Gujarat University’s plan to send Semester 3 undergraduate students for industry internships under NEP 2020 has run into confusion, with college principals demanding that internships lead to meaningful employment opportunities.
At a meeting held on Wednesday, principals urged the state government and its departments to help arrange suitable internships for more than 30,000 students. They stressed that placements should be relevant and career-oriented, rather than assigning commerce and arts students to grocery stores or dairy parlours. Several principals also raised concerns over accountability in case of accidents during internships.
According to GU officials, 10,800 arts, 27,000 commerce and 2,500 science students must be placed for internships starting December 6. Each student is required to complete 120 hours of industry exposure.
The meeting was aimed at assessing colleges’ preparedness to find appropriate placements. Principals said sourcing internships for commerce and science students was relatively easier, while the biggest challenge lay in securing meaningful roles for arts students. Some institutions noted that the university should have begun preparations earlier and collaborated with the state’s employment bureau, similar to earlier initiatives by the Knowledge Consortium of Gujarat.
“It is not the college’s job to find internships, and the university isn’t connected with all industries,” a principal said, adding that internships should ideally lead to jobs. Another asked who would be responsible if a student is injured while working in risky conditions.
GU officials assured colleges of support in securing proper industry exposure and said another meeting is likely on Thursday. They added that internships are critical for practical learning and that colleges will also be encouraged to offer internships to Semester 6 students.
Principals urge state to help secure suitable placements for students