Nearly one-third of internships secured by second-year students at Newton School of Technology’s Pune cohort were with companies working in artificial intelligence and data, highlighting the growing importance of AI-related skills in India’s entry-level technology job market.
The institute said 98.3% of eligible students in its Pune Class of 2028 had obtained internships before beginning their third year. The outcome covered a cohort of 313 computer science and artificial intelligence students studying at Ajeenkya DY Patil University (ADYPU), and was recorded across 173 employers.
AI and data lead internship sectors
AI and data companies formed the largest category of employers for the cohort. A further 79 students found opportunities with software, software-as-a-service (SaaS) and technology services companies. Other sectors represented in the placements included education, commerce, financial technology, manufacturing, hardware and healthcare.
The assignments were not limited to conventional software development. Students were placed in areas including AI evaluation, satellite navigation, drone systems and open-source software. AI evaluation generally involves testing and checking the performance, accuracy or safety of AI systems. Such work can give students exposure to the practical limits of these tools, rather than only to their theoretical design.
| Indicator | Pune cohort |
|---|---|
| Students covered | 313 |
| Internship rate among eligible students | 98.3% |
| Employers | 173 |
| Largest sector | AI and Data |
| Software, SaaS and technology services students | 79 |
Independent validation and earlier cohort
The reported results were independently checked by Sorab S. Engineer & Co., Chartered Accountants. The review examined supporting material such as offer letters and communications from recruiters, using Indian Placement Reporting Standards, Revision 2.2. The firm has also audited placement reports for several Indian Institutes of Management, according to the report.
The Pune result follows a 93.07% internship rate for NST’s earlier National Capital Region cohort, which consisted of 104 students. The Pune batch was approximately three times larger, making the reported outcome notable in terms of both the percentage and the number of students covered. However, internship figures remain dependent on the definition of eligible students, the timing of the assessment and the supporting records included in the review.
Changing expectations for entry-level roles
The results come as employers adjust the skills expected from new technology graduates. Deloitte India’s Campus Workforce Trends 2026 found that 35% of surveyed organisations said AI adoption was creating new entry-level roles or skill requirements. The corresponding figure in the previous financial year was 21%.
For students, the shift means that an AI-focused course can lead to work beyond building software applications. Early assignments may involve assessing models, handling data, supporting specialised hardware or contributing to technical projects in sectors such as finance and healthcare. At the same time, a high internship rate does not by itself establish the quality, duration, pay or later conversion of each opportunity. Those details were not provided in the report.
“AI is changing what young engineers need to know and what companies expect.”
NST co-founder Siddharth Maheshwari made the observation while discussing the report. The broader significance of the figures lies in the timing: the students secured these opportunities while still midway through their undergraduate programme. Their experience will offer an early indication of how Indian technology education is responding to an employment market in which AI-related work is becoming a larger part of entry-level recruitment.
- 98.3% of eligible Pune students secured internships before their third year.
- AI and data employers accounted for almost one in three opportunities.
- The results were reviewed against offer letters and recruiter communications.
