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The world of higher education is experiencing a tectonic shift. Increasing technological advancement, rapid changes in job markets, and heightened expectations of employers mean that theory alone does not allow for an easy transition from classrooms to careers.Amidst all of this, the simple concept of "undergraduate internships" continues to rise as an important "between-the-classroom-and-the-world" connector.. Yet many of these institutions referred to as "internships" remain optional, rather than compulsory.

Overall, to meet contemporary challenges, it is necessary for higher education institutions to employ internships, in some form, as compulsory for all undergraduate courses. Such a shift not only meets  "the challenge of a long-dividing industry academia gap,"but greatly increases overall graduate employability versus their non-engaged, non-internship course contemporaries. This article discusses the need for all undergraduate courses to have a compulsory internship component, what students might benefit from as well as the obstacles to be overcome, and then provides a plan to thoughtfully implement a compulsory internship into an undergraduate academic landscape.

Addressing the Industry Academia Gap 

The industry academia gap in higher education is one of the most pressing issues facing postsecondary education today. While an industry exhibits a skill gap where students have a degree of academic credentialing, that credential does not lead to the practical skills that employers are looking for. Thus, students may have an overall credential, but they lack theoretically-based critical thinking, the ability to apply knowledge, and practical, work-ready skills.

Universities are focused on students obtaining an academic credential, while employers require a work-ready student. Undergraduate internships are the best way to bridge that gap in credentials and work-ready skills because they place students in position to see industry standards, immerse in corporate culture, and utilize tools and technologies that will provide a foundation for job-specific, real-time skills.

For example:-

•  Control systems are taught in a class for an engineering course and the student will only really understand control systems when they utilize those skills again in an internship at a manufacturing plant. If universities sought to embed an internship concept in every undergraduate course, we would be sure that students would leave with knowledge and experience — thus, shrinking the gap between industry and academia.

• A business student might better understand market dynamics through a marketing internship, just as an engineering student may gain valuable design and prototyping skills in an R\&D internship. These practical experiences bring classroom learning to life, reinforce understanding, and foster critical thinking and adaptability.

 Enhancing Employability Through Practical Experience

Employability is a key concern for graduates and policymakers alike. Employers increasingly value experience alongside qualifications. Internships provide that crucial first experience that potential employers are likely to see on a resume, offering students a competitive edge in job markets flooded with equally qualified candidates.

In a job market that is increasingly saturated, a degree is no longer guaranteed employment. Employers are now looking at candidates who have some demonstrated experience, some flexibility/adaptability, and some workplace competencies. This is where we recognize the importance of employability as it refers to our ability to attain and maintain employment, and grow in our careers regardless of whether a given job or career path is serious or casual work.

Undergraduate internships are a key building block to create employability with students. These invaluable experiences can help students in a myriad of ways: 

1.  Hands-on experience with tools, technologies, and industry-specific methodologies
2.  Exposure to workplace culture, ethics, and professional expectations
3.  Development of transferable soft skills such as teamwork, communication, problem-solving, and time management
4. Insight into job roles, responsibilities, and expectations in various sectors

These experiences allow a graduate to enter a full-time job with confidence and competence. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), graduates with internship experience are more likely to receive job offers and start with a higher salary compared to those without internship experience.Institution-based internships can ensure that all students progresses after college with greater employability, increased readiness, and a better understanding of the job market.

Real-World Learning: Applying Theory in Practice

Undergraduate experiences usually represent the first time students can investigate careers and themselves. Many students embark on their undergraduate experience unaware of what their future career will look like. Internships allow students to consider all of these different roles in different settings, and this exploration of roles and settings may help students clarify their interests and career aspirations.

For example:

* A journalism major intern at a newsagency may learn they prefer digital stories to print ones;

* A biology major intern at a lab may learn that they want to pursue environmental conservation rather than a career in developing pharmaceuticals.

Forcing an internship on students creates opportunities for them to experiment with careers early, rather than late in their educational careers, with the great benefit of shrinking degrees of uncertainty about their post-graduation future, alongside avoiding expensive mistakes i.e. switching careers after they graduate.

Career Clarity and Informed Decision-Making

Most students have a vague notion of their potential study field and career as they begin in a program. Throughout their studies, students often experience doubt, confusion, or even disappointment regarding their study area.

Internships required in undergraduate programs support students to:

• Try out some of the potential career directions
• To see what daily responsibilities look like in different roles
• To consider their interests, strengths, and aptitudes
• To consider for future specialization or postgraduate study

For example, 

1. A psychology student might realize they actually enjoy organizational psychology more than clinical working as an intern in corporate human resources.
2.  A literature student may stumble upon a real interest in development strategy while developing their content strategy knowledge as an intern at a digital marketing firm.

Internships like these give students the confidence and experience needed to make better and informed career decisions before graduation.

Learning Key Professional and Soft Skills

Academic programs often see the development of key soft skills, which are so foundational in the workplace, as not worth developing. Internships provide an arena for students to grow these skills naturally.

These include:

• Communication: Writing professional emails, presenting their ideas, as well as attending and actively participating in meetings
• Teamwork: Working alongside their colleagues, manager, and cross-functional teams
• Time Management: Completing jobs on time while balancing multiple responsibilities
• Leadership and Initiative: Owning their work as professionals and developing solutions to problems
• Problem-Solving: Using creativity to deal with challenges that arises from unexpected events

Such skill sets are essential for career progression and cited by employers as often more important than technical skills. The incorporation of internships into all undergraduate programming allows all students regardless of their major to gain the skills noted above.

Promoting Equal Opportunity and Inclusive Growth

Every year, countless students - particularly those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and/or from less-connected institutions - apply for internships, either by teaching assistants, professors or fellow students. Making internships compulsory for all undergraduate students means that all students have the same level of access to valuable real-world experience - regardless of where they come from or their economic circumstances or location.

Colleges need to develop central internship cells, build relationships with companies, and use online platforms where students can search for and connect with opportunities. This is invaluable and signals to students, employers and their respective institutions of the real value of internships, both in terms of building equitable access to opportunity and showcasing the growing diversity of the workforce.

Encouraging Innovation and Entrepreneurial Mindsets 

Internships, by their nature, present students with challenges that make them aware of the challenges and pain points of customers. Being in a position to actively solve workplace challenges encourages innovation and creative problem solving. Simply going through this process may encourage some students (with a flare for innovation) to start their own tech startup or other entrepreneurial venture.

Making undergraduate internships compulsory supports not only the employment aspirations of individuals but also cultivates environments that encourage entrepreneurial thinking through real-world exposure - contributing to job creation, economic diversification and innovation ecosystems at national scales.

For example:

1.  A computer science student might identify a software need in a logistics firm and later create a startup around it.
2.  A design intern might propose a new branding idea that leads to product success.

Contributions to National Development

A well-trained workforce that is able to enter the field on day one is essential for national advancement. Internships are a support to that process by making sure graduates are skilled and ready to ‘step into the workforce and contribute to the economy’.

Additional national gains will be:

•  Less graduate underemployment and unemployment
• More engagement between education systems and the national economic priorities
•  A greater impetus for youth to engage in things like rural development, public health, research and development, entrepreneurship, and others
• Socially aware, civically engaged contributors to society

Mandatory internships can create more awareness of the real problems and challenges students will face, and often lead to those students wanting to contribute to positive development.

Facilitating a Culture of Lifelong Learning

In the 21st century knowledge economy, higher education will be in a continuous state of evolution in order to not just teach students, but empower them through new meanings of learning that go beyond traditional, sedentary classroom growth. Internships are no longer an option - they are a necessity for students to be better prepared for the real world! Internships provide unparalleled experiential learning, enhance professional development, and help to create motivation for academic learning. In order for educational institutions to truly empower our students, we must mandate internships for all undergraduate academic programs. It is time for post-secondary educational institutions to account for their responsibility to educate and empower.

As we strive to enhance the quality of internships through planning, connection to industry, and government facilitation to increase fairness and accessibility for all students, we truly have an opportunity to develop not just the best graduates, but also the most capable, resilient, informed and future-ready workforce!

As propositions for learning continue to change, learning and learning systems must also keep changing. Graduates today not only need to be educated, they must also be employable, integrated, and skilled in generating a safeguarded future. It is with a bold suggestion that mandatory undergraduate internships are a great opportunity for educating a new generation of empowered students.

By embedding internships as compulsory assessments across undergraduate pathways, we build students that will become engaged, competent, and confident contributors to their workplace and society. To devote ourselves to this approach will likely involve some effort, collaboration, encouragement and even renegotiation, but will ultimately yield outcomes that span benefit across person, workplace, society, labour force and future.

ARTICLE BY - ANANYA AWASTHI 

There is a silent revolution taking place in India's universities. Increasing numbers of young women are being employed straight from college, not only qualified but set on succeeding. As hiring patterns evolve, the number of women filling important corporate posts is slowly rising, especially in stereotypically vocationally regarded as masculine roles. For instance, in Jaipur's JECRC University, women constituted a total of approximately 35% of the placements this year. That's not a figure it's a symbol of diversity and a cultural and structural transition towards a gender-balanced setup in employment and education.

Throughout India, there are more colleges adopting experiential learning models that equip students, particularly women, with skills to address issues in the external world. Courses such as computer science, data analytics, mechanical engineering and finance are no longer male preserves alone. More young women are enrolling in these courses because of inclusive learning settings, structured recruitment training, and exposure to industry projects.

Others believe that this transformation is not fortune. Propelling the same are programs like campus hiring training (CRT) modules of a few months duration in communications, problem-solving, and technical abilities. Most students, especially women from tier-II cities or first-generation graduates, approach uncertain but leave with the will to confront industry titans. Even some universities tie up with platforms like CoCubes and HackerRank to mimic real interview environments.

Practical exposure is also on the cards. Tie-ups with technology firms like AWS and Google Cloud have subjected the students to practical exposures to cloud computing, cyber security, and software development. Such exposures have reduced campus placement drives to ruins, with firms wanting to hire recruits who can deliver value on day one.

Placements in the majority of the colleges are mirror-like. Huge women campuses are being recruited by TCS, Capgemini, Deloitte and KPMG companies from software development, consultancy, operations and analytics domains. It is not limited to metro cities. Increasing numbers of tier-2 city and rural town women students are now commanding fat corporate salaries, normally the first generation to do so.

At HR events and national conferences, recruitment experts also have begun paying attention. These analyses bring to light the way career-readiness training, diversity hiring practices, and mentorship are overcoming centuries-old gender boundaries.

In addition to the statistics, however, is the human dimension. For certain young women, a job offer isn't exactly an offer of employment. It's freedom, it's aspiration and shattering stereotypes. For some families, it's the first experience of business life for the daughter. For others, it's the start of an exhilarating new story, one that gets them from learning to empowerment.

The transformation also defies the standard presumptions concerning what women are capable of performing. In more exposure to leadership courses, research studies, and innovation labs, women students are not only enrolling but also leading.

Since institutions are competing to increase placement numbers even higher, most are now looking to assist women graduates to move on from first-level careers into developing leadership positions. Industry leaders point out that regular mentoring, transparent work cultures and visible role models will be critical to allow momentum to be sustained.

One thing is certain: The transition from boardroom to classroom is no longer a boy's game. Women in India are stepping up, defining the corporate sector and creating a legacy to last generations.

Siksha 'O' Anusandhan, Deemed to be University, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Broadbridge Financial Solutions, the global fintech leader with a strong presence in India's innovation and financial technology sector, to strengthen industry-academia collaboration.

The MoU was exchanged by SOA Vice-Chancellor Prof Pradipta Kumar Nanda and Broadbridge India HR Head Ritu Rakhra in the presence of top leaders from both institutions.

The event also included interactive sessions with students where Broadbridge officials highlighted emerging trends in financial technologies, evolving career opportunities, and evolving skills landscape.

Early career development of Broadbridge is done through campus events, innovation competitions, mentoring, and skilling initiatives. The alliance accords with Broadbridge's aim to prepare professionals of the future with adequate, real-world experience.

The alliance is also a significant step by SOA in further integrating theoretical learning with industry applications. With this alliance, both the institutions aimed at reducing the mismatch between industry needs and academic education by providing experiential learning, exposure to leading-edge technologies, and training on specific subjects.

SOA and Broadbridge will collaborate on the creation of industry-specific training programs through the introduction of updated tools and trends, guest lectures, industry-takeover sessions, and expert guidance sessions while providing students with internship exposure and potential career paths, according to the MOU.

"This is a follow-up of SOA's ongoing attempt to meaningfully engage industry partners and make our students future-ready through experiential learning," said Prof Nanda after signing the MoU.

Ms Rakhra stated that Broadbridge was elated to partner with SOA since the agreement reflected the company's vision of developing talent and stimulating innovation by closely working with institutions of learning.

SOA has actively sought such partnerships in IT and core sectors to empower the students to gain relevant, hands-on skills, stated Mr Ripti Ranjan Dash, Director, Corporate Relations and Industry Engagement at SOA.

"The MoU reiterates our commitment to developing industry-ready professionals through exposure beyond the curriculum," said Mr Dash.

The collaboration, Prof Nanda added, was set to significantly enhance employability among students, enhance applied research, and drive innovation-led learning, becoming an exemplar for successful industry-academia partnership in the region.

"With our intention to combine SOA's academic brilliance with Broadbridge's global exposure to financial technology, we can create a future-proof talent pool, having industry-relevant skills, hands-on experience and a creative mindset," he added.

17-year-old D Rahini has etched history as the first Adi Dravidar Welfare (ADW) school girl from Tiruchy's 17 ADW schools to have been chosen in one of the country's premier National Law Universities (NLU). Disabled and Dalit girl student Rahini has confirmed admission in Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), Nagpur, under second round counselling by CLAT.

Rahini of Government ADW Higher Secondary School, Milaguparai, broke the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) with rank 3,724 in Scheduled Caste and 185 in Persons with Disabilities (PwD). Never having gone beyond marks 300 out of 600 in Class 12, school life with sincerity, honesty, and interest kept hurdles away from her.

Raised by her grandmother following the death of her mother and father who is employed in a small local hotel, Rahini's is a story of persistence. "It is not for me, it's for my whole family," Rahini ticked off the days when she will be paying back those who are having faith in her.

Her achievement was made possible thanks to consistent coaching efforts at her school and financial support through the Tamil Nadu government's Naan Mudhalvan scheme, which will cover her education and hostel expenses.

School headmaster V Paneerselvam expressed immense pride in her accomplishment. “We’ve been offering focused CLAT coaching for the past few years. Rahini’s success is proof of what structured guidance and perseverance can do,” he said.

Rahini is not the sole success. Two other students with disability from Karur's Kottaimedu ADW school, Vishnu V and Akilan M, have been selected for admission in NLU Assam and NLU Odisha too.

The achievement of Rahini was welcomed by an Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department official as a "milestone" for inclusive education in Tamil Nadu, demonstrating what could be accomplished when talent is given the right opportunity.

Karnataka state government will introduce teen education in schools from this academic year. Targeting students between Class 8 to Class 12, the new syllabus will include required topics like consent, personal space, and being able to differentiate between "right touch" and "wrong touch." From 'right touch, wrong touch' to good mental health, a new curriculum with a fearless attitude promises teaching teenagers and giving them confidence.

While often described as controversial, the Congress government is working hard to put the step under the wide umbrella of "adolescent education" to avoid political criticism. The step was taken six months after School Education and Literacy Minister Madhu Bangarappa brought up the idea during the December 2024 session of the Legislative Council.

Today, things have changed. Minister Bangarappa has officially directed the Department of School Education and Literacy to speed up the process of preparing the curriculum. During an interview with Deccan Herald, the Department Commissioner Dr Trilokchandra K V assured that the syllabus is being prepared in the Department of School Education Research and Training (DSERT).

"The curriculum will be teen-sensitive and be crafted to tackle genuine issues that face teenagers—peer pressure, emotional well-being, and healthy relationships," the senior government official stated. The teachers will also be trained on how to deal with these issues appropriately and in a culturally sensitive way.

The move has been greeted with joy by teachers and child psychologists, who state that consent and emotional well-being can be taught young in an effort to protect against abuse, reduce the stigma of sex education, and foster good relationships.

Parents in Karnataka have also been mixed in their response, with the majority of city families hailing the move as "long overdue," while others are hopeful but guarded.

In an era where exposure to the internet begins early, teenage education equips students to study their own development, be considerate of others' space, and ask for help when needed. Karnataka's modest but firm move can well inspire other states eager to raise smart and self-assured future citizens.

The latest hoo-ha regarding Ashoka University and Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad's arrest once again stoked a debate about academic freedom, free speech, and the place of educational institutions in politically charged times. The issue at the very heart of the storm is more profound: Can one be neutral if one speaks for the voices that breathe life into an institution?

Earlier this month, Sanjeev Bikhchandani, co-founder of Ashoka University and prominent Indian entrepreneur, responded to public condemnation by political commentator Yogendra Yadav. Yadav had questioned the university's stance on Mahmudabad's arrest, implying that it was not friendly to academic freedom. Bikhchandani described these allegations as "misguided," and asserted that the university's reaction had been intended to preserve institutional neutrality, rather than silence dissent.

Departmental head Professor Mahmudabad was detained in May 2024 for a post on Facebook criticizing a government briefing by the military. The post, seemingly taking a stand in solidarity with marginalized communities, including Indian Muslims, defied state narratives — and received critical flak. Though later released on interim bail by the Supreme Court, the incident has left a lasting taint on the institution's reputation.

In a statement, Bikhchandani explained that disciplining faculty for individual social media action does not equate to curbing academic freedom. While that stance may find favor with advocates of boundaries between personal activism and institutional congruence, it has found vocal opposition with advocates of unbridled expression.

Ashoka University, better known for its liberal ideology and activist student body, has also been criticized time and time again for so-called "woke" culture and tolerance of activism. From blaming Israel's policies to debating caste privilege, the university campus has time and again found itself amidst scholarship and socio-political commentary. But this is a different story — it challenges the very foundations of what the universities are doing in a democracy.

In his response, Bikhchandani admitted to the seriousness of the pressure he faces. He even considered resigning once, questioning whether the criticism and reputational wear and tear were worth the emotional toll. But then he remains faithful to Ashoka's founding principles — a high-wire balancing act between shielding free thinking and avoiding having the university turn into a political battleground.

The incident has thrown open the gates to questions that impact universities throughout India: Where does one place boundaries between personal expression and institutional responsibility? Do academic institutions need to keep away from the politics of their professors, or is defending them part of their responsibility?

While the debate continues raging, the judgment is yet to be passed. But one thing is sure: this case will settle the fate of academic freedom in India. As nation and world academies hold their breaths, Ashoka University will now have to walk a tightrope — living its commitment to intellectual freedom while staying strong as a neutral, inclusive space.

Because in modern-day India, where freedom of speech is increasingly policed and silence is politicized, the job of a university is not only to educate — it's to be a representation of what an unfrightened society is.