Pune: Maharashtra Government Implements Mandatory Internships for Degree Students

Pune, 6th March 2024: Following the National Education Policy 2020, internships have been mandated for students pursuing degree courses. The Maharashtra State Government’s departments will facilitate job training opportunities for students, and the policy governing this initiative has been outlined by the Department of Higher and Technical Education.

To implement this directive, instructions have been issued to establish an ‘Internship Cell’ at both university and college levels for student job training. Draft guidelines have been prepared by the Department of Higher and Technical Education, incorporating feedback from various government departments to provide students with opportunities for job training within government departments. A dedicated website developed by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) will showcase information about vocational training vacancies in government departments, and students will be selected for these positions.

Government departments will appoint coordinators to facilitate student work training. The determination of whether the training is full-time or part-time will be made at the departmental level. The selection process for students undergoing job training will be decided by the respective department, with a seven-day application period and ten days for the selection process. Selected students are expected to commence their internship within seven days, with the training duration set at a maximum of six months.

Any on-the-job training exceeding six months must be discussed with the university and implemented as a special research project, and a supervisor appointed by the department will oversee the extended training period. The supervisor will collaborate with the internship cell of the relevant university or college, providing guidance and evaluation throughout the internship. After the completion of the internship, the supervisor will assess and provide credit, and the student’s work report will be submitted to the university or college. Additionally, it has been specified that the supervisor will seek feedback from students on their work experiences.

Pune, 6th March 2024: Following the National Education Policy 2020, internships have been mandated for students pursuing degree courses. The Maharashtra State Government’s departments will facilitate job training opportunities for students, and the policy governing this initiative has been outlined by the Department of Higher and Technical Education.

To implement this directive, instructions have been issued to establish an ‘Internship Cell’ at both university and college levels for student job training. Draft guidelines have been prepared by the Department of Higher and Technical Education, incorporating feedback from various government departments to provide students with opportunities for job training within government departments. A dedicated website developed by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) will showcase information about vocational training vacancies in government departments, and students will be selected for these positions.

Government departments will appoint coordinators to facilitate student work training. The determination of whether the training is full-time or part-time will be made at the departmental level. The selection process for students undergoing job training will be decided by the respective department, with a seven-day application period and ten days for the selection process. Selected students are expected to commence their internship within seven days, with the training duration set at a maximum of six months.

Any on-the-job training exceeding six months must be discussed with the university and implemented as a special research project, and a supervisor appointed by the department will oversee the extended training period. The supervisor will collaborate with the internship cell of the relevant university or college, providing guidance and evaluation throughout the internship. After the completion of the internship, the supervisor will assess and provide credit, and the student’s work report will be submitted to the university or college. Additionally, it has been specified that the supervisor will seek feedback from students on their work experiences.

In the implementation of vocational training, as mandated by the National Education Policy, emphasis will be placed on prioritizing students from nearby colleges about department offices. It has been clarified that tuition stipends for work training will not be directly provided; however, to incentivize students with special skills, relevant departments are encouraged to make decisions at their discretion and establish provisions accordingly. The Higher and Technical Education Department will organize a workshop for government departments to collaboratively decide on activities for government job training. This information will be made available on the website of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).

Dr Nitin Karamalkar, Chairman of the National Education Policy Implementation Steering Committee, expressed, “As per the National Education Policy, vocational training is obligatory for students. The committee had previously highlighted the absence of facilities for vocational training in government departments. It is commendable that the government is now formulating a policy to provide vocational training opportunities in government departments. This initiative will facilitate students in easily gaining on-the-job training experiences.”