Internship must for UG students

For the internships, the universities would allot a minimum of two to four credits out of 120/160 credits of a three-year UG, four-year UG (Honours) or four-year UG (Honours with research).

Hyderabad: Irrespective of the programme of study, undergraduate students have to mandatorily undergo internship after their fourth semester starting this academic year.

For the internships, the universities would allot a minimum of two to four credits out of 120/160 credits of a three-year UG, four-year UG (Honours) or four-year UG (Honours with research).

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The University Grants Commission (UGC) has come out with draft guidelines for internships/research internship for the undergraduate students. A student, as per the guidelines, must undergo 60 to 120 hours duration of internship after the fourth semester. One credit of internship meant two-hour engagement per week.

According to the India Skill Report 2022, 88.6 per cent of graduates were looking for internship opportunities. The internships/research internships have been incorporated to the curriculum to ensure students receive first-hand experience besides aiding them gain work experience prior to completion of their course work. It is also aimed at improving student’s skill, aptitude for specific jobs, building research capability and personality development.

In addition to the internship, students pursuing a four-year UG degree programme (honours with research) must take up dissertations or research projects during the entire eighth semester of 12 credits for the award of the degree. Following submission of research project, dissertations, thesis or project work, students will be evaluated via viva voce.

The internships, according to guidelines, have been classified into two-types – internship for enhancing employability and internship for developing research aptitude. While the internship for enhancing employability is aimed at inculcating research capabilities and skills among students for project development and execution, creative and critical thinking and problem solving abilities, the research internship is aimed at providing hands-on training on research tools, techniques, methodologies, equipment and other aspects.

To facilitate internship for students, the R&D cell in the higher educational institutions have been asked to appoint a coordinator or put a mechanism in place for smooth coordination between the institutions, industries and research organisations