VTU's Internship Portal Creates Uproar Among Engineering Students
Visvesvaraya Technological University has launched a centralized internship portal for seventh-semester engineering students. This new platform aims to streamline the mandatory four-month internship requirement. However, the implementation has triggered strong reactions from students, parents, and colleges across Karnataka.
Students Face Rejection of Self-Secured Internships
The university introduced the portal as a single-window system to connect students with companies. Officials designed it to prevent fraudulent internship certificates that have plagued the system in previous years. Colleges received strict instructions to ensure students select internships exclusively through the VTU portal. Even independently secured internships now require prior university approval.
This approval requirement has become the main point of contention. Numerous students report that internships they personally obtained from reputable companies face rejection from VTU authorities. The university insists they choose companies only from the official portal listing.
"My daughter cleared three rigorous interview rounds at a promising startup and received a formal offer letter," explained the father of a Bengaluru-based engineering student. "When her college uploaded the details, VTU rejected it without proper explanation. She feels so frustrated that she now plans to randomly select a paid internship from the portal just to complete the requirement."
Other students share similar frustrating experiences. They claim internships from well-known companies they secured through personal effort get turned down consistently. College administrators often advise these students to simply pick firms listed on the university portal instead.
University Defends Verification Process
VTU Vice-Chancellor S Vidyashankar defended the university's position. He stated that colleges should upload all relevant documents about the company and internship to prove authenticity. "We have established a dedicated team to check company backgrounds and weed out fraudulent internships," Vidyashankar explained. "The college principal needs to certify the internship offer letter, scan it properly, and upload it on our platform. That completes the basic requirement."
The vice-chancellor highlighted past problems with fake internships. "We discovered instances where colleges collaborated with companies to produce fake internship letters for students. Students learn absolutely nothing through such fraudulent exercises. That's why we introduced this streamlined system to ensure genuine learning experiences."
He issued a stern warning about consequences for malpractice. "If we find any college endorsing fraudulent internships, we will take strict disciplinary action against that institution."
Allegations of Company Favoritism Emerge
Some stakeholders raise additional concerns about the portal's fairness. They allege the platform shows favoritism toward certain companies. "A few select companies receive hundreds of internship offers through this system," noted one concerned observer. "Has the university properly verified whether these companies possess adequate resources to train so many students effectively?"
Vidyashankar firmly rejected these allegations. "We thoroughly scrutinized all companies before including them on our portal. Every listed organization meets our established criteria for providing legitimate internship experiences."
Paid Internships Create Financial Strain
Many students acknowledge the portal makes finding internships easier compared to previous chaotic systems. However, this convenience often comes with significant financial costs.
"My seniors only pursued one-month internships previously," shared one student who paid Rs 12,000 for his placement. "They would pay some random company and receive a certificate without any real work experience. At least I'm getting a genuine company and proper experience for my money through this system."
A principal from a prominent engineering college supported this perspective. "Many students previously submitted fraudulent internship certificates. This new system ensures students actually complete meaningful work with companies, which represents definite progress."
Not all students share this positive outlook. Economic pressures create serious challenges for many. "I applied repeatedly for free internships but couldn't secure one," explained an engineering student whose father drives a tempo truck and mother works as a homemaker. "The college applied constant pressure to find an internship quickly. I finally chose a paid option out of sheer necessity."
Students from economically weaker sections describe these paid internships as substantial financial burdens. Subash B of the All India Democratic Students' Organisation highlighted systemic inequalities. "Students from top engineering colleges might secure free internships, but tier-2 and tier-3 college students struggle tremendously," he observed. "Engineering course fees remain high even in government colleges today. These additional internship expenses further discourage eligible students from pursuing professional courses despite their capabilities."
The VTU internship portal continues generating heated debate across Karnataka's educational landscape. Students balance their need for genuine experience against systemic challenges and financial constraints. University officials maintain their commitment to eliminating fraud while ensuring quality learning opportunities for all engineering candidates.
