UGC to release draft guidelines on research internship

All students will undergo a minimum of 450 hours of internship

The University Grants Commission has come up with guidelines for research internship that is envisaged in the National Education Policy 2020. The draft guidelines would be uploaded on its website in a couple of days., an official said

The guidelines have proposed two types of research internships – students may either enhance their employability or develop their research aptitude. Students will have to do internship for a minimum of 20 credits from the 160 credits of a 4-year undergraduate degree programme. Internships of 8-10 weeks of 10 credits after the second and fourth semester will be mandatory for students who wish to exit with a certificate or diploma.

Those who continue with the degree programme may undertake optional research internship after the second/fourth semester to enhance their research capabilities. Such candidates will be engaged as interns in higher educational institutions or research institutions or industrial research and development laboratories.

Each research intern should have completed 450 hours in research activity during the course work. One credit implies a minimum 45 hours of engagement in internship activities in a week, the draft stipulates. Those who wish to gain a diploma or certificate will have to do 10 credits of research internship. Four-year degree students are expected to do 40 credits of research internship which includes courses in research and analytical tools and techniques (10 credits) and dissertation/project work in interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary/trans-disciplinary areas (30 credits).

The guidelines also offers flexibility of doing research internship either in another HEI or the same institution. The intern will be attached to a research supervisor.

It also proposes a centrally managed research internship portal to manage to arrange internships.