Apprenticeship Reforms and the Central Apprenticeship Council’s Recommendations

Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Apprenticeship Reforms and the Central Apprenticeship Council’s Recommendations Posted On: 28 JUL 2025 5:15PM by PIB Delhi National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) aims to promote apprenticeship training throughout the country. Initially launched in August 2016, the scheme is currently being continued under its second phase, NAPS-2. Under NAPS-2, the Government shares partial stipend support, limited to 25% of the minimum prescribed stipend payable to apprentices, subject to a maximum of ₹1,500 per apprentice per month during the training period. The stipend support is disbursed directly to the apprentices’ bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism. th The number of apprentices currently undergoing apprenticeship training under NAPS-2 as on 30 June 2025 is 8,52,376 of which 1,95,680 are women apprentices across pan India level. The State/UT-wise including Uttar Pradesh number of apprentices currently undergoing training is at Annexure-I. Under NAPS-2, to encourage greater participation from establishments in apprenticeship training, the Ministry has simplified processes through multiple Office Memorandums (OMs), upgraded the apprenticeship portal, and revised NAPS guidelines. Larger establishments can now provide basic training in-house, and centralized establishments may register under a single RDSDE. The Ministry is actively engaging CPSUs with dedicated meetings held to explore expansion under NAPS-2. Monitoring mechanisms have been strengthened through a three-tier system involving central, regional, and state-level advisors to boost industry participation, ensure compliance, and drive apprenticeship engagement. Regular zonal review meetings with states are being held, and underperforming TPAs are being monitored and removed. Over 36,000 establishments have participated in 5,339 Prime Minister National Apprenticeship Melas (PMNAMs) since June 2022. Financial support is now provided to states to organize Apprenticeship Melas, enhancing outreach efforts. Letters and outreach have been directed to top corporate houses, MSME clusters, and state officials to promote industry involvement. Meetings with industry players, Sector Skill Councils, and CPSUs have been conducted to improve collaboration. Application Programme Interface (API) integration with state and central portals is underway to streamline processes and data sharing. A digital awareness campaign was launched in partnership with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Policy changes, like increased stipends and the introduction of Certificate of Proficiency, further aim to make apprenticeship more attractive for establishments and as well as apprentices. Further, Pilot initiative for special intervention for promotion of apprenticeship in North Eastern Region (NER) focuses towards increased establishment participation as well as apprentices of NER. The National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS2)—launched in 2016 and revamped under Skill India—offers apprentices structured, paid on-the-job training across traditional and emerging sectors, with financial incentives for the benefit of the trainees directly through stipend support. Apprenticeships empower youth in tech-driven fields like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), green energy, and healthcare—by providing industry-aligned, hands-on experience that boosts employment or entrepreneurial success. The scheme promotes inclusive growth through participation from marginalized communities andfemale enrolment, and extends to underserved regions including the Northeast via special pilot initiatives that provides an additional amount of Rs 1,500/- over and above the Government share of stipend. Industry collaboration through Optional Trades ensures curriculum relevance, while enhancing global competitiveness. Recent reforms include a proposed 36% stipend hike (from 5,000–9,000 to 6,800–12,300) tied to Consumer Price Index attract talent and supports apprentices from getting dropped in between the th training programme. Major reforms as decision of 38 Central Apprenticeship Council (CAC) include linking degree programs with apprenticeships, blended training modes, reserved slots for persons with benchmark disabilities, and expanding training into emerging sectors such as Information Technology (IT), biotech, renewable energy, and telecommunications by updating industrial classifications to National Industrial Classification (NIC) 2008 sets the tone of Apprenticeship Training towards 2047 by bridging India's skill gap, enhancing employability and fueling industrial growth. ANNEXURE - I The State-wise number of apprentices currently undergoing training is given below: Apprentices currently undergoing S. State training No Women Men Total 1. Andaman And Nicobar Islands 89 133 222 2. Andhra Pradesh 3,798 16,935 20,733 3. Arunachal Pradesh 35 34 69 4. Assam 2,086 3,663 5,749 5. Bihar 533 2,743 3,276 6. Chandigarh 411 689 1,100 7. Chhattisgarh 921 4,313 5,234 8. Delhi 4,867 14,093 18,960 9. Goa 3,979 6,868 10,847 10. Gujarat 17,253 62,772 80,025 11. Haryana 12,004 46,082 58,086 12. Himachal Pradesh 1,643 6,244 7,887 13. Jammu And Kashmir 276 953 1,229 14. Jharkhand 1,304 8,554 9,858 15. Karnataka 16,791 60,026 76,817 16. Kerala 3,824 7,753 11,577 17. Ladakh 33 10 43 18. Lakshadweep 6 2 8 19. Madhya Pradesh 5,860 15,640 21,500 20. Maharashtra 50,125 1,81,823 2,31,948 21. Manipur 73 44 117 22. Meghalaya 75 114 18923. Mizoram 57 100 157 24. Nagaland 7 11 18 25. Odisha 1,669 8,579 10,248 26. Puducherry 1,171 2,893 4,064 27. Punjab 3,399 9,638 13,037 28. Rajasthan 3,732 17,267 20,999 29. Sikkim 160 267 427 30. Tamil Nadu 27,675 75,350 1,03,025 31. Telangana 7,496 20,828 28,324 The Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman 32. 694 2,333 3,027 and Diu 33. Tripura 51 219 270 34. Uttar Pradesh 13,776 50,277 64,053 35. Uttarakhand 4,470 15,274 19,744 36. West Bengal 5,337 14,172 19,509 Total 1,95,680 6,56,696 8,52,376 This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Shri Jayant Chaudhary in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today. ****** VV/SH (Release ID: 2149336)