UGC Proposes Mandatory Internships for Undergraduates

UGC Proposes Mandatory Internships for Undergraduates

VoM News Desk | October 12, 2023 | 08:35 AM IST | Breaking News, Educational News | Follow on Google News

UGC Proposes Mandatory Internships for Undergraduates

UGC Proposes Mandatory Internships for Undergraduates

The University Grants Commission (UGC) is taking a significant step towards enhancing students’ employability and research skills with its latest draft guidelines. These guidelines recommend making internships mandatory for undergraduate degrees, aligning with the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Under the NEP, the integration of research and internships into undergraduate curricula is emphasized to provide students with hands-on experiential learning.

Bridging the Employability Gap

The draft guidelines highlight the challenges faced by recent graduates when entering the workforce, including a lack of practical skills, knowledge, and experience, which employers often demand. UGC’s proposed internships are viewed as essential tools to bridge this employability gap by helping students develop competencies, professional skills, expertise, and confidence.

Two Types of Internships: Employability and Research

According to the draft norms, undergraduate internships will come in two categories: those aimed at enhancing employability and those designed to cultivate research aptitude. For students pursuing a three-year undergraduate degree, a mandatory internship lasting 60 to 120 hours will occur after the fourth semester. Those in four-year degree programs will participate in a research internship during the eighth semester. These internships can yield up to 12 credits.

A Structured Approach to Internships

To ensure the smooth execution of internships across various disciplines, the guidelines propose that each higher education institution’s research and development (R&D) cell appoint a coordinator or establish a well-defined mechanism for coordination. Evaluation of students during their internships is also recommended, with supervisors assessing their efforts and research output, or through seminar presentations and viva-voce at the higher education institute (HEI).

VoM News Desk

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