In a significant move, there may now be mandatory internships for undergraduate and postgraduate students in Maharashtra. The internships will range from six to twelve weeks for undergraduates and four to six weeks for postgraduates. They will be with public, corporate, or nonprofit organisations.
The government has made a draft detailing the proposal. Vice-chancellors of universities and principals of independent institutions have also been given access to this draft by the government. The government has requested that they share their comments on it.
The proposal is in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, aiming to integrate real-world work experience into the academic curriculum. Universities will then provide these internships.
The current academic year marks the beginning of the phased implementation of the NEP in Maharashtra's higher education institutions.
The government has released a sample NEP-aligned course framework for conventional courses and engineering programmes.
The new structure focuses on flexibility and a multidisciplinary curriculum. It includes extracurricular activities, internships, and skill development courses. Non-autonomous institutions must implement the new framework by the end of the following year.
Internship activities cover a wide range of experiences. These include community participation, academic and industry research projects, entrepreneurship, seminars, industrial training, and cooperation with non-profits, government agencies, and micro, small, and medium-sized businesses.
To support internships, every higher education institution is suggested to create an internship cell. This cell will be staffed by coordinators for students, teachers, and the institute's head, as well as a nodal officer.
After completing their internships, students will be required to prepare extensive papers detailing their learning experiences. These will then be submitted in front of an expert committee.
Share
Tweet
