Shimla: 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
