UGC asks universities to implement apprenticeship embedded degree programme
Under the AEDP, undergraduate students will be required to complete apprenticeships as an integral part of their degree curriculum
NEW DELHI: The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Monday asked higher education institutions (HEIs) to implement Apprenticeship Embedded Degree Programme (AEDP) guidelines for undergraduate students to enable them to pursue apprenticeship and gain practical skills along with their studies from the upcoming academic session starting July 2025.
“The major objectives of AEDP are to enhance the employability of students, focus on outcome-based learning, promote active linkage between higher educational institutions and industries and bridge the skill gap in the industries,” UGC secretary Manish Joshi said in the notice.
The higher education regulator also released its guidelines on ADEP on Monday.
According to the guidelines, colleges and universities are allowed to integrate apprenticeships or real-world job training into regular degree courses to make students job-ready.
Under the AEDP, undergraduate students will be required to complete apprenticeships as an integral part of their degree curriculum. UGC has established a structured credit system, granting students 10 academic credits for a three-month apprenticeship.
Any HEI can offer an AEDP programme if it meets any of the conditions: a ranking in the university category of the latest National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), a valid grade or score from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), or a valid basic accreditation by the NAAC while complying with the UGC’s specified criteria.
HEIs can collaborate with companies to facilitate apprenticeships, with stipends in line with the Apprentices Act, 1961, and the Apprenticeship Rules, 1992. They can also implement the AEDP through the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS) portal, where stipends will be government-funded in partnership with the Board of Apprenticeship Training (BOAT) or the Board of Practical Training (BOPT).
Students in a three-year undergraduate (UG) course must complete a minimum of one semester and up to a maximum of three semesters of apprenticeship, while those in a four-year UG course are required to complete at least two semesters and can undertake up to four semesters.
RPL Guidelines
On Tuesday, UGC also released guidelines for the implementation of recognition of prior learning (RPL), a formal mechanism used to evaluate a person’s existing knowledge, skills, and experience gained through formal, non-formal, or informal learning, for seamless integration with higher education qualifications. The assessment methods for getting credits include portfolios, interviews, practical demonstrations, written exams, and reflective journals.
“The RPL process can help individuals acquire a formal qualification that matches their competencies (knowledge, skills, and abilities), thereby improving their employability, mobility, lifelong learning, and self-esteem. For India, RPL represents a disruptive innovation that could significantly contribute to improving the gross enrolment ratio (GER) in higher education,” the guidelines said.
NEP 2020 targets to increase GER in higher education, including vocational education to 50% by 2035.