In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Punjab Department of Technical Education and Industrial Training will pay a monthly stipend of Rs 5,000 for four months to diploma students of 26 government polytechnics in the state as part of their industrial internship. The initiative would benefit nearly 2,500 students enrolled in the sixth semester, said Technical Education Minister Harjot Bains.The initiative follows an earlier decision of the Punjab State Board of Technical Education (PSBTE) to make semester-long industrial internship compulsory for diploma students. The first batch under the programme passed out in June this year.In all, 1,423 students from six engineering disciplines underwent supervised, credit-based industry training during January-June this year.The minister, who was attending an industry-academia conclave here, said, “Polytechnics are being upgraded through centres of excellence, modern machinery and innovation labs. Principals and senior officials are being trained at the IIM-Ahmedabad and the IIM-Amritsar. Industry immersion at organisations such as Tata Steel is also being promoted to ensure that government institutions are led by confident and future-ready leaders.”