As part of NEP, students will have to earn 160 credits instead of the 175 under the present system
BENGALURU: With the new National Education Policy (NEP) set to be implemented from academic year 2021-22, engineering students joining colleges in the state will have to pursue three internships instead of one that is currently the norm.
The three internships include one after first year (three-week duration), another after second year (four weeks) and the last during the seventh semester (24 weeks).
The college can also split the students into two groups in the seventh semester – 50% will go for internship in the seventh semester and resume classes in the eighth and the other 50% will be on campus in the seventh semester and intern in the next.
The first summer internship will be within the institution. In the second one, students will have to work with industries, government bodies, NGOs and MSMEs among others in areas related to their interests or streams.
The third internship can either be with the industry or involve research at centres for excellence set up in colleges, universities or companies.
“All industries will accept students because they will have intelligent, confident, high-quality manpower with them for six months. The Karnataka government is working on connecting corporates to offer internships with stipends. It is also working on a portal for mapping students with industries…. Financially strong students can also pursue internships in companies abroad,” explained VTU vice chancellor Karisidappa.
He said many points mentioned in NEP have already been implemented in the university since 2018. Students have to pursue ability enhancement courses as well as universal human values.
While these courses are mandatory in the first two semesters, students can also choose one from the options provided in third to sixth semesters.
Open elective courses will also include multidisciplinary ones, those on NCC, yoga, sports, music and fine arts, etc. Students in fourth semester will have to compulsorily learn the subject, biology for engineers.
Unlike the present system where students have to earn 175 credits, they will have to earn 160 credits. Students can earn 18-20 extra credits to pursue honours degree.
They can also get a minor degree in a stream of their interest by pursuing additional courses to earn extra 18-20 credits.
Currently, 40% of marks are derived from internal assessments. Henceforth, 50% of formative assessments and 50% of end-of-semester exams will be used. Formative assessments will be through innovative means, including open-book exams and quizzes among others. Such assessments are conducted in a way to test the learning ability of students.
A blended mode of teaching-digital along with classroom teaching – will be the new focus.
“Train teachers in online teaching. The present generation is excited about online courses. Not all courses can be taught in online mode Colleges have to identify subjects that can be taught by chalk and talk, assignments, online etc, and deliver accordingly” the VC said. A mentoring system with a teacher turning into guide will be in place.
(Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com)