College student takes up part-time work as Zepto delivery agent due to absence of paid internships

Expanding on the reasoning behind the decision, Swapnil Kommawar wrote that the student chose paid work after considering his family’s circumstances.

A widely shared post on X has prompted renewed discussion about employment realities faced by Indian students, after a college-going youth explained why he chose part-time delivery work with quick-commerce platform Zepto instead of pursuing an internship.

The account was shared by X user Swapnil Kommawar, who described a conversation with a friend’s younger brother currently enrolled in a degree programme. According to Kommawar, the student works after college hours delivering orders for Zepto to earn money, a decision shaped by the absence of paid internship opportunities.

“I met my friend’s younger brother. He is doing his degree. After college, he works part-time at Zepto. Carrying bags. Delivering orders. Earning pocket money,” Kommawar wrote.

Kommawar said he asked the student why he had not opted for an internship. The response, he wrote, pointed to a structural issue many students encounter. “Internships are easy to find. But paid internships? Very hard,” the youngster told him.

Expanding on the reasoning behind the decision, Kommawar wrote that the student chose paid work after considering his family’s circumstances. “So he chose part-time work by understanding family conditions. At least money comes in. At least he is not sitting idle. Not a big job. Not a big salary. But a big lesson!”

The post gained significant traction, drawing responses from professionals, entrepreneurs and students, many of whom used the example to weigh the value of internships against the immediate need for income.

One user commented, “This hits differently. It’s not about the job title, it’s about the mindset.” Another said, “This is actually a very good approach which is practised in Western education systems. By doing jobs during studies, kids learn a lot about finances, communication and overall leadership.”

I met my friend’s younger brother. He is doing his degree.

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After college, he works part-time in Zepto. Carrying bags. Delivering orders. Earning pocket money. I asked him, Why not do an internship? He smiled and said, Internships are easy to find. But paid internships? Very… — Swapnil Kommawar (@KommawarSwapnil) January 14, 2026

Others raised concerns about the prevalence of unpaid internships in India. One comment read, “Internships = exploitation in our country, at least as much as I have seen. You cannot buy someone's time in return for a meaningless certificate that no one will bother with. Unless there is a major brand or decent real-life learning, most unpaid internships are a scam.”

Some users, however, argued that internships serve a different purpose. “Interesting, but an internship is for skill development. Free internship in a high-skilled job would be ideal,” one response stated.

Another commenter cautioned against viewing gig work as a substitute for academic or professional development, writing, “Good thought and impressive sense of responsibility. However, odd jobs won't bring in the required skills to boost academic learning.”