UGC approves guidelines for short-term skill development courses

Source: The post is based on the article “UGC approves guidelines for short-term skill development courses” published in “The Hindu” on 8th December 2023

Why in the News?

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has approved draft guidelines for the “Introduction of Short-Term Skill Development Courses in Higher Educational Institutes”.

Note- The guidelines have been framed in line with the National Credit Framework (NCrF) and the National Education Policy, 2020

What is the Aim behind these Short-Term Skill Development Courses?

These short term skilled courses aims to: 1) Enhance employment opportunities; 2) Bridge skill gaps and 3) Equip students with practical skills.

What are the key Draft Guidelines?

1) Eligibility: Anyone who has passed the Senior Secondary examination (10+2) or its equivalent is eligible for admission to the short-term courses.

2) Credit-linked Courses: HEIs can offer short-term skill courses with minimum 12 and maximum 30 credits in various fields.

3) Course Offerings: Courses can be offered in areas like AI, robotics, IoT, Data Science, Cloud Computing, e-commerce management; FinTech among others.

4) Intake: The maximum intake of students shall not exceed 60 for each cohort, with a minimum faculty-student ratio of 1:30. 

5) Center for Skill Development: HEIs will establish a dedicated center to oversee these courses, focusing on local job requirements and industry needs.The center can be established independently or in collaboration with industry partners.

6) Collaboration: Institutes may collaborate with the relevant Sector Skills Councils/Awarding Bodies and industries to gain credibility, access to placement opportunities, funding schemes and training, and ensure up-to-date course content.

What is the University Grants Commission(UGC)?

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