DURING the last year of study, university students are required to do internships ranging in duration from four to eight weeks to gain hands-on experience in their respective fields. For the students of business-related fields, internships are mandatory.

Regrettably, most of the organisations take advantage of students in the name of internship opportunities and pay nothing in return. These students spend money on their transportation, give their precious time and contribute to the companies to the best of their abilities. They deserve to be paid.

Paid internships are not only beneficial for students, but for employers too as they attract more candidates and create a positive image of the company.

The government is requested to make a law, setting a minimum wage for interns and making it obligatory for employers to pay them in order to end this blatant exploitation.

Navid Ahmad
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2021