The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Tuesday released draft guidelines that introduce mandatory internships for undergraduate students pursuing various programmes. According to these guidelines, students will receive academic credits for their internship efforts. This move aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) of 2020, which places a strong emphasis on integrating research and internships into the undergraduate curriculum, providing students with opportunities for hands-on experiential learning.
Internship duration
According to the guidelines, an internship lasting 60 to 120 hours becomes mandatory for students after completing the fourth semester in undergraduate degree programmes. Three-year UG degrees, four-year UG degrees (Honors), and four-year degrees (Honors with Research) will strictly adhere to the provisions outlined in NEP-2020, National Higher Education Qualifications Framework (NHEQF), and Curriculum and Credit Framework for Undergraduate Programme (CCFUP).
Credit allocation for internships
The draft guidelines say that a minimum of two to four credits, of the total 120/160 credits required for a three-year degree, four-year degree (Honors), or a four-year UG degree (Honors with Research), can be assigned for internships. These credits are assigned based on the National Higher Education Qualifications Framework (NHEQF) and the Curriculum and Credit Framework for Undergraduate Programs (CCFUP).
Research orientation
The guidelines highlight the importance of inculcating research-oriented competencies in students. To achieve this, they recommend that students undertake Research Ability Enhancement Courses (RAEC) and participate in a research internship project. For those pursuing a three-year UG degree, an internship of 60 to 120 hours is compulsory after the fourth semester. Meanwhile, students in four-year degree programmes will have to undertake a research internship during the eighth semester.
Internship opportunities
While regular internships can be pursued with government or private organisations, non-governmental organisations, enterprises, business organisations, local industries, artists, craftspeople, and similar entities, research internships offer students the opportunity to work with faculty, scientists, mentors in higher education institutions (HEIs), research institutions, universities, industrial research labs, nationally and internationally renowned organizations, farmers, and entrepreneurs, as outlined in the guidelines.
Institutional responsibility
Each Higher Education Institution (HEI) is expected to designate a nodal officer responsible for developing internship verticals that align with the specific needs and demands of the local market. To define these verticals, HEIs should conduct surveys to understand the expectations of companies and students.
Diverse verticals
The guidelines suggest various internship verticals, including trade and agriculture, economy and banking financial, logistics, information technology, art, design, and music, healthcare and life sciences, sports, wellness, physical education, and environment, among others.
Student evaluation
Interns will be evaluated by their research internship supervisors, with assessments based on their efforts and research output. Alternatively, students may also be evaluated through seminar presentations or viva-voce examinations at the HEI.
Click here to read the complete guidelines
The India Skill Report (ISR), 2022 showed a rise in youth employability from 45.97 per cent in 2020 to 46.2 per cent in 2021. Notably, women had an employability rate of 51.44 per cent compared to men at 45.97 per cent for 2021-22. In 2023, commerce undergraduates achieved the highest employability at 60.62 per cent. The report indicated that 88.6 per cent of graduates are actively seeking internship opportunities.
