National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme: One of the biggest problems our country has been facing is the growing unemployment along with the growing graduates every year. Unfortunately, mere college education is not giving them the skills required to enter the job market. And there have been many programmes that the government of the day initiated to train the youth to make them ready for the industry. “National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme” is one of such initiatives. Though this has been launched in 2016, not many are aware of this scheme. Thus we have come up with this blog post to shed some more light on this initiative.
What is National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme?
As a replacement to the “Apprentice Protsahan Yojna (APY)”, the government of India has launched the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) on 19th August 2016 to encourage the apprenticeship training and incentivize employers who are willing to engage apprentices.
The major difference between Apprentice Protsahan Yojna (APY) and National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) is APY facilitated for sharing of 50% of the stipend as prescribed by the Government only for the first 2 years, NAPS has the provision for sharing of expenditure incurred in both providing training and stipend to the apprentice as below:
- Sharing of 25% of stipend subject to a maximum of 1500/- per month per apprentice to all apprentices with the employers.
- In respect of fresher apprentices, sharing of the cost of basic training who come directly for apprenticeship training without formal training up to Rs. 7500/- per apprentice for a maximum duration of 500 hours/3 months
Objectives:
- The main objective of this scheme is to boost the apprenticeship training
- To incentivize employers who wish to engage apprentices
- And to increase the engagement of apprenticeship from 2.3 Lakhs to 50 Lakhs cumulatively by 2020
Implementing agencies:
- For State Public Sector Undertakings and Private Sectors establishments, State Apprenticeship Advisers are the implementing agencies in their respective States.
- For Central Public Sector Undertakings and those private establishments operating in 4 or more States, Regional Directorates of Apprenticeship Training (RDATs) are the implementing agencies
Eligibility criteria for apprentices under NAPS:
- Any individual, who has completed 14 years of age, is physically fit and having minimum educational qualification prescribed for a trade can undergo apprenticeship training.
- Apprentice must possess an Aadhar card
- To enroll as a fresher apprentice, one should not be more than 21 years of age.
How one can register as an apprentice?
A user-friendly online portal www.apprenticeship.gov.in has been launched by the government to facilitate the easy processing of entire apprenticeship cycle and to effectively administrate and monitor the scheme. The portal provides an end to end service for the employer from registration and mentioning vacancy to submitting claims, and for the apprentice from registration to receiving and accepting offer letters online.
A candidate who is eligible for the training can apply here
How to proceed further?
- A candidate who is eligible for the training should register in the government portal indicating
Sectors/trades of his choice
- Search for potential employers
- Send applications to potential employers for apprenticeship training,
- offer letters from establishments can be received and accepted online
- Lastly, should process all necessary contractual obligations online
Eligibility criteria for employers to employ apprentice of NAPS:
- Employers must be registered with EPFO/ESIC/LIN
- Employers must have TAN/TIN number.
- Employers must have an Aadhar linked bank account
How many apprentices can be engaged by an industry/establishment?
Employer shall engage apprentices in a band of 2.5% to 10% of the total manpower strength of his establishment including contractual staff, i.e. an establishment with total strength of 100 can engage a maximum of 10 apprentices and a minimum of 3 apprentices.
How an employer can engage apprentices under this scheme?
- http://www.apprenticeship.gov.in can be accesses for on-line registration
- Select the option (NAPS or Non-NAPS) to declare their intention of registering for NAPS. And should update the apprenticeship seats/vacancies in his establishment
- Can search & shortlist candidates specific to sector, trades, region etc
- Issue offer letters to shortlisted candidates for engaging as apprentices
- Execute the contract of apprenticeship with apprentice
- Finally, submit the contract of apprenticeship on-line for approval by respective Regional Directorate of Apprenticeship Training/State Apprenticeship Adviser.
Certification:
At the end of apprenticeship training, the apprentice can appear at an All India Trade Test conducted by the National Council for Vocational Training in designated trades or optional trades under NAPS. Successful apprentice will be awarded National Apprenticeship Certificate, which is qualification for employment.
Recommended