New Delhi, 13 May 2022: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has announced that all undergraduate students in recognized Indian universities will have to complete a compulsory UGC-UG research internship for a period of 8 to 10 weeks. These internship programs intend to focus on the employability of students and help them inculcate research acumen.
UGC-UG Research Internship – Overview
| Period of Research Internship | 8 to 10 weeks |
| Major aims | Employability and development of research acumen |
| Number of hours | 450 hours |
| Number of credits | 10 |
UGC-UG Research Internship – Aims
- UGC’s initiative to make research internships compulsory at the undergraduate level is aligned with the idea of a self-reliant India.
- Such training will further enhance the integration of research, innovation, and technology development.
- An introduction of research internships at the undergraduate level is expected to play a pivotal role in promoting inter-disciplinary, multi-disciplinary, transdisciplinary, and translational research culture, which is a major component of the National Educational Policy (NEP).
UGC-UG Research Internship – Details
- Students will be assigned a research supervisor either from the same institution or other Higher Education Institutions (HEI).
- The internship will be for a specified duration at the research facility of the supervisor to conduct a time-bound internship project.
- Students pursuing a research internship will be given hands-on training in research tools, techniques, methodologies, types of equipment, and learn other aspects of quality research.
- Students will be allowed to gain research experience by working with faculty and scientists in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), research institutes, industrial research labs, nationally-reputed organizations, and professionals distinguished in specific fields like draftsmen, artisans, musicians, artists, choreographers, etc.
UGC-UG Research Internship – Timeline
- The duration of internships will be eight to ten weeks and will have to be undertaken after the second or fourth semester.
- It will be compulsory for students to complete 450 hours of internships.
- These internships will comprise 10 credits and will be mandatory for students wanting to exit with a certificate or diploma.
- For a research internship, 1 credit implies a minimum of 45 hours of engagement in internship activities in a week (an engagement of 450 hours is needed to gain the assigned credits).
- For students who want to quit their Four Year Undergraduate Program (FYUP) after two years with a certificate or a diploma, it will be mandatory to have completed one research internship at the end of the second or the fourth semester.
- In the case of students who want to complete their four years of the Four Year Undergraduate Program (FYUP), they will have the option of completing their second internship of 10 weeks at the end of their fourth semester or the second year of the FYUP.
- Additionally, UGC has also proposed respective Higher Education Institutes (HIEs) to offer Research Ability Enhancement Courses (REAC) which would be worth 10 credits. These courses will be offered during the 7th semester as pre-requisite courses for 4-year degree (research) students.
- After the completion of the internship, students will then submit an internship report, of which one copy will be given to the host organization and the other to the parent Higher Education Institute (HEI).
UGC-UG Research Internship – Evaluation Process
- The internship progress of students will be monitored and assessed by the assigned Research Internship Supervisor from the parent institute.
- Evaluation will be carried out by the supervisor for the parent organization and through seminar presentation/viva-voce at the Higher Education Institute (HEI), for which a group of experts including the supervisor would assign marks.
- The interns will be evaluated by the research internship supervisor based on their sincerity and research output.
- Students will also be assessed by the parent Higher Education Institute (HEI) on the following three aspects:
- Activity logbook and evaluation report of the internship supervisor
- the formats of the presentation
- The quality of the intern’s report
- Skillsets
- Original and innovative contribution.
UGC-UG Research Internship – Online Portal
- A centrally-operated portal will also be introduced soon to facilitate Internship Provider Organisation (IPO) to implement the following:
- Offer internships as per eligibility conditions
- Help students search for internships of their choice
- Enable allotment of internships
- Manage records and feedback
- Students will apply for research internships on their own or through the faculty mentor of their parent Higher Education Institute (HEI) by registering at the research internship portal.
- After registering and applying for internships, students will be selected by parent institutes based on their selection criteria.
- The parent institute will inform the potential intern through the portal or through the mail and will seek acceptance confirmation.
- After that, students will receive permission from the parent institution and join it.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What will be the duration of the research internship that has to be undertaken during graduation?
The duration of the research internship to be undertaken during graduation will be 8 to 10 weeks.
How many hours do I need to devote to the research internship?
A candidate needs to devote 450 hours to complete the research internship.
Who will supervise me during the research internship program?
Students will be assigned a research supervisor either from the same institution or other Higher Education Institutions (HEI).
How may I apply for the research internship program?
Students will apply for research internships on their own or through the faculty mentor of their parent Higher Education Institute (HEI) by registering at the research internship portal, which will be activated soon.
