• Aim: To give students basic AI knowledge and practical skills, improve employability and prepare them for industry apprenticeships, bridging the gap between classroom learning and workplace requirements.
• Non-AEDP students: The same course has already been introduced as a Skill Enhancement Course (SEC) in the second semester.
• AEDP expansion: From 30 higher educational institutions offering two subjects in 2025-26 to 81 institutions covering 11 subjects in 2026-27.
• Structure: Two years of academic study plus one year of apprenticeship training, during which students receive a stipend.

• Apprenticeship Embedded Degree Programme: Integrates on-the-job apprenticeship into degree courses, following the National Education Policy 2020, which stresses vocational integration, multidisciplinary learning and skill development.
• Apprentices Act, 1961: Regulates apprenticeship training in India. The National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS) and the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) support apprenticeships and stipends.
• Skill Enhancement Courses (SEC): Part of the Choice Based Credit System and the NEP’s flexible credit structure, aimed at employability.
• Higher education in Odisha: Higher education is run by the Higher Education Department, with the Director of Higher Education overseeing colleges. Education is a Concurrent List subject.
• AI in education: The IndiaAI Mission (2024) supports AI compute, skilling and research, and Odisha has been promoting AI-led governance and skilling.

The Apprenticeship Embedded Degree Programme, NEP 2020, the Apprentices Act, 1961 (NATS and NAPS), Skill Enhancement Courses and the IndiaAI Mission are recurring themes for OPSC Prelims (Indian Polity, Odisha Current Events) and OPSC Mains GS Paper II (Education, Skilling and Governance).

For structured notes on Odisha-specific current affairs, aspirants preparing in Bhubaneswar can join the OPSC Foundation Batch at Strive Edge IAS — recognized as one of the best OPSC OAS coaching institutes in Bhubaneswar.