In order to improve undergraduates' employability, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has established extensive guidelines for internships or research internships. UGC has instructed all higher education institutions (HEIs) to aggressively implement the internship guidelines in order to prepare students for the workforce and stimulate a strong interest in research, with the goal of bridging the gap between academia and industry.
These guidelines, which are in line with the transformative initiatives outlined in the National Education Policy (NEP), were released on the official UGC website with the goal of fostering competency, capability, and confidence. The UGC placed a strong emphasis on the value of exposing students to real-world experiences, which is essential to enhancing their employability in general.
Students can gain invaluable experience in learning that is in line with their interests through internships, which also help with skill acquisition and personal growth. At the HEI level, the UGC envisions a strong system that makes use of Research and Development (R&D) Cells to organise and support internships in a range of subject areas. According to a letter from UGC to all college principals and vice-chancellors of universities, adhering to internship guidelines can assist students "in generating competency, capability, professional working skills, expertise, and confidence."
"The NEP envisages several transformative initiatives in higher education. These initiatives include providing opportunities to students for internships with local industry, businesses, artists, crafts persons, etc., as well as research internships with faculty and researchers at their own or other HEIs/research institutions so that students may actively engage with the practical side of their learning and, as a by-product, further improve their employability," UGC noted in its letter announcing the new internship guidelines.
