AI Generated Summary
- By replacing a short internship with semester-long workplace exposure, the board hopes diploma graduates will enter the job market with a stronger understanding of industrial practices and greater familiarity with the practical application of the technical skills taught in classrooms.
- Diploma engineering students in six major disciplines will now spend their entire final semester working in industry, with the State Board of Technical Education and Industrial Training introducing a mandatory six-month industrial training programme across government and private polytechnic colleges.
- Since a large number of diploma students enter polytechnic education immediately after Class 10, the board felt that sustained exposure to professional workplaces could help bridge the gap between academic instruction and the requirements of industry.
Diploma engineering students in six major disciplines will now spend their entire final semester working in industry, with the State Board of Technical Education and Industrial Training introducing a mandatory six-month industrial training programme across government and private polytechnic colleges.
The initiative will apply to students studying Computer Science and Engineering, Electronics and Communication Engineering, Information Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Civil Engineering. It will cover 26 government and 61 private polytechnic colleges offering these programmes.
Under the new arrangement, final-semester students will undergo industrial training from January to June instead of following a predominantly classroom-based academic schedule. Students will have to maintain at least 90 per cent attendance during the training period to be eligible for assessment.
The move marks a significant expansion of the practical exposure currently available to diploma students. Until now, students were required to undergo industrial training for about a month after completing their fourth semester.
Officials said the shorter training period offered limited scope for students to understand actual industrial processes or acquire hands-on technical skills. Since a large number of diploma students enter polytechnic education immediately after Class 10, the board felt that sustained exposure to professional workplaces could help bridge the gap between academic instruction and the requirements of industry.
The six-month training has consequently been incorporated into the curriculum itself, allowing students to spend their final semester gaining practical experience in their chosen field.
The proposal was cleared at the 43rd meeting of the board’s Academic Committee in June and will also apply to existing batches pursuing the six identified programmes.
Polytechnic colleges have been asked to arrange placements with organisations whose work corresponds to students’ respective disciplines. These could include companies engaged in manufacturing and production, engineering services, technology solutions and other technical operations.
Dr Jagroop Singh, principal of Mehr Chand Polytechnic College, Jalandhar, said the earlier one-month training period was too short for both students and employers.
Industries, he said, found it difficult to impart substantial technical skills within such a limited period. Making industrial training an integral part of the final semester would give students considerably more time to become familiar with equipment, processes, safety requirements and professional working conditions.
The board has initially chosen the six engineering disciplines because of their high student enrolment and widespread availability across polytechnic institutions. The initiative is expected to be widened subsequently to include more diploma programmes. Polytechnics in the state currently offer 26 diploma-level courses.
Financial support is also being considered to ensure that students are not burdened by the additional cost of travelling to and working at industrial establishments. The proposed assistance could be as high as Rs 5,000 a month towards travel and related expenses, particularly when the host organisation does not offer an adequate stipend.
The support is expected to operate on a differential basis. If an industry, for example, provides a monthly stipend of Rs 3,000, the board could contribute another Rs 2,000, taking the student’s total monthly support to Rs 5,000.
The department also plans to help institutions develop partnerships with industries and technical organisations at the state and regional levels. Such facilitation is expected to be particularly important for polytechnics located in districts where suitable industries and training opportunities are relatively scarce.
By replacing a short internship with semester-long workplace exposure, the board hopes diploma graduates will enter the job market with a stronger understanding of industrial practices and greater familiarity with the practical application of the technical skills taught in classrooms.
