Companies asking for money to offer internships, allege Karnataka's VTU students

Bengaluru: A few companies Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) has tied up with to offer internships to the varsity’s students are allegedly demanding money from students. In fact, students have further alleged that companies were asking for money even to issue an ‘internship completion certificate’.

Given that companies are mandated to pay interning students a stipend, VTU has taken the allegations seriously, and constituted a team to probe the claims made by the students.

Members of the VTU’s team have been tasked with visiting companies that have allegedly sought money from students, and submit a report compiling its findings.

“When I reached out to one of the companies listed on the VTU’s website, the company’s representatives informed me I had to pay to get the internship,” said one student.

VTU has made it mandatory for all students to complete a six-month internship during either the seventh or eight semester, to help them acquire hands-on experience in their respective domains. Each student will receive nine credits on completion of the internship.

A VTU official alleged that many students had submitted fake internship completion certificates to their colleges. “To prevent such irregularities, VTU insisted that students complete internship at those companies registered with the varsity. To that end, VTU started an online portal where companies offering internship must mandatorily register,” said the official, adding that more than 2,500 companies had tied up with the VTU to offer a paid internship to the varsity’s students.

A placement officer at a private engineering college said that students’ plaints about companies asking for money to offer internships had been relayed to the varsity.

VTU Vice-Chancellor S Vidyashankar admitted that these complaints had been brought to his notice. “Such companies will be blacklisted and will not be part of any of the varsity’s programmes,” he said.

The VC said there had also been complaints of students failing to show up regularly for work during internship. “A VTU team will verify students’ attendance during their visit to companies,” he said.

Batting for a dedicated policy for internship, Vidyashankar said, "At least 85,000 students are eligible to get internships each year. But it is impossible for everybody to get opportunity. So, we are convening a meeting with companies to increase number of paid internships. We will request the government to direct the firms to offer internships to VTU students".