The University Grants Commission (UGC) has called for input and suggestions from stakeholders regarding its draft guidelines for the apprenticeship-embedded degree programme. This programme aims to allow undergraduate students at Higher Educational Institutions to incorporate apprenticeship training into their degree coursework in accordance with the guidelines.
In a post on the microblogging platform X, the UGC invited stakeholders to provide their feedback via a Google form within 30 days of the guidelines’ publication.
The UGC highlighted the need to close the gap between classroom education and industry demands, stating that “competencies required by industry should be integrated into university curricula to reduce the education-to-employment gap. Apprenticeships play a significant role in achieving this,” according to the draft documents.
The guidelines further specify that employers eligible to take on apprentices must have at least four employees, and those with 30 or more employees will be required to do so. During each financial year, establishments must engage apprentices within a range of 2.5% to 15% of their workforce, with at least 5% of apprenticeship opportunities reserved for fresh graduates and those holding skill certificates.
Additionally, the guidelines call for the establishment of regional boards of apprenticeship or practical training in Chennai, Kanpur, Mumbai, and Kolkata, under the Government of India, to implement the national apprenticeship training scheme in these regions.
For more information, stakeholders are encouraged to consult the official UGC documents.
