India: The Unpaid Internship Capital
In fields from the media to tech, corporate giants, NGOs, and government bodies alike continue to rely on unpaid or underpaid interns.
Despite rising awareness about fair pay, unpaid internships remain deeply entrenched in India. According to a recent Internshala report, approximately 35 percent of internships offer no stipend at all, with another 25 percent paying below Rs 3,000 per month. In fields from the media to tech, corporate giants, NGOs, and government bodies alike continue to rely on unpaid or underpaid interns.
Many students accept these roles as rites of passage, believing that the right name on their CV will unlock future opportunities. Others feel trapped by intense competition and a lack of paid alternatives. But the real costs, financial and emotional, can be crippling.
The harshest truth about unpaid internships is that they’re not equally accessible. For students from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities or modest financial backgrounds, working for free is a luxury they can’t afford.
For many, the lure of a big name justifies the lack of pay. Prestigious institutions frequently defend unpaid roles by offering intangible benefits like 'networking' or 'exposure.' In other words, students are told: “Ohh! We are giving you a brand name to make your resume efficient. What else do you need?” This mindset normalises the absence of even a basic stipend, subtly shifting the value of internships from learning and growth to name-dropping in job interviews.
Beyond finances, unpaid internships can have serious emotional consequences. Students often juggle coursework, travel, rent, and full-time work schedules, without any financial compensation or proper mentorship. When the work isn’t valued, or worse, goes unrecognised, it chips away at confidence and leads to burnout.
There are more serious consequences of unpaid internships. For example, students based in metropolitan cities may find it easier to navigate unpaid roles, often relying on family support for living costs.
In contrast, students from smaller towns incur major expenses, such as housing, food, and transport, just to participate. The opportunity gap between these two groups widens as a result. Unpaid internships quietly favour the already privileged. Those who can afford to work for free get early access to networks, mentorship, and job recommendations. Those who can't are left behind, not due to lack of talent, but due to economic limitations.
Even government-linked institutions fall short. Many internships at bodies like NITI Aayog or the Parliament remain unpaid or underpaid. Though the National Education Policy 2020 encourages internships for holistic learning, there is still no strong mandate to provide minimum pay or address inclusion. Without formal guidelines or enforcement, students are left at the mercy of organisational goodwill.
While a stipend of Rs 3,000-5,000 may seem modest, it can be life-changing for a student. It pays for recharges, meals, and occasional travel, and, more importantly, it respects the intern’s time.
Unpaid internships persist because companies reap 'free' labour under the guise of opportunity. Because the system still rewards the illusion of opportunity over actual support. As long as students are willing to work for brand names or are forced to accept free labour due to a lack of alternatives, the cycle continues.
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