The higher education regulator, University Grants Commission (UGC), has asked universities and colleges to promote internship-embedded degree programmes in their institutions. The internship-embedded programmes are in line with the new National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) and emphasizes conceptual understanding of the subject and the course curriculum. Apprenticeship embedded degree and diploma programmes were announced in Budget 2020-21 to improve employability of students.
A UGC statement stating the guidelines for the higher education institutions to offer apprenticeship and internship embedded degree programmes has been released. As per the statement, internships and apprenticeships are also essential apart from quality education to capitalise the country's demographic dividend. Apprenticeship is considered as the most efficient and promising structured training for exposure to the real working environment, it added.
ln line with the budget announcement and with the objective of making the fresh graduates employment-ready with necessary “knowledge, competencies and attitude”, the Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank', earlier in August had launched the UGC guidelines for Higher Education Institutes to offer internship embedded Degree programs.
“The minimal linkage between the general degree curriculum and employer's requirement calls for an effective remodeling of degree programmes, driven by changing needs of the industry and service sector. Apprenticeship and internship can play a significant role in this context, the statement read.
