AICTE releases guidelines to integrate apprenticeship training into engineering and diploma programmes in India

A file photo of students of Bosch Vocational Center, in Bengaluru. Apprenticeship training aims to ensure students gain practical skills alongside theoretical knowledge.
| Photo Credit: K Murali Kumar.

With an aim to integrate apprenticeship training into engineering degree and diploma programmes, to ensure students gain practical skills alongside theoretical knowledge, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has released Apprenticeship Embedded Degree/Diploma Programme (AEDP) guidelines.

According to the guidelines, the permissible embedded apprenticeship is a minimum of two semesters for engineering degree and one semester for diploma. The maximum duration of apprenticeship should be as per the decision taken by the institute or university, but a maximum of four semesters for engineering and three semesters for diploma.

Earlier, it was six months apprenticeship for engineering courses, and three months for diploma courses.

Why this initiative

Technical industries such as information technology (IT), automotive, power, manufacturing and construction are at the forefront of innovation and technological advancements. Apprenticeships in these sectors expose individuals to cutting-edge technologies and practices, preparing them for careers in rapidly evolving industries.

“According to a survey by NASSCOM in 2019, India produces 15 lakh engineering graduates every year, but only 2.5 lakh of them succeed in getting jobs in the core engineering industry. In another survey by Aspiring Minds, 80% of Indian engineers were unemployed in 2019”AEDP guidelines

Further, it states that a major reason for employability challenges is that many graduates are not skilled enough to work in the engineering sector after completing their graduation. “To make students industry-ready, degree apprenticeships combine learning and on-the-job training, with the potential to earn while one learns. As per the evaluation studies conducted by NITI Aayog, 79% of the apprentices got employment after successful completion of one year of apprenticeship training,” the guidelines state.

Additional credits

Implementation of AEDP is aimed at enhancing employability avenues of students, promote active linkage between the higher educational institutions and industries, while allowing students to get stipend.

Students get an additional credits from this programme. As per the National Credit Framework (NCF), 30 hours of training correspond to one credit. Apprenticeship training for a duration of one year (1,200 hours) would correspond to 40 credits, and a 6-month (600 hours) apprenticeship corresponds to 20 credit.

S. Vidyashankar, Vice-Chancellor of Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), told The Hindu, “AEDP guidelines are important for the skill development of students. The engineering courses curriculum for the year 2025-26 is being revised. All the aspects of the guidelines will be implemented.”