The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to launch a three-month internship programme for 20,000 graduates across the province to provide them with practical work experience. Under the programme, each selected graduate will receive a monthly stipend of Rs30,000. The total cost of the programme has been estimated at Rs2 billion.

In this regard, Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Adviser on Education and Social Welfare, Dr Amir Abdullah, was briefed on the framework, preparations and implementation mechanism of the KP Internship Programme.

To ensure equal opportunities for men and women, a 50 per cent quota has been proposed for male graduates and 50 per cent for female graduates. Eligible candidates must have a minimum CGPA of 3.0 and hold a Khyber Pakhtunkhwa domicile.

Selected graduates will receive practical training in various sectors, including pharmaceuticals, information technology, software development, tourism, agriculture and minerals. They will be placed in priority industries, software houses and business organisations, with preference given to private-sector institutions.

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Dr Amir Abdullah directed the relevant authorities to develop comprehensive rules and guidelines for the selection, training and placement of graduates to ensure quality, competitive and market-oriented practical training.

The briefing was informed that a central online portal for the programme has been developed and is expected to become operational within a week.

Dr Amir Abdullah also directed the authorities to introduce a paperless online payment system to ensure timely stipend payments to graduates, preferably on the same day.

He further directed that graduates from all districts of the province should be represented in the programme in proportion to their respective populations. He also called for the establishment of a coordinated administrative structure within the Higher Education Department to ensure the effective implementation of the programme.