Every year, over 50,000 youth complete sixteen years of education from recognized universities/degree awarding institutions in Pakistan in a whole range of academic disciplines. A considerable time gap between the completion of education and job availability in majority of cases results in a sense of frustration and waste of potential energy within educated youth. On the other hand, many public sector organizations also suffer from chronic shortage of officials in various cadres from time to time. In such circumstances, temporary placement of appropriate numbers of unemployed and educated youth in relevant and matching government outfits could be advantageous to the government as well as the unemployed youth. The National Internship Program is designed for the benefit of young unemployed postgraduates and graduates all over the country, who have completed sixteen years of education from recognized universities or degree awarding institutions including external candidates. The scheme is intended to provide financial relief to fresh graduates and also to keep them engaged and interested in acquiring additional knowledge and real work life experiences, thereby facilitating their employability in the country. The programme will be also advantages to the government organizations having shortage of officials in various cadres. The goal of the program is to harness the energy and motivation of educated youth as paid interns in the public sector. Through this initiative, the following objectives are expected to be realized:

• Provision of financial relief to young degree holders;
• Improvement in the performance of public sector through internship of young, educated and motivated youth;
• Enhanced employability and capacity of fresh graduates for a better professional future.

Main features of the programme are as follows: -

• The interns will be working on various assignments in the Ministries/Divisions/ Attached Departments/Autonomous Bodies/Corporations of the Federal Government and Provincial/District Governments conveniently located near to their hometown so far as practical;
• The placement with various government organizations will be based upon the academic qualifications of the interns and matching the broader academic disciplines with broader functional categorization of jobs within the government.
• The interns will be required to join the programme on full time basis and follow prescribed rules and regulations of the concerned organizations including observance of office working time and confidentiality requirements etc.

Duration
The internship duration will be one year. The interns will however, be at liberty to leave the programme at any stage on 15 days advance notice. However, such interns will neither be entitled for internship completion certificate nor will they have any right to receive monthly stipend for the remaining period.

Stipend
The interns will be entitled to a monthly stipend of Rupees ten thousand (all inclusive) during the course of internship. The internship is however, in no way an offer of employment on a formal job. The programme is designed for: -

• Fresh Pakistani unemployed postgraduates and graduates in all fields of studies who have completed sixteen years of formal education from HEC recognized Universities & Degree Awarding Institutions including external candidates;
• The applicants must be 25 years or less of age by 01 January 2008.
• Must have not availed the internship under NIP before.

Application and selection/placement mechanism
Interested eligible candidates are invited to submit their applications "on-line" against the advertisement published in the newspapers. The application forms are available on website www.nip.gov.pk of NIP office of the Management Services Wing, Establishment Division.
Every effort will be made during the selection process to assign the interns the most convenient locations to minimize the likelihood of accommodation, relocation or logistics issues. However, Government will be fully competent to place any intern in any organization or geographical location as deemed appropriate in the best interests of the scheme and such decision could not be challenged in any forum whatsoever.

• The internship is neither an offer of employment on a formal job nor does it confer any right of interns on future employment in the host organization. The programme simply aims to provide an opportunity for on the job training to enhance capacity and employability of interns for a better professional future.
• The interns will be entitled for a monthly stipend of Rs.10, 000 (all inclusive) during one year term of the internship. They will not be entitled for government accommodation or traveling expenses during the term of their internship. They will however, be entitled for OPD medical facilities in government hospitals barring any major surgery, prolonged hospitalization and reimbursement of medical bills.
• The interns will be required to join the programme on full time basis and follow relevant rules and regulations of the government organizations including observance of office working hours, confidentiality requirements and disciplinary rules applicable to government employees.
• The interns will be entitled to only 20 days casual leave during the term of their internship.
• The interns will be required to attend a three days "orientation programme" to be organized by the respective host organization
• The interns will be issued internship completion certificates by the Government of Pakistan, Establishment Division on successful completion of the programme based on a formal performance rating mechanism. The evaluation mechanism will include appropriate weightage for attendance, performance on the job and other assignments, which may be allocated from time to time by the host organization.
• The internship duration is one year. However, the Government reserves the right to terminate the internship of an internee at any stage.
• The interns would be at liberty to leave the programme at any stage on 15 day's advance notice. However, such interns will neither be entitled for internship completion certificate nor will they have any right to receive monthly stipend for remaining period of the internship.

What is National Internship Program?
The National Internship Programmme is designed for the benefit of educated and unemployed youth all over the country, who have completed sixteen years of education from HEC recognized universities or degree awarding institutions. The scheme is intended to provide hands on experience and temporary financial relief to unemployed and educated youth and also to keep them engaged and interested in acquiring additional knowledge and real work life experiences, thereby facilitating their improved employability in the country.

What is the eligibility criterion for selection in the program?
The program is open to all unemployed postgraduates & graduates having completed sixteen (16) years of education from HEC recognized institutions, including the external candidates. The maximum age limit for consideration under the program is 25 years by 1st, January, 2008.Must have not availed the internship under NIP before.

How can I apply for the internship and what is the more efficient mode of application?
The program launch and application details are widely advertised throughout Pakistan through print as well as electronic media. The program information is also available from all HEC recognized universities as well as headquarters of provincial and district governments. The preferred option for candidates is to apply only on line through website (www.nip.gov.pk). The on-line mode will be in best interest of candidates, which will facilitate prompt processing of applications, their placement and easy response. However, candidates genuinely having no computer access can apply through hard copy by postal mail using application form given in the advertisement.

How is the internship under the program different from a regular government employment?
The internship under the program is in no way an offer (immediately or subsequently) of a government job. It is a placement, which will automatically terminate after one year and as such must not be construed as granting any right to absorption or job with the government.

What are the monetary and non-monetary benefits of the internship under the program?
The interns will be entitled to a monthly stipend of Rupees ten thousand (all inclusive) during the period of their placement, subject to satisfactory performance, duly verified by the recipient organizations. Other than normal OPD treatment, interns shall not be entitled to any other monetary or non-monetary/fringe benefits during the term of their placement.

Are there any other benefits of the internship in terms of future employment prospects?
Due to placement with government institutions having functional similarity with intern's academic credentials and also due to the hands on experience, the interns will definitely have a competitive edge for future job selections. Similarly, the attachment of the interns with relevant government institutions will provide them the appropriate exposure as well as enhanced employability in the job markets.

If I successfully complete internship, will I be given any certificate?
All interns successfully completing the internship will be awarded internship completion certificate by the government.

Will my preference for placement in a certain department or location as intern be considered?
The interns will be placed in the government organizations having functional similarity with their academic background. The preference in terms of geographical location of the placements by the interns will also be considered so far as practicable. However, the final decision in both these matters shall rest with the competent authority, which will be binding on all interns.

In case, one leaves the internship before one year, will there be any penalty or any other implication?
There will be no penalty, in case internship is discontinued on account of a reason duly communicated to the client organization. However, the payment of stipend will automatically be discontinued from the date, the intern may have left the placement. Moreover, no internship completion certificate will be awarded to such interns.

What will be the assignments that I will be required to undertake during my placement as an intern?
All organizations receiving the interns shall be given proper orientation, mentoring and placement program for the whole period of intern's association within the organization. Such program will be designed to ensure maximum utility of the intern's output during his/her stay with the recipient organization. The mentoring and constant monitoring by the focal persons will be designed to ensure that the interns actually benefit from their association and their stay is made meaningful in terms of the activities performed and results achieved.

Is it possible to seek transfer of placement as intern from one department/location to another?
No such transfer will be possible and the interns shall have to complete their assignments at the designated place and institution.

What is the address of NIPO Office?
National Internship Programme Office,
Management Services Wing,
Establishment Division,
Shaheed-e-Millat Secretariat,
Room # 407, 4th Floor, F-6/1,
Islamabad

Is there any help-line available?
The Toll Free Help-line number is 0800-33330 active during office hours only (8 am to 3 pm all working days except Fridays which is 8 am to 12 noon). National Internship Programme Office,
Management Services Wing,
Establishment Division,
Room # 407, 4th Floor, Shaheed-e-Millat Secretariat,
F-6/1,
ISLAMABAD Toll Free Number 0800-33330

• Mr. Ashiq Hussain Abbasi,
  Director General
  051 9204200
• Mr. Muntazir Khan,
  Director
  051 9202797
• Mr. Sohail Ahmad Khan,
  Deputy Director
  051 9206702