The Andhra Pradesh government has proposed to constitute a State-level committee and district-level internship coordination committees to ensure effective implementation of the 10-month mandatory internship in the four-year honours programmes introduced by the universities.
The State-level committee will have the Chief Secretary as its chairman and Principal Secretary, Department of Higher Education as Member Secretary, besides 17 members from various departments.
In the district-level committees, the respective Collectors will be the Chairmen, Joint Collector (Village and Ward Secretariat and Development) as Member Secretary, Vice-Chancellors as members and Registrar of the university as Additional Secretary, besides 10 other members nominated by the Chairmen from different sections.
The tenure of the nominated members will be for three years and their role will entail conducting meetings of the committees at least twice a year with local industrialists, service organisations, government departments, agencies and other professionals to explore the possibilities of internships/apprenticeship/on-the-job training, to identify vacancies for internships in public and private organisations, Central and State government departments and empanel professionals, small business establishments and other agencies which can offer internships and to review the effectiveness of the programmes periodically.
“We have constituted committees to redesign the curriculum framework of all under-graduate conventional and professional (engineering) programmes. Based on the panel’s recommendations, we have revised the curriculum and included courses in life skill, skill development and skill enhancement in conventional degree programmes, and skill enhancement electives in the engineering curriculum from the 2020-21 academic year,” said Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE) Chairman K. Hemachandra Reddy, adding that a 10-month mandatory internship period including a two-month community service project is the unique feature.
Three-phase internship
Explaining further, he said students would do their 10-month internship in three phases. A two-month community service project during the intervening summer vacation between the first and the second years would comprise the first phase.
Another two-month internship between the second and third year of study and a six-month (one full semester) either in the fifth or sixth semester would comprise the third and final phase.
Choice Based Credit System
“The internship policy is an impactful strategy for creating a future talent pool for the industries. It is a win-win situation, benefiting the pass-outs and the employers,” said Mr. Reddy, informing that the APSCHE has also prepared a revised Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) curriculum with the help of prominent academicians to produce competent employable graduates that the industry needs.
