CM launches Viksit Delhi internships; 84 students to join governance process

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday launched the Viksit Delhi Chief Minister Internship Programme, describing it as a “historic step” to give Delhi’s youth a direct role in governance and policymaking.

At a ceremony held at the Delhi Secretariat, 84 students from across the city were handed internship offer letters. They were selected from nearly 9,000 applicants through a rigorous process involving online tests, essay-writing, document verification and boot camps. The interns will work for three months with different departments of the Delhi Government and will receive a monthly stipend of Rs 20,000.

“This internship is not just a programme but a co-creation of Delhi’s future. The innovative ideas and new vision of our youth will serve as a catalyst for change in governance,” Gupta said, adding that the initiative will advance paperless governance, data-driven policymaking, and digital innovation.

Linking the initiative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas’, the CM said the internship would make youth active participants in nation-building.

Recalling her own student days when she introduced the Common Admission Form at Delhi University, Gupta stressed the importance of solution-oriented engagement. “Meaningful change occurs when we move beyond complaints and actively engage with the system,” she said.

The CM emphasised that the programme will allow the government to not only mentor but also learn from young people. “Today’s experiences will shape tomorrow’s leadership. These interns will become a defining force of Delhi’s future and a key driver of India’s development,” she added.