AICTE Offers 'Green' Internships for 1 Lakh Students

New Delhi, Oct 17 (PTI) The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) in partnership with the 1M1B Green Skills Academy has announced "green" internships for all its affiliated colleges and universities, officials said on Thursday.

By the end of 2030, the 1M1B (One Million for One Billion) Green Internship programme will give opportunities to 1,00,000 students. A total of 10,000 internships will be given in the first year, they said.

Under the Green Internship programme, the onboarded interns will work on transforming the educational institutes into green campuses as a part of their live project and align the goals with the NIRF rankings that promote green campuses.

The interns will conduct campus audits, recommend energy-saving solutions, design zero-waste systems and gain expertise in making organisations sustainable and net zero. The programme will engage with industry leaders to mentor and train the students on developing a sustainability mindset, ensuring proficiency in data intelligence for climate action.

According to officials, the approach to learning will include gamified assessments and data analysis of live projects focusing on energy efficiency, renewable energy integration, waste management, water conservation and carbon footprint reduction.

"The Green Internship programme is a key step towards fostering eco-consciousness and equipping students with practical skills in sustainability. It aligns with our vision of integrating green practices into education, helping institutions contribute to national environmental goals and ensuring our future workforce is ready to meet global sustainability challenges," said TG Sitharam, Chairman, AICTE.

1M1B Green Skills Academy was announced at the United Nations headquarters in December 2023.

"India's population primarily consists of young people. The Green Internship programme will provide an opportunity and a platform to our young people to learn and explore new career opportunities in the growing green economy. It's a program to identify and groom the climate talent of our country," said Manav Subodh, Founder and Chief Mentor, 1M1B.

Aspiring students can now apply to the internship through the AICTE internship portal. Upon completion of the program, interns will receive certificates, and the top interns will be given recognitions and awards.