Calicut varsity to devise guidelines for internship under FYUGP

The University of Calicut (CU) is planning to devise guidelines for the internship component under the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUGP).

This follows concerns raised by a section of academics and students who claimed recently that there were no clear directions and a well-defined procedural framework for the purpose. Vice-Chancellor (V-C) P. Raveendran, while addressing the media recently, said that steps would be taken soon to issue the guidelines.

Earlier, in a letter to Mr. Raveendran, P. Rasheed Ahammed, Syndicate member, said that there was confusion due to the lack of explicit guidelines related to internship selection, supervision, documentation, and the respective roles and responsibilities of the students and academic departments. This has resulted in uncertainty, stress, and inconsistency, particularly at the end of the fourth semester when the academic workload is already intense.

As per the CUFYUGP Regulations 2024, the students are required to complete 60 hours of internship to earn two credits. The internship carries 50 marks and has to be completed before the end of the sixth semester. The regulations also permit the use of summer vacations and other holidays. Although the Kerala Higher Education Council has announced an empanelment list and a centralised internship registration portal in collaboration with Keltron, ASAP, and various private sector organisations, the facilities are yet to be made available.

Mr. Ahammed pointed out that the first batch of FYUGP students is about to complete their fourth semester by March. The regulations for the FYUGP in the university stipulate that the internship must be conducted under the supervision of a faculty member, scientist, or instructor from the host institution, necessitating external supervision. However, no mechanism has been provided to facilitate this requirement. As a result, students have already lost one summer vacation after the second semester and are likely to lose the upcoming summer vacation as well, due to systemic delays and administrative failure, Mr. Ahammed claimed.

Completing the internship during the regular academic year would be difficult due to the heavy academic schedule, the requirement of continuous supervision, and the need to adjust routine academic workloads, which may hinder the effective implementation of the FYUGP internship component. Further, the lack of clear guidelines makes it challenging for students to plan and complete the internship within the stipulated time. This uncertainty affects not only academic performance but also the core purpose of the internship, which is to promote practical learning and skill enhancement, he said.