FAQ
Table of Contents
- Internship Overview
- Mode of Internship & Attendance
- Mentorship & Guidance
- Support and Resolution Protocol
- Stipend and Certification
- Internship Completion
- Report Submission & Deadline
- Termination, Appeals & Rejoining
- ViBe Platform
- Cliq Channel
- GitHub Assignment Submission
- Health Points System
- MERN Case Studies
- Viva/PES (Self-Healing Endorsement Network)
- Blogs
1. Internship Overview
1.1 What is the start and end date of this internship?
This winter internship is hosted by the Indian Institute of Technology Ropar in online mode and will begin on December 22nd.
1.2 What is the duration of this internship?
The internship is hosted at the Indian Institute of Technology Ropar in online mode and will be of 4 weeks duration.
1.3 What is the mode of this internship?
The internship mode will be online only.
1.4 What are the timings and schedule of this internship?
Internship hours are scheduled between 9:00 AM and 6:00 PM, from Monday to Saturday.
2. Mode of Internship & Attendance
2.1 Can we opt for an on-campus/offline internship?
The program will be conducted strictly in online mode.
2.2 Is my attendance at online sessions compulsory?
Yes, attendance at every online session is mandatory. Attendance will be counted only if your camera remains ON for the entire Zoom session. If the camera is not switched on for a sustained duration, the session may not be considered as full attendance.
Please note that attendance recorded until now (30.12.2025) is provisional and may be reviewed based on camera activity, consistency, and overall participation.
Up to two warnings may be issued for non-compliance. Further violations may result in termination.
2.3 I registered using one name but attend sessions with a different name or email. Will this affect my attendance?
Yes. You must attend using the same name and email ID used during NPTEL registration.
2.4 Should I fill the attendance sheet attached to the NPTEL offer letter?
Yes. You must fill the Google Form provided in the NPTEL offer letter every day during your internship (except Sundays).
Guidelines:
- Fill in all required details daily
- The form should be preferably filled in the evening, after completing the day’s work
- This form is mandatory for marking your attendance on NPTEL’s side throughout the internship
2.5 I forgot to fill the attendance sheet attached to the NPTEL offer letter yesterday. What should I do now?
Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done, as the form is used for NPTEL’s official database and attendance cannot be recorded for the previous day. The previous day will be considered as a leave and two such days will automatically lead to termination.
Please ensure that the form is filled daily going forward to avoid missing attendance again.
2.6 How can I avail the one-day leave allowed during the internship?
Taking leave is discouraged, as you may miss important updates shared during live sessions or fall behind in your progress. It will be your own responsibility to complete the work missed on the leave day.
However, if you must take the leave, follow the steps below:
- Write a message in the main Cliq Channel stating the reason for your leave
- Tag @Nitin Sankar A sir, @Jinal Gupta ma’am, and @Harshdeep R ma’am in the message
- Post the request at least one day in advance
- Clearly mention:
- The reason for the leave
- The exact date on which you intend to take the leave
Once submitted, the request will be reviewed and processed by the team.
2.7. What happens if I join the morning stand-up session using a different email ID? If an intern joins the morning stand-up using a different or mismatched email ID, it will be marked as absent. In exceptional cases, the issue may be considered with a warning and deduction of Health Points (HP).
3. Mentorship & Guidance
3.1 Will the course instructor supervise our work directly?
The instructor may interact with interns depending on project requirements.
Mentors and coordinators will engage via live sessions and forums.
4. Support and Resolution Protocol
4.1 Where do I raise my concern initially?
Email vinternship@vicharanashala.zohodesk.in.
Responses are provided within 2 hours between 9:00 AM and 9:00 PM.
4.2 What if I don’t receive a response within 24 hours?
Raise a second ticket with the subject:
Attention Please – Follow-up on Ticket #[Original Ticket Number]
4.3 Who responds to the second ticket?
The Mentors Team, via a voice call.
4.4 How do I escalate further?
After 48 hours, email the Internship Sponsor, CC’ing:
- Prof. Sudarshan Iyengar
- Faculty reference
- Department HOD
- dled@iitrpr.ac.in
Include ticket numbers and dates.
4.5 Why include faculty reference and HOD?
For transparency, accountability, and faster resolution.
4.6 Is this escalation process mandatory?
Yes. This three-step process must be followed.
5. Stipend and Certification
5.1 Where can I find information on stipend and certification?
Refer to the official NPTEL website.
5.2 Will recommendation letters be provided?
Not guaranteed. Issued at the instructor’s discretion.
5.3 What are the internship report requirements and how will certificates be issued?
Interns are required to submit a 2–3 page journal/report describing their internship experience. After reviewing the submissions and confirming successful completion, the team will share the completion details with NPTEL, following which NPTEL will issue the internship certificates to eligible students.
6. Internship Completion
6.1 What are the internship completion criteria?
We have two paths to complete the internship -
- Regular path -
- Completion of MERN development course on the AI-enabled Learning Platform
- Completion of Case Studies along with Viva/Peer Endorsements
- Project exposure - Getting hands on experience in one of the projects
- Work extraordinary, help others learn and get the recommedation(Gold/Silver ticket) to complete the internship.
7. Report Submission & Deadline
7.1 What happens if I miss deadlines?
Late submissions may result in being flagged as a defaulter.
7.2 Can I get an official report stating that I was present for all days of the internship to submit to my college? No official report can be issued to the college from dled@iitrpr.ac.in. The attendance or completion report will be issued by NPTEL only after successful completion of the internship. —
8. Termination, Appeals & Rejoining
8.1 Can I be terminated due to academic overlap (exams, college work, etc.)?
Yes. Any academic overlap that affects attendance or participation will result in termination, as this internship requires full-time commitment.
8.2 Can I be terminated due to attendance issues?
Yes. Interns who are found to be fully absent for three or more working days on Zoom, based on verified and auditable attendance records, may be removed from the internship.
Relevant communication regarding such actions is sent only via official email.
8.3 Can I appeal a termination related to attendance?
Yes, only in specific cases. If you genuinely believe there has been an error in the attendance records and you have attended the sessions as required, you may submit an appeal exclusively through the official Google Form shared with you via email.
Please note:
- Appeals raised on Cliq or any other platform will not be entertained
- Appeals are accepted only through the official Google Form
- Each appeal triggers a detailed re-verification of Zoom attendance logs and session recordings
If, after re-verification, non-attendance is confirmed, the appeal may be viewed as a lack of due diligence and an unnecessary use of institutional time, and the matter may be escalated to the relevant academic authorities for appropriate action.
8.4 What should I do if I receive an email regarding termination or appeal?
If you have received such an email:
- Kindly exit the Cliq group
- Continue all further communication strictly via email
- Follow only the instructions mentioned in the official email
8.5 Can I rejoin the internship after termination?
No. Terminations are final, and rejoining the same batch is not permitted.
You may choose to reapply for a future batch, subject to selection and funding availability.
9. ViBe Platform
9.1 How do I log in to ViBe?
Invite link → Continue as Student → Continue with Google → Dashboard.
9.2 Invite accepted but shows “No course enrolled”?
Verify email → Check alias → Contact Support.
9.3 Why are videos stuck or repeating?
Sequential viewing, camera/mic access, lighting, and noise conditions matter.
9.4 Can I use mobile or tablet?
No. Only desktop/laptop is supported.
9.5 I’m experiencing video issues (stuck, looping, skipping) on ViBe. How do I troubleshoot?
Try these troubleshooting steps in order:
- Refresh the page and check multiple times
- Inspect browser console: Right-click → Inspect → Go to Network or Console tab → Try watching the video and check for any visible errors
- Log out and log in again
- Use a different browser
- Clear browsing data and cache, then try to re-login
If the issue persists after trying all steps, record the issue and email it to: vinternship@vicharanashala.zohodesk.in between 9:00 AM and 9:00 PM.
9.6 I have completed all videos and quizzes in the ViBe course, but my progress is still showing less than 100%. What should I do?
Please do not worry. This is a dashboard-level technical issue that has already been acknowledged by the support team and communicated in the Cliq threads. The team is actively working on resolving it, and your progress will be updated automatically once the issue is fixed.
In the meantime, you may try the following steps once:
- Refresh your browser
- Log out, clear your browser cache, and log in again
If the issue still persists after these steps, no further action is required from your side. Your course completion status will be corrected by the support team shortly.
9.7 What is the deadline to complete the course from the ViBe platform?
The course does not have a single hard deadline. Instead, it is divided into progress-based milestones, where learners are required to reach a certain percentage of completion by specific dates.
Failure to meet these milestones may lead to termination from the program.
The milestones are as follows:
| Date | Required ViBe Progress (≥) |
|---|---|
| 29 Dec | 20% |
| 30 Dec | 30% |
| 31 Dec | 40% |
| 01 Jan | 50% |
| 02 Jan | 60% |
| 03 Jan | 70% |
| 04 Jan | 80% |
| 05 Jan | 90% |
| 06 Jan | 100% |
However, do not focus only on deadlines. Meeting milestones is not the ultimate goal of this course.
The primary objective is to introduce you to the MERN stack and help you build a strong foundation in its core technical concepts — not to create unnecessary pressure.
These milestones are set only to ensure that learners do not fall behind, to maintain steady progress, and to encourage healthy competition while ensuring everyone improves consistently each day.
Treat your learning journey as a marathon, not a race.
10. Cliq Channel
10.1 How do I join the Cliq Channel?
Follow these steps only on a laptop or desktop (mobile is not supported):
- Check your email for the Cliq channel invite and open it.
- Sign up or log in to Zoho Cliq using Google, using the same email ID on which you received the invite.
- In the left navigation bar, select #Channels.
- Click on the Join button.
- Locate #NPTEL Winter Internship and click Join.
10.2 I am unable to join the Cliq Channel due to the message
“Collaboration with different regional external users in Zoho Cliq is disabled”. What should I do?
If you face this issue, follow the steps below:
- Click on your Profile icon (top-right corner).
- Select Admin Panel under My Organization.
- Go to Policies under the Permissions section.
- Scroll down to Channel and Direct Messages Collaboration.
- Under Universal Access, enable both checkboxes.
- Refresh the Cliq page and try joining the channel again.
If the issue persists, take a screenshot or screen recording clearly showing the error message, briefly explain the problem, and email it to:
vinternship@vicharanashala.zohodesk.in between 9:00 AM and 9:00 PM.
10.3 I have joined the Cliq Channel but I am unable to message in it. What should I do?
This issue is usually caused by restricted collaboration permissions.
Follow the steps mentioned in 10.2 to enable Universal Access, then refresh the page.
If you are still unable to send messages, take a screenshot or screen recording of the issue, briefly explain the problem, and email it to:
vinternship@vicharanashala.zohodesk.in between 9:00 AM and 9:00 PM.
10.4 How do I update my profile picture so everyone can view it?
- Open Zoho Cliq on desktop.
- Click your Profile icon (top-right corner).
- Click My Zoho Account next to the Sign Out button.
- Authorize using Google.
- Go to Settings → Preferences.
- Set Profile Picture Visibility to Anyone.
- Return to Cliq and refresh the page.
- Click your Profile icon again and upload a clear profile picture where your face is properly visible.
- Refresh the page once more and wait for some time, as it may take a while for the updated profile picture to become visible to everyone.
10.5 How can I use the Cliq Channel effectively?
- Ask queries only in the designated Cliq channel.
- Reply only within the relevant thread, not in the main channel.
- Avoid direct messages unless explicitly instructed.
- Help peers whenever possible in the relevant thread to earn health points.
- Before posting a query, check recent threads to see if the same question has already been asked.
- While reacting to messages, use:
- 👍 to acknowledge a query as soon as it is submitted
- ✅ to mark a query as resolved
- 🔔 for FYI or informational updates
- ➕ if you are facing the same issue
These practices help maintain clarity and ensure no updates are missed.
10.6 I’m having issues with profile pictures on Cliq Channel. What should I do?
If you’re facing profile picture issues, try these troubleshooting steps:
For specific user profile picture issues:
- Navigate to accounts.zoho.com
- Go to Settings
- Check whether the Profile Picture Visibility is set to:
- “Only users in my organization” or
- “Everyone”
If you cannot see any user profile pictures:
- Hard-refresh your browser and clear cookies and cache
- Follow this guide: https://help.codehs.com/en/articles/4951972-how-to-clear-your-browser-cache-and-hard-refresh
If issues still persist:
- This may be due to your data center being mapped to US instead of India
- Send an email with detailed issue description to: support@zohocliq.com
10.7 How do I join the Cliq channel with my college mail ID?
Follow these steps to join the internship channel using your college email:
- Create an account on Zoho Cliq using your COLLEGE MAIL ID
- Access your college mail inbox and accept the request to join the pinternship channel
Make sure to use your college email ID throughout the process to ensure proper access and identification.
11. GitHub Assignment Submission
11.1 How do I submit my GitHub assignment?
Video guide: https://youtu.be/lrpjRo9Z02Y
Steps:
- Accept the assignment
- The repository will be automatically created
- Read the
README.mdfile carefully to understand:- what you need to do for the assignment, and
- which files you are allowed to modify
- Make the necessary changes
- Commit and push your changes to GitHub
11.2 I am unable to open my assignment. What should I do?
Try these solutions:
- Direct GitHub editing: Open the source file directly on GitHub and edit it there
- Wait for VS Code loading: If using VS Code, wait for the assignment to fully load (this may take some time)
- Clone locally: Use VS Code to clone the repository to your local folder, make changes locally, then push to GitHub
11.3 How do auto-graded assignments work?
Auto-graded assignments are automatically evaluated each time you commit your code:
- After completing and committing your assignment, look for a green tick mark indicating successful grading
- Navigate to GitHub Actions tab in your repository to check the auto-grading workflow status
- A green tick means your code passed all test cases
- A red cross indicates your code has errors or failed some test cases
- Every commit triggers auto-grading, so you can fix issues and commit again until you get the green tick
12. Health Points System
12.1 What are health points?
Health points are a scoring system used to track individual and class participation and engagement throughout the internship.
12.2 How do I earn individual health points?
You can earn individual health points by:
- Helping peers on the Cliq channel
- Making progress on the ViBe platform
- Health points are awarded once per day for individuals
12.3 How do I lose individual health points?
You lose health points for:
- Not having your camera on during Zoom sessions
- Asking queries outside the designated Cliq channel
- Replying to queries outside the proper thread in the Cliq channel
12.4 What are class health points?
Class health points are awarded to the entire class when the number of students attending Zoom meetings meets the minimum threshold requirement.
13. MERN Case Studies
13.1 What are Case Studies?
Case studies are well-structured, documentation-based lessons designed to help you apply what you have learned through hands-on coding. Each case study focuses on real-world problem-solving, collaborative thinking, and practical implementation to help you become more confident with the technologies covered in the ViBe course.
Case studies are organized by technology, including:
- TypeScript Fundamentals
- React Development
- Express.js Backend
- MongoDB Database
Each case study includes:
- Clear problem statements
- Defined learning objectives
- Step-by-step explanations
- Practical coding tasks
- Best practices and recommended patterns
13.2 How do I get started with Case Studies?
You can get started with case studies by following these steps:
- Click the Case Studies link in the navigation bar at the top of the page.
- Select a technology and then choose a lesson.
- Read the entire documentation carefully to understand the concept and tasks to be performed.
- Open a code editor (for example, VS Code) and implement the tasks in a single file, unless specified otherwise.
- Upload the file along with your details for each lesson using the provided submission link.
13.3 How do I submit the case studies?
- Visit the submission form:
https://forms.zohopublic.in/annamai1/form/MERNCASEStudyChallenge/formperma/vSrDY7Uw2l5mw7UIAUk2gh2SCOryplPMeU7IncHhSX0 - Fill in all required details carefully, including:
- First name and last name
- Email ID associated with the internship
- Technology name and lesson number completed
- Upload the file containing your solution
(supported formats include.js,.ts,.txt,.zip, etc.) - Review your details and submit the form.
- Repeat this process for each lesson you complete.
13.4 What should I do if a lesson contains multiple files?
For lessons (such as React) that involve multiple files, compress all related files into a single ZIP file and upload the ZIP file during submission.
13.5 Where can I get help if I am stuck with the case studies?
If you are facing difficulties, feel free to:
- Join the breakout rooms during Zoom sessions
- Collaborate and discuss solutions with your peers
This collaborative approach is encouraged to enhance learning and problem-solving skills.
13.6 Where can I view my submission status and access the leaderboard and dashboard?
You can track your submission status, access the leaderboard, and view the dashboard by visiting the following link:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vOQY7BYRMmNiSCBkzrYR-b-1r54jViEmzvL9nD12PoI/edit?gid=2050387016#gid=2050387016
13.7 What is the deadline to complete the MERN case studies?
The hard deadline to complete all MERN case studies is 4th January 2026 (Sunday) evening.
However, do not focus solely on the deadline. Meeting the deadline is not the ultimate goal of these case studies.
Their primary purpose is to give you exposure to collaborative problem-solving, hands-on coding, and to help optimize your learning journey, rather than forcing you to rush through tasks.
The deadline is set only to ensure that learners do not fall behind, to maintain consistent progress, and to promote healthy competition while ensuring everyone improves day by day.
Make your learning journey a marathon, not a race.
14. Viva/PES (Self-Healing Endorsement Network)
14.1 What is the Self-Healing Endorsement Network?
The Self-Healing Endorsement Network is the official evaluation framework used for Viva / PES.
It is a peer-driven endorsement system where interns endorse each other’s learning and contributions. All endorsements together form a connected endorsement network.
For the network to remain valid:
- Every chain of endorsements must ultimately connect to a certified “Jedi” (i.e., a Silver, Bronze, or Gold ticket holder)
- Any group of interns not connected to a Jedi forms a floating island
- Floating islands are considered inactive, and endorsements within them will not be counted
14.2 Who are Jedi and what role do they play?
A Jedi is an intern who holds a Silver, Bronze, or Gold ticket.
Their role in the network:
- All endorsement paths must eventually link to a Jedi
- Jedi act as anchors that validate and legitimize endorsement chains
14.3 Is endorsement mandatory to complete the internship?
Yes.
Every non-Jedi intern must receive one valid endorsement to successfully complete the internship.
Important points:
- Endorsements must be completed within the given deadline (i.e., Friday, 16th January 2026)
- The final endorsement graph must not contain any floating islands
- Interns who remain unendorsed or disconnected risk non-completion of the internship
14.4 How many endorsements can I receive or give?
- Each intern can receive only one endorsement
- An intern may endorse multiple other interns
- There is no upper limit on how many endorsements you can give
However, a tree greater in length rather than breadth is encouraged to maintain strong, meaningful chains rather than shallow mass endorsements.
14.5 When am I allowed to endorse someone?
You may endorse anyone at your discretion, after assessing them in any way you find appropriate.
Recommended best practices:
- Interact with the intern before endorsing them
- Ensure they demonstrate sufficient understanding of the MERN stack, ViBe course content, and case studies
- Maintain a healthy and collaborative interaction — there is no hierarchy or superiority among co-interns so please ensure that you interact with your co-interns in a friendly manner as peers
⚠️ Important Warning:
Endorsing someone with inadequate MERN fundamentals may trigger audit penalties for the entire tree or subtree connected to that endorsement.
14.6 Can I endorse or be endorsed by someone from my own college?
Yes, this is allowed.
However:
- Endorsements within the same institute may raise suspicion
- Such connections have a higher probability of being audited by Bhavna ma’am
This is not prohibited, but interns are expected to endorse responsibly and ethically.
14.7 How do audits work in the endorsement network?
Audits are conducted by Bhavna ma’am to identify defaulters and irregularities.
If a defaulter is identified:
- The entire endorsement path connected to that intern is audited
- A 50% health point penalty is applied to everyone in that connected group
- The defaulter and anyone who fails the audit are removed from the network
14.8 What happens if I am certified as “good” during an audit?
If an intern is certified as “good” by Bhavna ma’am:
- They become eligible to be endorsed by anyone, even if they were previously disconnected
- Their credibility and trust score within the network increases
14.9 What incentives exist within the endorsement network?
The network is intentionally designed to be self-healing and incentive-driven.
Whenever a new intern joins a valid connected endorsement group:
- Every existing member receives a 5% health point increase
- The increase is calculated as:
- 5% of their current health points, plus
- 5% of the new member’s health points
This encourages:
- Formation of strong, connected networks
- Avoidance of risky or isolated endorsement chains
14.10 What data is used to manage endorsements?
Endorsements are tracked using a three-column dataset:
- Member 1 → the endorser
- Member 2 → the endorsed intern
- Action → endorsement or de-endorsement
Possible actions:
- Add → Member 1 endorsed Member 2
- Delete → Member 1 de-endorsed Member 2
- Default → Member 1 is a defaulter and Member 2 is the parent in the chain
This dataset is used to:
- Track endorsement paths
- Detect floating islands
- Conduct audits efficiently
14.11 How do I submit endorsements? (Google Form Instructions)
All endorsements and de-endorsements must be submitted through the official Google Form:
🔗 Endorsement Form Link:
https://forms.gle/ptPnNE1Hnmpu85Qs5
The form contains mandatory sections:
- Endorser’s Name and Email
- Endorsed Person’s Name and Email
- Endorsement Status
Added→ for endorsementDeleted→ for de-endorsement
- Remarks
- Write short, honest remarks based on your assessment
📌 Important Guidelines:
- The form should be filled only once per endorsement
- The endorser should fill the form
- Avoid duplicate or reciprocal entries
⏳ Deadline:
All endorsements and de-endorsements must be completed by Friday 16th January 2026.
14.12 What should interns keep in mind while endorsing others?
- Avoid careless, bulk, or reciprocal endorsements
- Ensure your endorsement chain connects to a Jedi
- Endorse based on knowledge, effort, and contribution
- Be mindful that poor endorsements can cause audit cascades
The Self-Healing Endorsement Network rewards integrity, collaboration, responsibility, and accountability.
14.13 Will Bhavna ma’am conduct Viva sessions in the future so that interns can become Jedi (Bronze ticket holders)?
No. Bhavna ma’am will unfortunately not conduct Viva sessions anymore. She will only perform audit checks in the form of viva to identify defaulters/anomaly.
Earlier, clearing the Viva conducted by Bhavna ma’am allowed interns to become Bronze ticket holders. Since this process has now been discontinued, the set of existing Jedi (Silver, Bronze, and Gold ticket holders) is fixed.
No new Jedi will be added through Viva going forward.
15. Blogs
15.1 How do I publish my blog by committing through GitHub?
Before starting, carefully read the official blog instructions available here:
https://sudarshansudarshan.github.io/winternship/blogs/
After reviewing the instructions, follow the steps below to commit your blog using GitHub and successfully create a Pull Request (PR).
If you are facing difficulties while uploading your blog, ensure the following:
- You have a GitHub account registered with the same email ID used for the internship
- Git Bash is installed on your system
Step-by-Step Blog Submission Process
1. Fork the official repository
https://github.com/sudarshansudarshan/winternship.git
2. Clone your fork to your local machine
git clone https://github.com/<your-username>/winternship.git
cd winternship
3. Add the upstream repository (one-time setup)
git remote add upstream https://github.com/sudarshansudarshan/winternship.git
4. Sync your fork with the original repository
git checkout main
git pull upstream main
5. Create a new branch for your blog
git checkout -b Blogs
6. Navigate to the _blogs folder
cd _blogs
7. Create a new Markdown file
Use the following filename format:
YourName_NPTELID.md
Example:
JohnDoe_WIN12345.md
8. Write the blog with assoicated details inside the file in the following format(save and close after editing)
---
title: "My NPTEL Winter Internship Experience"
author: Your Full Name
nptel_id: WINXXXXX
---
**LinkedIn Article:**
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/your-article-link
**LinkedIn Profile:**
https://www.linkedin.com/in/your-profile-link/
Your blog content here...
9. Commit your changes
git add _blogs/YourName_WINXXXXX.md
git commit -m "Add NPTEL internship blog with LinkedIn article and profile"
10. Push your branch to GitHub
git push origin Blogs
11. Create a Pull Request (PR)
- Open your forked repository on GitHub:
https://github.com/<your-username>/winternship.git -
Click Compare & pull request
-
Set:
-
Base repository: sudarshansudarshan/winternship
-
Base branch: main
-
Head repository:
/winternship -
Head branch: Blogs
-
-
Provide a clear PR title and description
- Submit the Pull Request
12. Final Step
Once your Pull Request is reviewed and merged, your blog will be published and visible at: https://sudarshansudarshan.github.io/winternship/blogs/
Please note that only properly formatted submissions following the above steps will be considered.