UGC Guidelines for Synchronization of Apprenticeship/ Internship in Degree Programmes of HEIs

Abstract

With the sole objective of making the fresh graduates to be ready for employment with the necessary knowledge, competencies and the attitude, the UGC has framed the guidelines for higher educational institutions to offer apprenticeship and/or internship integrated degree programme at the under-graduate level. The scheme will focus on outcome-based learning and will equip the students to demonstrate workforce abilities for potential employment. The Apprenticeship/Internship degree programme will be embedded in the general stream with cooperation between industry and academia. This will bring a close relationship between education and industry/service sectors on a sustainable basis apart from helping the industry in securing good quality manpower. Across the global, Apprenticeship/Internship is considered as the most efficient and effective structured training programme for exposure to the real working environment. This strategy has an enormous scope to combine work-based learning with theoretical knowledge of respective disciplines. Amendments made in Apprenticeship Act/Rules during 2014-19 have given scope to link Apprenticeship programme to Education. Further, the UGC taking into consideration the present situation has framed new guidelines to improve the employability of students in the general stream ; to focus on outcome-based learning ; and to promote linkage between the degree programmes and industry. In this regard, the present article will introduce the readers with regard to the programme objectives, scope, duration, credit mechanism, assessment, learning outcome, role of HEIs, roles of Industry Associations, Sector Skill Councils and Board of Apprenticeship Training and lastly, monitoring by UGC. These guidelines have been designed keeping in view the visionary goal set by the NEP, 2020 for holistic development of the students.