Lok Sabha Question No. 3775 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-16
Subject: Effectiveness of NAPS in Promoting Apprenticeships
Ministry: SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Asked by: Shri Ramasahayam Raghuram Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3775

ANSWERED ON 16.03.2026

## EFFECTIVENESS OF NAPS IN PROMOTING APPRENTICESHIPS

3775.  SHRI RAMASAHAYAM RAGHURAM REDDY:

Will the Minister of SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) has met its targets for apprenticeship placements during the last year and the current year;
- (b) if so, the number of apprentices placed and the sectors in which have been employed;
- (c) the impact of NAPS on improving employment opportunities for youth; and
- (d) whether any challenges faced in implementing NAPS and if so, the details thereof along with the measures taken by the Government to address these challenges?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

(SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)

- (a) to (c): The National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme  (NAPS)  aims to promote apprenticeship training across the country. Launched in August 2016, the scheme is currently being implemented under its second phase, namely NAPS-2, since FY 2022-23. Under NAPS2,  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, which  is  disbursed  directly  to  the  bank  accounts  of  apprentices  through  the  Direct  Benefit Transfer  (DBT)  mechanism. The  scheme  is  governed  by  the Apprentices Act,  1961,  and  the rules  made  thereunder.  The  number  of  apprentices  engaged  by  establishments  under  the scheme during the last year and the current year is as under:

## Table

| Financial Year   | Apprentices engagement target under NAPS-2 (in lakhs)   | Apprentices Engaged (in lakhs)   |
|------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
| (1)              | (2)                                                     | (3)                              |
| 2024-25          | 12                                                      | 9.85                             |
| 2025-26*         | 13                                                      | 9.24                             |

Apprenticeship training under NAPS is being offered across a wide range of sectors including Automotive,  IT-ITeS,  Electronics,  Retail,  Electrical  (including  new  and  renewable  energy), Production  &  Manufacturing, Tourism  and  Hospitality,  Rubber,  Telecom  and  Logistics,  among others.  There is no placement target under the scheme. As per the Third-Party Evaluation of NAPS-2.0  conducted  by  Arun  Jaitley  National  Institute  of  Financial  Management  (AJNIFM), around  72%  of  apprentices  surveyed  reported  receiving  offers  of  full-time  employment  after completion of apprenticeship training. This suggests that apprenticeship training facilitates the transition  from  training  to  employment.  The  evaluation  further  indicates  that,  depending  on workforce requirements and business conditions, apprenticeships are increasingly being utilised by industry as a pipeline for future workforce requirements across establishments and sectors.

(d) The  Government  has  undertaken  several  policy and  administrative  measures  to strengthen the apprenticeship ecosystem to facilitate more participation of establishments and youth under the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS). The 38th meeting of the Central Apprenticeship  Council  (CAC)  approved  measures  including  36%  increase  in  stipend with Consumer Price Index (CPI)-linked revisions, bringing Apprenticeship Embedded Degree/Diploma Programmes (AEDP) under the ambit of Act, promotion of online and blended learning,  enabling  apprentices  to  train  at  client  locations  in  India  and  abroad,  inclusive provisions for persons with benchmark disabilities, expansion of apprenticeship opportunities to emerging sectors under NIC-2008, and recommendation for additional regional apprenticeship boards. Under the Jan Vishwas 2.0 Bill, currently under examination by a Select Committee of Parliament,  the  Apprentices Act  is  proposed  to  be  aligned  towards  ease  of  doing  business, compliance-oriented  framework,  with  enforcement  envisaged  primarily  through  civil  penalties and structured processes, consistent with the stated policy direction of decriminalisation while retaining  statutory  accountability.  Under  NAPS,  to  promote  apprenticeship  engagement  in North-Eastern  Region  (NER),  a  focused  pilot  initiative  was  launched  on  20.05.2025,  that facilitates  an  additional  incentive  upto  ₹1,500  per  month  to  NER  candidates  undergoing Apprenticeship in any other state other than their domiciled State. This is over and above the government  share  of  stipend  upto  ₹1,500  under  NAPS. Further,  the  Ministry  has  introduced Certificate of Proficiency (CoP) for Optional Trade apprentices, which enables establishments to issue certification to apprentices upon successful completion of training through the Apprenticeship  Portal.  This  initiative  is  expected  to  significantly  improve  the  assessment  and certification rate amongst Optional Trade apprentices.

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