KOCHI: Kerala’s implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) is running into two serious challenges — too few internship opportunities for lakhs of students and the growing risk of fake internship certificates.
Under the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUGP), students are required to complete a four to six-week internship. But with over 3.53 lakh students enrolled in arts and science colleges under Kerala’s four major universities in 2022-23 alone, questions are mounting over where these students will find placements. The problem is not just about numbers but the absence of an ecosystem to support the policy, according to academics.
“There has been no detailed study on how to accommodate nearly four lakh students,” says Dr Lakshmi Sukumar, academic coordinator of FYUGP at the University of Kerala.
“Students are expected to find internships linked to their major or minor subjects, but many disciplines simply do not have enough firms to absorb them,” says Dr Lakshmi.
Unlike major industrial hubs such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad or Pune, Kerala has a small number of firms offering structured internship opportunities. Most industries are concentrated in urban centres, putting students from remote colleges at a disadvantage. For students from government and aided colleges, especially those from low-income families, relocating outside the state for unpaid internships is often financially unrealistic.
Dr Lakshmi says this could also accelerate migration among students. “Earlier, students mostly moved out after graduation. Now, the internship requirement itself may push them to leave the state much earlier,” she says.
Even Kerala’s existing support mechanisms reflect the shortage. Internshipkerala.org, a portal designed to connect colleges, students and industries, has only a small number of registered firms.
But the bigger concern, experts warn, is what happens when mandatory internships are demanded without enough real opportunities.
“When internships become compulsory without enough credible openings, it creates space for proxy institutions and fake internship certificates,” says Prof Amruth G Kumar of Central University of Kerala. “Several such firms have already emerged in the state,” he adds.
He warns that a system designed to promote experiential learning could instead turn into one driven by token placements, fabricated paperwork and inequality.
Prof Amruth says the burden of securing internships cannot rest entirely on students. “Institutions themselves must sign MoUs with credible organisations, create internship networks and actively support students in accessing opportunities,” he says.