
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has directed colleges to engage students as interns in their ongoing projects. In a guideline issued today, the commission has also suggested delaying the internship period, shortening the duration of the internship as well as providing online or digital internships to students among other suggestions.
While announcing a revised academic calendar earlier, UGC had asked institutes to change the timeline for assignments, project work, internship, and dissertation from June 1 to June 15 and announce summer breaks from June 16 to June 30. In addition to this, the UGC has suggested institutes to “allow the students to take up ‘online internships or activities’ including the activities that can be carried out digitally or otherwise from home. Engage them to work as interns on ongoing projects; delay the start date for the internship; reduce the period of internship clubbing with assignments etc ”
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These guidelines, said UGC, are only suggestive, and institutes will have to take a decision depending upon the situation in their respective areas and keeping the health of students as a priority.
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The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has also tweaked its rule of having the last semester as an internship as a one time measure. AICTE had announced to allow only digital or work from home internships for students this year.
“Institutes should instruct their students not to take up any Internships which involves travel, contact with outsiders, etc., however, ongoing internships, where companies are allowing students to work from home, shall continue,” the AICTE had said.
The schools and universities are shut as part of the nationwide lockdown since March 16. The duration or internships or campus placement drives of many institutes and universities has coincided with the lockdown period which will now be ending on May 17.