The maximum stipend in 2023 reached Rs 1.35 lakh per month, while the average stipend per month was Rs 8,000, as per a report by job and training platform Internshala. Business development and management took the lead, offering 44 per cent of all internships, followed by engineering and media at 20 per cent and 18 per cent respectively. And data science, the lowest, at one per cent, reveals the Annual Internship Report.

Analysing the top fields offering internships, the report revealed the trend reflects strong demand for profiles in sales, marketing, digital marketing, business development, customer support and operations.

Engineering provided technology-focused internships in programming, AutoCAD, civil, web and app development. The media sector contributed in diverse profiles including creative writing, journalism, videography, photography and PR.

Design presented five per cent of internship opportunities, while education and volunteering each held three per cent and finance at two per cent.

Internships varied in duration, ranging from one week to six months, averaging 3.66 months.

The report also highlighted a 200% increase in internship opportunities for Indian students over the past five years. According to the report, 23% of internships offered pre-placement offers (PPOs) based on intern performance.

Among shortlisted applicants, 33 per cent pursued a Bachelor’s in Technology (BTech), highlighting a strong inclination towards tech roles. Additionally, 23 per cent were recent graduates, 22 per cent were third-year students, and 19% were fourth-year students.

Virtual internships accounted for a substantial 48%, offering work-from-home flexibility, while 42% remained in-office internships.

Delhi-NCR held the lion’s share at 34 per cent internship openings, followed by Mumbai and Bangalore at 16 and 10% respectively. Pune offered five per cent of the internships and Hyderabad and Jaipur provided three per cent each. This distribution, the report added, indicates promising opportunities for aspiring students in these cities in 2024.

Examining hiring preferences, recruiters sought skills such as verbal/spoken English proficiency which was asked in 15 per cent of internships, MS Excel, social media marketing, and digital marketing were key requirements in four per cent internships each.

Skills like SEO, creative writing, adobe photoshop, and MS Office were also a requirement for 3% internships each.

Internship certificates, letters of recommendation, flexible working hours, a five-day work week, informal dress codes, and complimentary snacks and beverages made internship opportunities not only professionally enriching but also personally rewarding for the candidates, the Internshala report added.