DU Treads Towards Holistic Education, Will Roll Out Paid Internships For UG & PG Students

In today’s scenario, having a good degree is not enough to secure a lucrative job offer as companies demand hands-on experience in the relevant field even from freshers. This work experience is as important as a degree in order to build a successful career. Understanding the importance of internships, DU is all set to start a paid internship scheme from the current academic year for students of undergraduate and postgraduate of all courses. This initiative called the Vice Chancellor Internship Scheme (VCIS) is in line with the National Education Policy. The scheme is intended to impart the required skills through an integration of theoretical knowledge with experiential learning.

DU paid internships: Important Details

As per the official document on VCIS, the following are the important details of the internship scheme:

There would be two kinds of internship-regular and summer internships.
The proposed number of interns in both categories is 200.
All the full-time students of the University of Delhi enrolled in any course-undergraduate and postgraduate would be eligible to apply.
Summer internship offered during summer vacation will be of 8 weeks with flexible 15-20 hours per week while internship during the academic session may contain a flexible 8 - 10 hours per week.
VCIS can be availed by a student only once during a course of study at the University of Delhi.
The selection of students would be based on an interview.
The scheme shall be facilitated by the office of the Dean of Student’s Welfare.
The internship will be available throughout the year based on the requirements of the various departments and institutes of the University of Delhi.

Duration and Incentives under VCIS

The maximum period of internship shall not exceed six months from the date of joining, under any circumstances.
The stipend for the internship shall be INR 5000 per month for regular interns and INR 10,000 per month for summer interns. The stipend would be enhanced by 5% every financial year.
The students would receive a certificate from the Dean of Students' Welfare at the end of the internship tenure subject to the appraisal report from the concerned employing Department/Centers/Institutes.

'Samagra Shiksha' through internships

Commenting on the internship opportunity for students, Professor Yogesh Singh, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Delhi said, “The scheme is a unique experience in helping students broaden their mental faculties by learning skills and inculcating a sense of responsibility towards the university system. It is a method to intertwine holistic knowledge with the innovative avenues of earning while learning the nitty gritty of academics and administration.”

VCIS seems to be a great opportunity for students that will be helpful in transforming themselves into skilled individuals and shall widen their spectrum of opportunities when applying for jobs after college.

Shreeya Thakur

Sr. Associate Content Writer at Unstop

I am a biotechnologist-turned-content writer and try to add an element of science in my writings wherever possible. Apart from writing, I like to cook, read and travel.