The Punjab government will provide financial assistance of up to Rs 20,000 to 1,700 polytechnic students undertaking industrial internships, with the aim of helping them gain workplace experience without having to bear the full cost of training.
Under the initiative, students will receive Rs 5,000 per month for a period of up to four months. The scheme will cover sixth-semester students of the 2024-27 batch across six diploma streams. There will be no family income limit for eligibility.
The assistance is being provided under the state's Punjab Sikhiya Kranti initiative. The government said the support would help students meet expenses during their industrial training and allow them to focus on developing practical skills.
Announcing the initiative, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said every young person should have the opportunity to turn education into a meaningful career.
"Through Punjab Sikhiya Kranti, we are working to ensure that government institutions prepare students not just with qualifications, but with the skills and experience they need to succeed in life," CM Mann said. He described the initiative as a step towards helping students move from classrooms into the workplace.
Technical Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said the financial assistance would support students as they apply classroom learning to industrial settings.
"Industrial training is where students begin to apply what they have learnt in the classroom to real-world challenges," Bains said. He added that the government wanted to make technical education more practical, industry-oriented and responsive to the employment aspirations of young people.
Students who already receive a stipend or financial assistance from their internship provider or another source will also be eligible for support, provided the amount is below Rs 5,000 per month. The government will provide assistance to make up the difference, subject to the prescribed conditions.
The financial support will be linked to students' attendance and progress during the internship. Beneficiaries must maintain at least 90 per cent attendance every month and submit verified attendance records and progress reports. The final instalment will be released after students complete their industrial training and submit the required completion certificate.
The announcement follows Punjab's efforts to make industrial training a formal part of diploma education. The Punjab State Board of Technical Education and Industrial Training has prescribed a minimum 16-week, full-time internship during the final semester of three-year diploma courses. The training carries academic weightage equivalent to a full semester, with 20 credits, and requires students to complete eight hours of training a day.
In September, the state government had also announced a monthly stipend of Rs 5,000 for four months for diploma students undertaking industrial internships across 26 government polytechnic colleges. The earlier initiative was expected to benefit around 2,500 students. The latest announcement sets out assistance for 1,700 students from the 2024-27 batch across six diploma streams.
The government said the latest support programme was part of its effort to strengthen links between technical institutions and industry and improve students' readiness for employment.