Complete Guide to Apprenticeships in India 2026

An apprenticeship in India is not an internship and not a regular job. It is a government-backed, structured training programme where a company takes on a trainee for a fixed period, teaches them a specific skill or trade, and pays them a monthly stipend while they learn on the job. The trainee, called an apprentice, is not a full employee but is also not a volunteer. They have rights, a contract, and a recognised certificate at the end.

Apprenticeships are governed by the Apprentices Act of 1961, which has been updated several times to make the system more flexible. The act sets out the framework for stipends, working hours, training duration, and certification. Companies that hire apprentices get to shape their workforce from the ground up, and the government helps share the cost of the stipend, which makes apprentices attractive to hire.

The duration of an apprenticeship varies. For traditional trades covered under ITI, it can run six months to three years. For graduates under NATS, it is typically one year. The important thing is that at the end, you walk away with a government-recognised completion certificate, real work experience, and often a shot at a permanent role in the same company.

Two main government schemes drive apprenticeship hiring in India: NAPS and NATS. NAPS is the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme, launched in 2016, and it is the broader of the two. It covers apprentices across all industries and educational backgrounds, from ITI pass-outs to graduates and school leavers. Under NAPS, the central government reimburses part of the apprentice's stipend to the employer, which reduces the cost of hiring.

NATS is the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme, and it is older and more narrowly focused. It specifically targets graduates from engineering, technology, and related disciplines, as well as diploma holders. NATS apprentices are placed in a formal year-long training programme, and the government directly pays a portion of the stipend. It is administered by four regional Boards of Apprenticeship and Practical Training, popularly known as BOAT.

In practice, a BCA or BE graduate looking for a software apprenticeship at a company like TCS or Wipro is most likely going to be under NAPS. An engineering graduate being trained at Indian Oil or BHEL as a graduate apprentice is under NATS. Both schemes have their own portals for registration and both are legitimate pathways. You simply apply through whichever portal the company you are targeting uses.

Apprentice stipends in India vary based on the type of apprenticeship, your qualifications, and the company hiring you. As a rough guide, ITI graduates typically earn between 8,000 and 12,000 rupees per month. Diploma holders earn between 10,000 and 15,000 rupees. Graduate apprentices under NATS earn between 12,000 and 25,000 rupees, with premium companies like Reliance, Maruti, and Tata Motors often paying on the higher end.

These numbers are not high compared to regular entry-level jobs in tech or finance, but they are meaningful for a few reasons. First, the stipend is entirely tax-free and you are not expected to pay for your training. Second, apprenticeships are often with companies and in sectors where direct entry is hard. A stipend of 15,000 rupees per month at a PSU like Bharat Petroleum or at a major private manufacturer is a solid foot in the door that can lead to a full-time role paying much more.

The government reimburses a portion of this stipend to employers under NAPS and NATS, which is partly why companies are incentivised to take on apprentices in the first place. The amount varies, but typically the central government covers up to 25 percent of the stipend, capped at a fixed monthly amount. This indirect subsidy is what keeps the system financially viable for employers.

The eligibility for apprenticeships is surprisingly broad. If you have completed Class 10, Class 12, an ITI, a diploma, or any graduate degree, there is almost certainly an apprenticeship category that fits you. The specific requirements depend on the trade or role, but most programmes accept applicants between the ages of 18 and 28. Some technical trades have stricter age limits, while graduate schemes are more flexible.

To apply, you first need to register on the relevant portal. For NAPS, that is apprenticeshipindia.gov.in. For NATS, it is mhrdnats.gov.in. The registration process asks for your academic details, preferred trade, location preferences, and contact information. Once you are registered, you can search for open apprenticeship positions posted by companies in your area or nationally.

A key insight is that many companies also accept direct applications, without waiting for students to apply through the portal. Large private sector employers like Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, Hindustan Unilever, Infosys, TCS, L&T, and Reliance regularly hire hundreds of apprentices each year. Their careers websites usually have a dedicated section for apprenticeship hiring. Public sector undertakings like ONGC, Indian Oil, BHEL, GAIL, and SAIL run structured apprenticeship programmes and are often the most competitive to get into.

This is the question most students care about, and the answer is nuanced. An apprenticeship does not guarantee you a permanent job at the same company, and by law, the company is not obligated to hire you at the end. However, in practice, conversion rates are meaningful. At some large manufacturing companies, around 30 to 50 percent of apprentices who perform well are offered full-time roles. At PSUs, the conversion rate is often lower because of reserved recruitment processes, but the experience still counts heavily in future applications.

Even when the apprentice is not hired by the same company, the experience on their resume significantly improves their chances elsewhere. Having spent a year working at a recognised company, understanding real processes, and being able to speak about specific projects makes a graduate far more employable than one with only a degree. For roles in manufacturing, engineering operations, and hands-on technical work, an apprenticeship often opens more doors than another year of college.

The key is to treat the apprenticeship as a real first job, not as a placeholder. Show up consistently, learn from the people around you, ask to be given more responsibility, and build real relationships with your supervisors. Many apprentices who convert to full-time roles do so because they made themselves indispensable during their training period, not because of formal metrics.