Context

The Centre launched an urban learning internship programme — TULIP (The Urban Learning Internship Programme), for fresh engineering graduates, who will get an opportunity to work for 4,400 urban local bodies and 100 smart cities in the country.

About

• The Urban Learning Internship Programme, will provide internships to graduates and fresh engineers.
• The TULIP portal has been developed by
• Under the internship programme students will get to work for 100 smart cities under ministry of housing and urban development.
• According to the TULIP portal, there are a total of 295,200 internships under 23,970 companies.
• It will allow applicants internship for up to one year in areas like urban planning, financing, environmental engineering, sanitation and infrastructure.
• The online portal would provide a common platform to interested candidates, ULBs and smart cities, who would post details of their requirements.
• A Steering Committee chaired by Secretary, HUA, including AICTE chairman and other officials from the MoHUA and the AICTE, has also been constituted to review the progress of the programme on a periodical basis.

Who is eligible?

• Students having a degree of B. Tech, B planning, B. Arch, BA, BSc, BCom, LLB can register for internships as per their interest.
• Open only to Indian citizens.

Objective of the scheme

• TULIP interns would get exposure in a large number of areas including but not limited to urban planning, urban design, different branches of engineering, information and technology, mobility, finance, social sector issues and environmental issues.
• The program will provide them with insight into policy formulation and implementation.
• On a day-to-day basis, they will interact with city officials/ members of the civil society. They will be oriented towards best practices, knowledge sharing and project implementation on ground.
• The interns will carry with them a rich experience in urban governance which will help them in their future endeavours.

Significance of the initiative

• Improvising the system: Both ULBs and smart cities could utilise the fresh ideas of the young people in improving services and making local bodies effective.
• Solving urban challenges: The new programme would lead to infusion of fresh ideas and energy with engagement of youth in co-creation of solutions for solving India’s urban challenges.
• Boosting engagements: It would further government’s endeavour to boost community partnership and government-academia-industry-civil society linkages.