Punjab’s Chief Minister Internship Program (CMIP) is set for a major expansion in its next phase, with officials publicly committing to a higher stipend, more seats, and a longer internship term.
In Phase II, Punjab plans to raise the monthly stipend to Rs 60,000, expand placements to 10,000 interns, and extend the internship duration to one year. Provincial Minister Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar announced these upgrades during a progress review session in March 2025, and later repeated the same Phase II targets in June 2025.
What’s confirmed for Phase II
Two separate 2025 reports attributed to Punjab’s Youth Affairs and Sports leadership confirm the same set of upgrades for the next phase:
- Stipend: from Rs 25,000 to Rs 60,000 per month
- Number of internships: from 6,000 to 10,000
- Duration: from 6 months to 1 year
The March 2025 update also included an internal service improvement: a dedicated complaint cell planned at the e‑Library in the Nishtar Park Sports Complex to handle intern issues more quickly.
These are meaningful changes. A higher stipend can increase participation from graduates who cannot afford unpaid work. A longer duration also gives interns time to build real experience instead of only short exposure.
Phase I vs Phase II (quick comparison)
Here is how Phase II is expected to differ from the initial rollout.
| Item | Phase I (baseline) | Phase II (announced) |
|---|---|---|
| Seats | 6,000 | 10,000 |
| Monthly stipend | Rs 25,000 | Rs 60,000 |
| Duration | 6 months | 1 year |
Phase I was launched in August 2024, with 6,000 six‑month internships and a Rs 25,000 stipend, according to Dawn and Punjab Portal information.
Read more: Punjab Agriculture Internship Program: A New Era for Agri-Graduates
Who runs the CM Internship Program (CMIP)
The CMIP is tied to the Youth Affairs and Sports Department, Government of Punjab. Punjab Portal lists CMIP and points to the program website as cmip.punjab.gov.pk.
Demand for Phase I appeared strong. In October 2024, The News reported 15,678 applications had been received and 12,129 were verified in the process at that time.
Official portal and where to check updates
For official updates, Punjab’s government portal points users to cmip.punjab.gov.pk.
One important caution: Punjab Portal’s CMIP page still displays Phase I-era details such as Rs 25,000 stipend, 6,000 internships, and a September 30, 2024 last date. That information appears outdated for “Phase II” planning and should not be treated as the latest stipend/seat count if Phase II is being implemented as announced by officials in 2025.
As of the sources reviewed for this update, I did not find an official government page that clearly publishes a Phase II application start date or a new deadline. The safest approach is to rely on the official CMIP portal and Punjab government channels as they publish the next intake notice.
Important note: other “CM internship” programs exist
Punjab also runs sector-specific internship programs that are easy to confuse with CMIP. For example, in July 2025, Punjab launched Phase II of the CM Agriculture Internship Program offering Rs 60,000/month for 2,000 agriculture graduate interns, with applications routed through district agriculture offices and a dedicated helpline.
That agriculture internship is a separate program with its own process. Readers should confirm the exact program name and department before applying.