- Why in news
- On 11 March 2026, the Skill Development Ministry told the Rajya Sabha that apprentices under NAPS rose to 9.85 lakh in 2024-25, with a third-party evaluation reporting 72% got job offers.
- What it is
- NAPS is a Central scheme of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. It encourages employers to engage apprentices by sharing part of the stipend cost. It works under the Apprentices Act, 1961, which makes apprenticeship a regulated training route.
- Launch and phase
- NAPS began in August 2016. Its second phase, NAPS-2, has run since FY 2022-23.
- Stipend support
- The Government pays 25% of the minimum prescribed stipend, capped at ₹1,500 per apprentice per month.
- Mode of payment
- Support goes straight to apprentices' bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer.
- Legal basis
- The scheme is governed by the Apprentices Act, 1961, and its rules.
- Evaluation
- The third-party evaluation by AJNIFM found about 72% of surveyed apprentices got full-time job offers.
Don’t confuse with NAPS vs NATS: NAPS shares stipend costs for apprentices in industry. NATS is the separate National Apprenticeship Training Scheme for graduate, technician and diploma apprentices, under the Education Ministry.
Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.
Why it matters
- Stipend sharing lowers employer cost and widens on-the-job training.
- Rising women's participation supports gender inclusion in skilling.
Problems
- Many small firms remain unaware of or reluctant to take apprentices.
- Stipend support covers only a small share, so uptake depends on employer interest.
Way forward
- Simplify the apprenticeship portal and raise awareness among MSMEs.
- Link apprenticeships to sector demand to improve conversion into jobs.
Put in your answer
Job conversion: About 72% of surveyed apprentices received full-time job offers.
- 2021Mains GS2 · Q7Comment on strengthening the 'earn while you learn' scheme for vocational training
- 2016Mains GS2 · Q16Government measures to make population more skilled, employable and productive
- 2023Mains GS2 · Q18Analyse linkages between education, skill development and employment
- 2018Prelims Q78Statements on PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana: ministry, soft skills training, NSQF alignment
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
True or false?
1 of 3
Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.
1.Under NAPS-2, the Government bears 25% of the minimum prescribed stipend, subject to a ceiling of ₹1,500 per apprentice per month.
True. Support is 25% of the minimum stipend, capped at ₹1,500 a month.
2.The scheme is governed by the Apprentices Act, 1961.
True. NAPS operates under the Apprentices Act, 1961, and its rules.
3.NAPS was launched in 2016 and its second phase has been in operation since FY 2022-23.
True. Launched August 2016; NAPS-2 since FY 2022-23.
Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.
Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.