Engineering students in Karnataka to pursue 3 internships from 2021-22 academic year

From the 2021-22 academic year, engineering students in Karnataka will have to do three internships instead of one during their course of study. This is in line with the new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. 

Students will have to pursue one after first year (three-week duration), another after second year (four weeks) and the last during the seventh semester (24 weeks). As per a report published in Times of India, the college can also divide the students into two groups in the seventh semester. For instance, 50 per cent will go for internship in the seventh semester and resume classes in the eighth and the other 50 per cent will be on campus in the seventh semester and intern in the next.  

The first summer internship will be within the institution. In the second one, students will have to work with industries, government bodies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) among others in areas related to their interests or streams. 
The third internship can either be with the industry or involve research at centres for excellence set up in colleges, universities or companies.  

“All industries will accept students because they will have intelligent, confident, high-quality manpower with them for six months. The Karnataka government is working on connecting corporates to offer internships with stipends. It is also working on a portal for mapping students with industries...Financially strong students can also pursue internships in companies abroad,” said Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) vice-chancellor Karisidappa. 
He said many points mentioned in NEP have already been implemented in the university since 2018. Students have to pursue ability enhancement courses as well as universal human values.  

While these courses are mandatory in the first two semesters, students can also choose one from the options provided in third to sixth semesters. Open elective courses will also include multidisciplinary ones, those on NCC, yoga, sports, music and fine arts, etc. Students in fourth semester will have to compulsorily learn the subject, biology for engineers. 
Unlike the present system where students have to earn 175 credits, they will have to earn 160 credits. Students can earn 18-20 extra credits to pursue honours degree. They can also get a minor degree in a stream of their interest by pursuing additional courses to earn extra 18-20 credits. 
Read more: 

• 60 engineering colleges in Karnataka may offer Bsc (Hons) course from this year 
• AICTE asks 5 engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu to wind up operations 
• VTU withdraws affiliation of 6 engineering colleges