Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) has taken a strict stand against companies demanding money from students for internships. Instead of paid internships, some private firms on the VTU portal asked students to pay for certificates without working. Engineering students must complete six months of internships worth nine credits in their final semesters. VTU made paid internships mandatory with companies giving monthly stipends. Over 2,500 companies have registered on the VTU portal to offer paid internships. However, complaints emerged about companies charging students instead. One Mechanical Engineering student said, "I was asked to pay money instead of getting a paid internship. It is not right to allow such companies on the VTU portal." A government engineering college principal added, "Some companies promise certificates without work if students pay. Fake companies are also registering. We have asked VTU to take action." VTU Vice-Chancellor Vidyashankar told The Hindu, "We will blacklist guilty companies and appoint squads to make surprise visits to verify if students are doing internships. Maintenance of internship diaries will be mandatory." Every year, 85,000 VTU engineering students seek internships, but few companies provide enough opportunities. Vidyashankar gave examples, "Infosys selects fewer than 50 VTU students out of 1,000 nationally. Boeing offers internships to only 28 VTU students." VTU plans to meet major private firms and request more internship slots. The university will also urge the government to mandate all firms to provide at least 500 internships to VTU students annually.