Bhubaneswar: Students pursuing apprenticeship embedded degree programmes (AEDPs) in the state would be allowed to opt for additional subjects through multidisciplinary courses (MDC) and skill enhancement courses (SEC) for this academic session, aiding fulfilling subject requirements for higher studies and competitive examinations.The higher education department on Wednesday directed universities and autonomous colleges to facilitate this, ensuring that students enrolled in these employment-oriented degree programmes do not face restrictions while pursuing higher education or appearing for examinations requiring specific subjects.Director of higher education Kaliprasanna Mohapatra said degrees awarded under AEDPs would be treated as equivalent to corresponding conventional undergraduate degrees for higher education purposes. The move is in line with the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines for higher education institutions offering apprenticeship embedded degree programmes (AEDPs).AEDPs were initially launched in the state last year in commerce and home science and were extended to economics, history, English, zoology, mathematics, library science, chemistry, geology and botany for the 2026-27 academic year. The programmes seek to enhance the employability of students pursuing undergraduate courses such as BA, BCom and BSc by integrating apprenticeship-based learning with degree education.Under the latest directive, universities and autonomous colleges have been asked to provide students opportunities to study relevant subjects through MDC and SEC courses.According to the department, commerce students may opt for an MDC paper from the AEDP syllabus or a paper from another discipline. Economics students may choose minor papers in English, Odia, Hindi, history, geography or political science, among others.Science students have also been provided discipline-specific options. Botany students may take chemistry, while zoology students may choose subjects such as vector-borne diseases and epidemiology, bio-resource technologies and bioproducts, molecular diagnostics and marine biotechnology.Similarly, mathematics students may opt for discrete mathematics, analytical thinking and logical reasoning or optimisation techniques, apart from minor papers in physics. Chemistry students may choose nuclear and radiation chemistry, nanoscience and nanotechnology or mathematics, with SEC options including corrosion and prevention and biochemistry.The indicative list also includes subject options for students of geology, history, English, home science and library science.Mohapatra said the provision would give AEDP students greater flexibility and ensure that opting for an apprenticeship-embedded programme does not limit their academic progression or eligibility for competitive exams.As per the UGC framework referred to in the directive, AEDP degrees would be treated on a par with corresponding conventional undergraduate degrees, enabling graduates to pursue higher studies, including masters and PhD programmes.
