Centre recommends 30% hike in stipend under national apprenticeship promotion scheme

In the 38th Central Apprenticeship Council (CAC) meeting chaired by Jayant Chaudhary the minister of state (independent charge), ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship (MSDE), recommended a 30% increase in stipend for youths under the national apprenticeship promotion scheme (NAPS) and the national apprenticeship training scheme (NATS). As per the official PIB statement, the recommendation would revise the stipend range from Rs 5,000 - Rs 9,000 to Rs 6,800 - Rs 12,300.

The decision aims to reduce the dropout rates and attract more candidates across the various sectors. The CAC meeting was held today at the Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, to discuss the apprenticeship landscape and critical reforms.

The stipend revision was a key focus during the CAC meeting, which was proposed to be automatically adjusted based on the consumer price index (CPI), aligning with the salary increment in the July cycle under the MSDE and later reported to the committee under Rule 11 of the Apprenticeship Rules, 1992. The proposal will be sent for approval to the Cabinet.

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Promotion of apprenticeship education programmes

According to the official PIB statement, a significant plan was to promote apprenticeship-embedded education programmes, including the introduction of ‘degree apprenticeship’, ‘institution’, ‘University Grants Commission (UGC)’, and ‘contractual staff’, to align the educational curriculum with on-the-job training needs. It also proposed that employers deliver basic and practical training through virtual or blended modes to ensure learning flexibility without giving up the quality or a centrally approved curriculum.

“The Council also emphasized inclusivity by proposing the insertion of a definition for 'Person with Benchmark Disability' in line with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act. It recommended that trades or subject fields specify their suitability for persons with benchmark disabilities and reserve training places accordingly, promoting equitable access and participation in apprenticeship training,” the official PIB statement said.

The members shared a range of operational and policy-level issues to improve the effectiveness of the programme. The meeting also proposed replacing the existing list of industries (1987 code) with one aligned to the NIC Code 2008 and expanding the scope of apprenticeship training to include rising sectors like IT, software services, telecommunications, biotechnology, and others.

“The minister also unveiled a report by KPMG, titled “Data Analysis Report: National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (Feb 2018-April 2025)”, which presents a comprehensive, data-driven review of apprenticeship trends under NAPS,” the official PIB statement added.

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Previous meeting in June 2021

The previous CAC meeting was held in June 2021, and since then, India has made significant improvements in the apprenticeship ecosystem. By offering a combination of classroom learning and hands-on experience, the apprenticeships have become reliable alternatives to degrees.

As per the official PIB statement, under the PM-NAPS, over 43 lakh apprentices have been engaged for participation from more than 51,000 establishments, across 36 states and union territories (UTs) as of May 19, 2025.

“Notably, female participation has reached 20%, with focused efforts underway to boost this further. Simultaneously, the NATS scheme, aimed at graduates and diploma holders, has also grown steadily, enrolling over 5.23 lakh apprentices in FY 2024-25 alone,” the official PIB statement adds.

The council had representatives from the central ministries, state governments, industries, academia, and technical experts. Additionally, chairpersons of BHEL, Indian Oil, Tata Group, Maruti Suzuki, Reliance Industries, NSDC, UGC, including others attended the meeting.