The University Grants Commission is all set to release draft guidelines for higher education institutions to offer the undergraduate course linked to apprenticeships. Colleges and universities are likely to launch the course in the January-February 2025 academic session.
The course will be offering the apprenticeship embedded degree programme (AEDP), which is aimed at enhancing employability of young graduates. The University Grants Commission (UGC), in a meeting on October 3, considered the guidelines that will be opened for public consultation and stakeholder comments in some days.
The guidelines for the new course have been developed in line with the new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which envisages bridging the academia-industry gap. “The draft UGC guidelines for the AEDP is a significant step towards enhancing the employability of youth. The guidelines aim to improve the employability of undergraduate students by integrating apprenticeships into their degree programmes. Students acquire experiential learning alongside theoretical knowledge by formally embedding apprenticeships within degree curricula, equipping them with the competencies employers seek. We urge all eligible universities and colleges to offer this course to their students,” said UGC chairperson Prof M Jagadesh Kumar.
Here is all you need to know about the draft guidelines:
- All higher education institutions recognised by the UGC, meeting specific requirements – such as desired NAAC score or NIRF rank – are eligible for offering the degree course with apprenticeship.
- Institutions can schedule apprenticeships from the second semester to maximum 50% of the duration of the programme.
- As part of the degree programme, a single internship should be for at least one semester, along with curriculum design and credit mechanisms for credit transfer.
- The credit system is established based on training hours. Credits will be awarded as per the National Credit Framework: 30 hours training will be equal to one credit. This means that a one-year apprenticeship equals to a minimum of 40 credits.
- The draft rules outline a comprehensive assessment strategy involving evaluation by the industry, faculty mentors and the institutions.
- Universities and colleges offering the course are “expected to monitor the progress of students after completing AEDPs to assess the effectiveness of the programmes”.
- The guidelines also mandate a tripartite agreement between the higher education institution, the industry, and the student.
Why the need for this new course
In July 2020, the UGC released guidelines enabling higher education institutions to offer apprenticeship to UG students. These guidelines, developed in line with the NEP, suggested that there is a need to bridge the gap between “what is taught in the classroom” and “what is required by industry”.
The guidelines stated that apprenticeship has a considerable role to play in bridging this gap. Across the world, apprenticeship is considered the preferred and structured training for exposure to real working environments.
It combines work-based learning with theoretical knowledge of related disciplines. Through apprenticeship, students can actively engage with the practical side of learning.
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