Balancing textbooks with team meetings, lectures with deadlines, and college events with professional responsibilities, today’s undergraduates are doing more than just earning a degree. They are diving headfirst into internships and volunteering before they land their first full-time job, gaining real-world experience that no classroom can fully impart. So, what drives them to take on this extra challenge? How are these experiences shaping their confidence, adaptability, and career trajectory? To understand this, ‘The Hitavada’ spoke to such students from the city who are turning their college years into a launchpad for their career. Ashish Singh, a final-year Bachelor of Arts (BA) student, knew that to truly understand his field, he had to step beyond the classroom.

 

“Most educational institutions in India offer only theoretical exposure, with little to no practical understanding or research,” he said. He interned at The Urban Learning Internship Programme (TULIP) at Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the People’s Archive of Rural India (PARI), and the Foreign Policy Research Centre (FPRC). He also worked as a Research Fellow at the International Institute of SDGs and Public Policy Research (IISPPR). Ashish’s interests in society, foreign and public policy, and governance motivated him to go for these opportunities. “Theories usually present an ideal picture, but once you step into practical work, the reality can be quite different,” he noted. He strongly encouraged students to explore at least one internship during their studies.

 

Divya Bhandakkar, a second-year BTech student, teaches underprivileged children at an NGO and also participates in educational initiatives, contributing to both academic and social development. In the process, she has honed skills like communication, teamwork, and adaptability. “Volunteering taught me how to work with different people. Otherwise, I would have gained this understanding much later when I started a job,” she shared and added that leadership and teamwork sound easy in books, but handling real situations requires both patience and quick decision-making, which only comes with experience. Teesha Rawal, a third-year BBA student, has been volunteering for over a year, gaining first hand experience in both teaching and food distribution through her work with the Robin Hood Army (RHA). She quickly learned that every opportunity comes with its own challenges. “Teaching children might seem simple, but it takes a lot of patience because they are often resistant to learning. On the other hand, food distribution requires a different skill set,” she shared. Reflecting on one of her earliest experiences, she recalled, “My first food distribution drive was absolute chaos. I realised how difficult it is to handle people.”

 

Atharva Bhosale, a second-year BBA student, along with balancing academics, founded an NGO Karmanya Foundation with a vision to give back to society. Running an NGO has given Atharva the experience to deal with the challenges of social work, meet diverse people, and handle leadership responsibilities. “Public speaking and social work helped shape my personality, improved communication skills, and boosted confidence,” he added. Arya Hardas, a final-year BA student, blended her passion for history, advocacy, and creativity through her involvement with Zero Gravity, Girl Up Kaabil, and India Lost and Found. “These internships aligned with my interests and allowed me to engage in research, writing, and community initiatives. I learned to manage a team, no matter how small or diverse, and conduct research in a detailed and professional manner,” she shared. On managing her academics with volunteer work, she explained, “I plan ahead, prioritise tasks, use digital tools, maintain a structured schedule without compromising on quality or burning myself out.”

 

Mugdha Rishi, a third-year BBA student, who volunteered at Robin Hood Army, said that such opportunities are a real-world classroom. “I would definitely suggest everyone to volunteer while studying. It helps one understand people, situations, and develop multiple soft skills in ways that textbooks never can,” she stressed. By managing their internships and volunteer work outside college hours, some working on weekends and others utilising weekday evenings, they all found a way to balance college commitments smoothly. In an era where experience often outweighs a degree on a résumé, these students are proving that the future belongs to those who start early.