the Pre-Internship Excellence Award, while Shriram Finance Limited was recognised with the Internship Management Excellence Award.
IBM India Private Limited won the Innovation in Program Implementation Award, while Power Grid Corporation of India Limited received the Innovation in Exit Pathways Award.
The ministry also recognised sectoral champions for their performance under PMIS. Central Coalfields Limited was recognised in Metals & Mining, ITC Limited in FMCG, DCM Shriram Limited in Agriculture & Allied, and Dr. Lal PathLabs Limited in Healthcare.
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Limited and Emcure Pharmaceuticals Limited were recognised in the Pharmaceutical sector, while National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. was named the champion in Banking & Financial Services.
ONGC and Oil India Limited were recognised in Oil, Gas & Energy, Tech Mahindra Limited in IT & Software Development, Larsen & Toubro Limited in Infrastructure & Construction, Mahindra & Mahindra Limited in Automotive, Reliance Industries Limited in Diversified Conglomerates, and Tata Consumer Products Limited in Retail & Consumer Durables.
PMIS aims to provide paid internship opportunities to young people in leading companies across India, helping enhance their employability through practical workplace exposure, industry experience and structured engagement.
The scheme offers opportunities across multiple sectors and seeks to support the skilling, reskilling and upskilling of youth while strengthening industry-academia and workforce linkages.
As part of the Independence Day celebrations, PMIS interns will also participate in the national celebrations in New Delhi.
