The Guidelines For National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme-2 (Naps-2)

The Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship released the guidelines on August 25, 2023 for the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme-2 (NAPS-2). The primary aim of NAPS-2 is to boost apprenticeship training across the nation by offering partial stipend assistance to apprentices registered under the Apprentice Act, 1961. The scheme also focuses on enhancing the infrastructure of the apprenticeship ecosystem and offering guidance to involved parties. The ultimate objective is to cultivate a skilled labour force for the nation by emphasizing hands-on, practical training. A special emphasis of the scheme is to boost apprentice registrations in smaller establishments, notably the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), and in less-developed regions such as aspirational districts.

The Government of India shall provide partial stipend support limited to 25% of the stipend paid, up to a maximum of INR 1,500/- per month, per apprentice which will be directly credited to the bank account of the apprentice. To qualify for a partial stipend under NAPS-2, apprentices must be between 14 and 35 years old. The program aims to register 46 lakh apprentices within 4 years. The guidelines for NAPS-2 specify that Central and State Government Departments, as well as Central and State Public Sector Enterprises, including Public Sector Banks, won’t receive any stipend support under this scheme.

The registration, creation of courses, posting of opportunities, grievance redressal and all other activities in relation to the lifecycle of the apprenticeship shall take place through the official online apprenticeship portal. The scheme will have three-tier monitoring at central, state/UT and regional levels. The sunset date of NAPS-2 will be 31^st March 2026.