The state Higher Education Department has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Board of Apprenticeship Training (Northern Region), Kanpur for the implementation of the programmes. The initiative is aimed at strengthening industry linkages and improving the employability of students through workplace training alongside their degree courses.
Under the programme, students will be required to complete at least six months of apprenticeship training in an industry. They will also receive a minimum guaranteed stipend of Rs 10,900 per month during the apprenticeship component.
Courses Offered Under AEDP
The first phase will focus on three undergraduate programmes:
- B.Com in Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI)
- B.Com in Retail Operations Management
- B.Com in Logistics
B.Com BFSI is being offered in 11 colleges, while Retail Operations Management is available in two colleges and Logistics in three colleges. A total of 685 students have enrolled in these programmes in the first year of implementation.
Education Minister Rohit Thakur said the initiative is intended to bridge the gap between classroom education and industry requirements by giving students exposure to real-world workplaces while they pursue a recognised undergraduate degree. The programme is also expected to particularly benefit students from rural and economically weaker backgrounds by improving access to industry-oriented skills and employment opportunities.
Himachal Pradesh To Expand Programme
According to the state government, five AEDP courses have been approved, with three introduced in the first phase. The government is also considering extending the model to BA and BSc programmes and expanding Bachelor of Vocational (BVoc) courses to more colleges.
Himachal Pradesh has become the third state, after Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, to implement apprenticeship-embedded degree programmes, according to the education minister. The initiative will involve collaboration between colleges, universities, BOAT-NR and other organisations for industry linkages, apprenticeship opportunities, training and placement support.
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