AICTE proposes mandatory internship for engineering students

According to AICTE's draft internship policy and guidelines, engineering students will have to undertake mandatory internship of 600 to 700 hours during their four-year BTech programme from the current academic session. On the other hand, students pursuing diploma level engineering programmes will be required to complete 450-500 hours of internship.

Basis the guidelines, engineering students will have the option to either choose a full-time internship or part-time one. The internship programmes will commence from the second semester and students will be able to undertake full internship in the summer vacations. Students can undertake part-time internships anytime of the year, during their academic session.

In its draft guidelines, AICTE proposed, " A minimum of 14-20 credits of internship/entrepreneurial activities/project work/seminar and inter/intra institutional training may be counted toward BTech degree programme and 10-16 credits for three year diploma programme".

The council has also proposed to make one credit equivalent to minimum 40-45 hours of work. With this, a full time intern will be able to spend 40-45 hours a week on internship, project work, training, seminar and other activities which will result in 600-700 hours of total internship for BTech students and 450-500 hours of internship for diploma students.

AICTE's draft guideline states that soon after summer vacations, students will have to be involved in involved in inter/intra institutional activities. This includes training with higher education institutions or soft skill training organised by the training and placement cell of the respective institutions.

Once the fourth-sixth semester concludes, students would be able to opt for entrepreneurial activities as part of the internship programme.

In the last (eighth) semester, students can choose to tale up project work and seminar based on their curriculum.

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