Telangana’s Apprenticeship degree courses receive poor response in DOST counselling

Telangana’s Apprenticeship Embedded Degree Programmes received a poor response during the first phase of DOST counselling, with around 55 colleges recording zero admissions. Experts and colleges cited inadequate industry partnerships, limited apprenticeship opportunities and concerns over practical learning as major reasons.

Hyderabad: The State government’s ambitious launch of ‘earn while you learn’ degrees, aka Apprenticeship Embedded Degrees Programmes (AEDP), has drawn a blank, with students shunning these courses as around 55 colleges could not attract a single admission in the Degree Online Services Telangana (DOST) first phase counselling.

The government had launched these programmes, assuring students’ skill training, internships and stipends during the course period, in over 100 government and private degree colleges across the State. Of the total 55 degree colleges that failed to attract single admissions, 38 are government degree colleges.

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The Commissionerate of Collegiate Education, which operates the government degree colleges, offered a total of 11,580 seats in the ADEPs in the DOST first phase counselling. However, only 1,379 seats (11.91 per cent) had been allotted. In another 44 colleges, only one student got allotment in these courses. Similarly, out of 2,610 seats in university and private colleges, only 218 seats (8.35 per cent) were allocated.

However, a few degree colleges – Government City College, Nizam College, Veeranari Chakali Ilamma Women’s University – saw 100 per cent seat allotment in some AEDPs such as BA Animation and VFX, BSc Fashion Design & Technology, and BCom Financial Services and Insurance.

Poor allotment rate in several AEDPs reflected students’ choice when it comes to their undergraduate education. Even students who joined these programmes, according to the colleges, are uncertain about whether or not to accept or slide into a regular degree programme.

One of the main reasons for poor allotment in AEDPs is attributed to several colleges not having enough nearby industries or companies for offering apprenticeships. Small-scale industries will not be able to take a large number of students for apprenticeship.

Further, the colleges are of the view that even companies that offer apprenticeship opportunities may use students as low-cost labour instead of providing real learning opportunities. There are chances of students receiving repetitive or non-technical work in the companies.

A senior professor pointed out that AEDPs are easier for engineering, IT, hospitality, healthcare and management programmes, but not for arts, humanities, pure sciences and social sciences, where industries for these streams are fewer and less structured.

Undergraduate admissions

– 38 Government Degree Colleges failed to attract a single student in AEDPs

– Only 1,379 (11.91 per cent) out of 11,580 seats in AEDPs were allotted in the government degree colleges in the DOST first phase counselling.

– Only Government City College, Nizam College and Veeranari Chakali Ilamma Women’s University saw 100 per cent seat allotment in some AEDPs

– 17 private degree colleges could not get a single student

– Out of 2,610 seats in university and private colleges, only 218 seats (8.35 per cent) were allocated to students

– Poor rate allotment reflects students’ preference in AEDP

Experts raise concerns over scrapping second language

In a major decision that has raised eyebrows among the academics, the State government has scrapped the second-language component from the AEDPs. Students opting for these programmes will have English and subjects that they have chosen.

Language experts who opposed the move questioned how a course can be conducted without languages. They are of the view that scrapping a second language might violate University Grants Commission norms. Further, they pointed out that students will not be allowed to opt for language specialisation at the PG level if they do not study at the undergraduate level.

Commissioner of Collegiate A Sridevasena said the course structure for the AEDPs was designed by the University Grants Commission as part of its 2018 regulations, which details what has to be taught in the first, second and third year of the programme.