CM Punjab IT Internship Program 2026: Paid Placements for Punjab Graduates

What is the CM Punjab IT Internship Program 2026?

The CM Punjab IT Internship Program 2026 is a paid scheme for fresh IT graduates in Punjab. It runs under the name Work for Punjab, and it is also called the Chief Minister IT Internship Programme, or CMITIP. The Government of Punjab runs it with the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB).

The programme places selected graduates inside real IT companies across Punjab. You work on live projects, you get a supervisor, and you build a portfolio for future employers. It aims to close the gap between a degree and a first job.

PITB runs the portal and registration. The Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) and the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) work with PITB: P@SHA brings in private IT companies, and PSEB helps with company registration. The Chief Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, backs the programme. This is a placement, not a short course or a cash grant. You must attend, report each month, and finish an international certification to get your final month's stipend and your completion certificate.

Can you apply for the 3rd cohort right now?

Yes, candidate registration for the 3rd cohort is open now. An announcement dated 12 October 2026 said so, and news reports dated 13 October 2026 said PITB had opened registration. As of 7 November 2026, no report says it has closed.

Treat 30 November 2026 as the date to beat. That date comes from GC University Lahore's opportunities board, while the portal itself shows no closing date. Another guide gives 30 October 2026 for Batch 3, based on an alumni announcement. Those dates conflict, so do not rely on either one alone.

Check the portal before you submit. If it shows a closing date, that date wins. If it shows no date, apply as soon as you are ready.

How much does the CM Punjab IT Internship pay?

The programme pays each selected intern Rs 50,000 a month, direct from the Government of Punjab, not through the host company. Over 4 months, that adds up to Rs 200,000 in total, if you meet the monthly conditions in full. The host company also gets Rs 12,500 a month for each intern, to cover training and supervision. Your stipend is not automatic. The portal sets three monthly conditions, each with a weight, and if you miss one, your payment can fall short.

You may take up to two paid leave days each month. Extra absences lead to deductions. Your supervisor must submit the evaluation electronically each month, and you must submit your own monthly progress report. You must also finish one internationally recognised certification through the Global IT Certification Project, and submit the result to get your final month's stipend and completion certificate.

Who can apply for the CM Punjab IT Internship?

You must meet every rule on the list below, not just most of them. The portal lists the rules plainly, and the news reports from October 2026 repeat the same core rules. Use the checklist table as a self check before you start the form.

Sixteen years of education means a four year bachelor degree, such as a BS, BCS, BE, or BIT. If you finished in 2022 or later, you sit inside the window. If you finished in 2021, check the portal, because one guide counts 2021 as eligible. If you finished before 2021, you fall outside the window. You must be unemployed when you apply. All genders can apply, and no age limit is stated on the portal.

Which degrees qualify for the internship?

The portal lists 22 disciplines, plus closely related fields. Graphic Designing, Animation, and Remote Sensing and GIS surprise many applicants, yet all three sit on the list. If your degree is closely related but not listed, check the portal before you rule yourself out.

The accepted disciplines are Computer Sciences, Information Technology, Cyber Security, Information Security, Artificial Intelligence, Multimedia, Telecom and Networking, Animation, Business Information Technology, Communication Systems and Networks, Computer and Information Systems, Computer Networking, Computer Science and Business, Computer Science and IT, Data Science, Graphic Designing, Information Management, Information Systems, Information Technology Management, Mobile Computing and Information Systems, Multimedia Arts, and Remote Sensing and GIS.

Final year students cannot apply. Your degree must be verified by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), and the stipend is subject to monthly performance and an HEC verified degree. One guide says HEC attestation can take 2 to 3 weeks, so start it now if your degree is not yet attested.

What documents do you need to apply?

Keep your documents ready before you open the form. The portal asks for a CNIC copy, a recent passport size photograph, and your most recent degree or transcript. Other guides add your Punjab domicile certificate, your official transcript, and your bank account details for the stipend transfer. One guide also lists an HEC attested degree. Check every detail against your CNIC. Your name, your father's name, and your date of birth must match exactly, or a mismatch can delay your application or lead to disqualification at HEC verification.

How do you apply for the CM Punjab IT Internship online?

Apply only on cmitinterns.punjab.gov.pk. Do not apply through a third party link, a WhatsApp forward, or a social media page. The programme is free, so never pay any agent.

1. Go to cmitinterns.punjab.gov.pk and open the candidate registration page.
2. Create your account with your full name and father's name as on your CNIC, your email, your mobile number, and a strong password.
3. Verify your account with the one time password sent to your mobile number, and keep your login details safe.
4. Log in with your CNIC number and your password to reach your applicant dashboard.
5. Fill in your personal details, education, skills, and field preference, and confirm your Punjab domicile.
6. Upload your CNIC copy, recent photograph, and latest degree or transcript.
7. Review every field against your documents, then submit your application.
8. Save your application reference number and watch your email and phone.

One guide gives the direct signup address as cmitinterns.punjab.gov.pk/v1/auth/signup, but the portal home page is the safe starting point.

What happens after you apply?

Selection has six steps on the portal. Each step can remove candidates, so treat every one of them as real. The steps are profile creation, aptitude test, HEC verification, interview, final selection, and international certification.

First, you create your profile. Second, shortlisted candidates take an aptitude test on technical knowledge and general aptitude. Third, your degree goes through HEC verification. Fourth, candidates who pass are called for an interview, which the host company may run. Fifth, final selection matches you to a host company, and you hear the result by email or through the portal. Sixth, you complete the international certification during the placement. If you get an offer, accept it by the deadline. The portal says the internship is offered only once.

Where will you work as an intern?

You will work on site at a host IT company in Punjab. News reports from October 2026 say more than 350 IT companies across Punjab will host interns in this round. One guide lists Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Multan, Gujranwala, and Sialkot as placement cities, but that list comes from a single guide and the portal publishes no city list.

A host company must be registered with PSEB or the relevant authority, have a physical office in Punjab, and give an undertaking to mentor and train interns. Companies register on the portal and state how many interns they want. Interns are matched on company needs and candidate qualifications, skills, and preferences. The portal says interns should get productive and IT relevant tasks, and host companies must submit a monthly performance evaluation for each intern. That evaluation feeds your stipend.

How many places are there, and why do the numbers disagree?

This is the weakest point in the public record. No single figure is confirmed by the portal page as it stands today.

The portal page as cached in September 2026 lists 2,000 internships, and 2nd cohort guides also give 2,000 seats. News reports dated 13 October 2026 say more than 4,000 candidates will be placed in more than 350 companies. A later guide dated 31 October 2026 says the portal lists 23,000 internships. An older guide gives 2,400 or more seats for an earlier round.

Do not quote any of these numbers as confirmed. The portal lists the live openings, so check its count on the day you apply.

How is this internship different from other Punjab youth programmes?

Punjab runs several youth schemes, and they are easy to mix up. This internship pays you to work inside an IT company. It is not a scholarship, not a loan, and not a skills course. If you are still a student, the CM Punjab Honhaar Scholarship programme is the higher education route, and the CM Punjab Free Laptop Scheme gives devices to students who qualify. If you want trade skills rather than a degree level IT placement, the Punjab One Million Youth Skills programme is the skills training route. If you want an interest free loan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Ehsaas Naujawan Programme is a separate loan scheme.

Apply here only if you hold an IT related degree, finished within the last 4 years, hold a Punjab domicile, and are unemployed. If you fit a different scheme better, use that scheme's own portal.

How do you stay safe from scams?

The programme is free. No fee is listed on the portal, and no guide reports an application fee. Never pay any agent who offers a guaranteed place or a faster result. No agent can get you selected.

Use only cmitinterns.punjab.gov.pk. Do not share your password, your one time password, or your CNIC copy with anyone on WhatsApp or social media. If you need help, email [email protected] or call 042-99000000. The extensions differ between sources, one giving 1925, 1908, and 1207, and another giving 1207, 1908, and 1920. Start with the main number, and quote your CNIC and application reference number.