HEIs will be allowed to conduct short-term certificate courses in various skills including soft skills. To realize the full potential of India’s rich demographic dividend, it is essential to equip the young generation with skills in various trades. That is why it has become all the more important to have strong links between academia and industry. Apprenticeship or internship for skill development has a prominent role to play in linking higher education with the requirements of industry and the world of work. This is considered one of the most effective ways to create an “industry fit” skilled workforce for the country. It also provides for industry led, practice-oriented, and outcome-based learning. The UGC has already issued the Guidelines for Higher Education Institutions to offer Apprenticeship/Internship embedded Degree Programme. National Online Platform for Internship in Technical institutes has been created, on which 50,000 students have already registered. These Guidelines will enable the HEIs to bring about a paradigm shift in the general stream degree programmes and embed employability support into the curriculum. The Guidelines will provide an option for HEIs to embed at least one semester of Apprenticeship/Internship to a UG degree programme. The Guidelines also provide flexibility to institutions to opt for any mechanism for the internship/apprenticeship assessment in consultation with commercial or non-commercial organizations or enterprises, offices, industry, industry associations, sector skill councils where the internship/apprenticeship is proposed to be imparted. The AICTE has also launched an Internship Portal for enhancing students’ skills, employability opportunities, and transforming them into an industry suitable workforce. The portal brings together the internship opportunities in the government sector such as in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs of India (MoHUA), National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Indian Railways, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE), Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Corporate Sectors, Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), Start-ups, and research organisations, including the AICTE’s initiatives for imparting Skills and the Enhancement of Employability in Technical Education.

The session on “Skill Development and Employability” focused on various aspects related to vocational education including:

• Explore ways and means for establishing institute-industry connect;
• Trace various models for integrating vocational education into higher education;
• Review the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) for aligning it with the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) to promote student mobility to capitalize international employment opportunities.