The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has launched a new initiative aimed at helping students across India prepare for internships and job opportunities in a structured, meaningful way. Called the National Internship, Placement Training, and Assessment (NIPTA), the programme has been introduced through the institute’s Shaastra Magazine and is designed to create a standard benchmark for internship and job readiness among students nationwide.
The initiative is open to a wide range of students- third- and final-year engineering students, recent graduates, final-year diploma students, and diploma holders. While participants will need to pay a nominal fee to take the assessment, all training resources provided as part of the programme will be completely free, making it accessible to students from varied backgrounds.
NIPTA is structured around a 10–12 week curated training programme offered by IIT Madras, which focuses on developing skills that are essential for employability. The curriculum covers technical knowledge relevant to engineering and diploma courses, mathematical aptitude, logical reasoning, and communication skills. To support this, students will have access to free training materials from IIT Madras, including video lectures and sample questions, allowing them to prepare at their own pace.
At the end of the preparation period, students will sit for a three-hour proctored assessment conducted in-person at designated centres across the country. The assessment is designed not just as a test, but as a transparent and fair measure of a participant’s skills and competencies. Every participant who completes the assessment will receive a certificate from IIT Madras, reflecting their performance. This certificate is intended to act as a credible and recognisable indicator of their abilities, helping students demonstrate their readiness to potential employers.
Moreover, NIPTA doesn’t stop at skill development. The results of the assessment will also be shared with recruiters, allowing companies to identify qualified candidates more efficiently. To further strengthen the link between students and employment opportunities, IIT Madras plans to organise a National Job and Internship Mela in early 2026. This event may take place either virtually or in-person and will provide a platform where students who have completed the assessment can directly connect with potential employers.
The programme was officially launched at IIT Madras by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Speaking at the event, IIT Madras Director Prof V Kamakoti highlighted that the initiative aligns with the institute’s guiding principle of “IITM For All” and reflects a commitment to making opportunities more accessible to students across the country. Prof Srikanth Vedantam, faculty member at the Department of Medical Sciences and Technology and Editorial Board Chair of Shaastra Magazine, emphasised that NIPTA aims to make employability measurable and transparent—a step towards helping students understand their strengths and areas of improvement clearly.
Shaastra Magazine, which has been instrumental in launching this initiative, is a monthly publication of IIT Madras that focuses on science, technology, and innovation with an India-centric perspective. The magazine publishes original, research-based articles and has long worked to bridge gaps in science and technology coverage in India. With NIPTA, IIT Madras, through Shaastra, is expanding its role, moving beyond knowledge dissemination to actively shaping students’ career readiness.
By combining structured training from IIT Madras, a standardised assessment, and direct connections with recruiters, NIPTA represents a significant step toward democratizing access to career opportunities. For students, it offers a chance not only to enhance their skills but also to showcase their abilities in a credible, recognised manner. For employers, it provides a reliable way to identify talent efficiently. Ultimately, the programme reflects IIT Madras’s vision of making high-quality learning and career preparation accessible to all students, no matter where they come from.
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