India, Aug. 18 -- The Government of India issued the following news release: 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 rs 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.

To further strengthen apprenticeship training, recent reforms include a proposed 36% stipend hike (from rs 5,000-9,000 to rs 6,800-12,300) tied to Consumer Price Index attract talent and supports apprentices from getting dropped in between the training programme. Major reforms as decision of 38th 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 by bridging India's skill gap, enhancing employability and fuelling industrial growth.

In the current financial year (2025-26), a physical target of 13 lakh apprentices has been set under the scheme (NAPS-2), out of which 3.99 lakh apprentices have been engaged up to July 2025, with the balance proposed to be achieved in the remaining months of the year.

Under NAPS-2, apprenticeship training is being offered across 49 sectors nationwide, with major sectors including Automotive, IT-ITeS, Electronics, Retail, and Production & Manufacturing, among others.

The rest of the document can be viewed at https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2157511

Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.