SHIMLA, 10.09.26-The Higher Education department today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Board of Apprenticeship Training (Northern Region), Kanpur (BOAT-NR) for implementation of Apprenticeship Embedded Degree Programmes (AEDPs) in 16 government degree colleges of the state from the academic session 2026-27.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Education Minister Rohit Thakur between North Zone Director, BOAT-NR, Vivek Kumar on behalf of BOAT-NR and Principals of 16 colleges.

Speaking on the occasion, Rohit Thakur said that this initiative aims to bridge the gap between classroom education and industry requirements by providing students with practical workplace experience along-with a recognised undergraduate degree. He said that the state government was laying special emphasis on skill-based education and strengthening employment opportunities for the youth.

He said that under the AEDPs, students would pursue industry-oriented degree programmes in banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI), logistics and retail operations management. The programmes combine academic learning with a mandatory apprenticeship component of at least six months in an industry, with students being provided a minimum guaranteed stipend of Rs. 10,900 per month. The programme will provide students an opportunity to gain practical workplace experience alongside their academic studies and develop skills relevant to industry requirements.

The Minister said that five AEDP courses have been approved for implementation, while the first phase has commenced with three programmes including B. Commerce, banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI); B.Com. retail operations management and B.Com. logistics in 16 government degree colleges. B.Com. BFSI is being offered in 11 colleges, B.Com. retail operations management in two colleges and B.Com. logistics in three colleges.

He said that the MoU with BOAT-NR would further strengthen industry linkages and facilitate apprenticeship opportunities for students. It would particularly benefit students from rural and economically weaker backgrounds by providing them with workplace exposure, industry-relevant skills and better employment prospects.

In the first year of implementation, 16 Government Degree Colleges have commenced AEDPs with 685 students enrolled across the three programmes and more would be enrolled in the coming years. The initiative is being supported through collaboration among colleges, universities, BOAT-NR and CRISP for industry linkages, apprenticeship opportunities, training and placement support.

Himachal Pradesh is the third state in the country after Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan to implement such apprenticeship-embedded degree programmes. Rohit Thakur said that the encouraging response to AEDPs would encourage the department to consider extending the programmes to more colleges in the coming years. The possibility of introducing apprenticeship-embedded programmes in other undergraduate streams such as BA and B.Sc. would also be examined to provide more students access to skill-based education.

The Minister said that the state was also running B.Voc programmes in Retail Management and Tourism and Hospitality in 21 government colleges and in view of their encouraging placement outcomes, the government has decided to expand these programmes to 25 more colleges. Students from Himachal Pradesh have secured placements with reputed national and international companies, reflecting the growing potential of skill-oriented higher education.

He said that the state government was striving towards excellence in education through a series of reforms aimed at improving the quality of learning, strengthening skill-based education and creating better opportunities for students. These initiatives have also brought various recognitions to the state and are contributing towards the goal of making Himachal Pradesh a model state in education.

Secretary Education Rakesh Kanwar presented the vote of thanks. He said that the MoU would go a long way in opening new avenues for students by providing them with practical exposure, industry-oriented skills and greater employment opportunities.