National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS)

✦Key Features

• 25% stipend reimbursement to employers (max ₹1,500/month/apprentice)
• Basic training cost reimbursement: up to ₹7,500 per apprentice
• 9.7 lakh+ apprentices engaged annually; 3x growth in 3 years
• Legal basis: Apprentices Act 1961; covers all industries
• Digital portal: apprenticeshipindia.gov.in for employer registration and candidate matching
• Replaced Apprentice Protsahan Yojana (APY); NAPS 2.0 under consideration
• Links with PMKVY for skilled workforce; National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS) for graduates

✓Eligibility Criteria

• Establishments with more than 30 employees are mandatory participants, while those with 4-29 employees can join voluntarily.
• Apprentices must be at least 14 years of age, or 18 years for hazardous occupations.
• The apprentice must possess the minimum educational or technical qualifications required for the specific trade.
• Basic Training Providers (BTPs) and third-party aggregators acting as facilitating agencies.

★Benefits

• The government reimburses 25% of the prescribed stipend, up to a maximum of Rs 1,500 per month per apprentice.
• The cost of basic training for apprentices without formal trade training is shared by the government up to Rs 7,500.
• Establishments can build a skilled workforce tailored to their specific industrial requirements.
• Apprentices gain industry-recognized certification and practical hands-on experience.

▶Application Process

• The employer or establishment registers on the dedicated apprenticeship portal.
• The establishment creates an apprenticeship opportunity and identifies candidates for training.
• An apprenticeship contract is signed online between the establishment and the apprentice.
• The contract is uploaded and registered on the portal for government approval and subsidy tracking.

₹ Budget Allocation

554

Funding Ratio (Centre:State): 100% Central Sector Scheme (25% stipend reimbursement up to ₹1,500 per month).

Historical Context

Launched on August 19, 2016, to overhaul the traditional apprenticeship model under the Apprentices Act, 1961, which was previously perceived as overly punitive for employers.