NAPS-2 — Up to ₹1,500/Month Stipend Support for Apprentices — Frequently Asked Questions

The Government of India covers 25% of the stipend an establishment pays its apprentice, up to a ceiling of ₹1,500 per month for each apprentice. This is a subsidy, so it takes no equity and does not have to be repaid.

The apprentice does. The government's share is sent directly to the apprentice's bank account through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) using the PFMS platform, rather than being routed through the employer.

The minimum age is 14 years, and 18 years for designated trades in hazardous industries, as specified under Section 3(a) of the Apprentices Act, 1961. To be eligible for the government's partial stipend support, an apprentice must be 35 years or younger at the time of registration.

No. Applications are rolling and the scheme stays open, so there is no fixed last date to register on the apprenticeship portal.

The eligibility rules for NAPS-2 do not list DPIIT recognition or MSME registration as a condition. What matters is the apprentice's age, Aadhaar linkage, completion of e-KYC and mobile OTP authentication. MSMEs are actively encouraged to participate, but the scheme is open to all types of establishments.

Small and medium businesses top the list — Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) — along with establishments operating in underserved areas such as aspirational districts and the North-East Region. Otherwise, the scheme is broadly open to every type of establishment in India.

A mobile number and email ID are used to create the portal account. Candidates then need to enter their Aadhaar number, complete e-KYC and clear mobile OTP based authentication. An establishment can only issue an apprenticeship contract once the candidate has updated their Aadhaar number and finished e-KYC.

Go to the official Apprenticeship Portal at https://www.apprenticeshipindia.gov.in/ and click Login/Register. Choose your role — Candidate, Establishment or Third Party Aggregator — and sign up with your mobile number and email ID. Candidates then complete Aadhaar-based e-KYC and OTP verification, after which establishments can issue contracts to eligible candidates. The scheme guidelines are available at https://naps-cdn.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/NAPS+2.0_Guidelines_25-08-2023.pdf.

Both. Designated Trades (DT) are notified by the Central Government and cover areas such as engineering and vocational courses. Optional Trades (OT) are set by the employer based on its own needs. The duration of apprenticeship varies by trade.

Yes. It is a Central Sector Scheme functioning as a sub-component of the Skill India Programme. It is 100% funded by the Central Government, with MSDE handling its regulation, management and monitoring, and it continues the work of the original NAPS that began on 19 August 2016.

No. NAPS-2 — Up to ₹1,500/Month Stipend Support for Apprentices is subsidy and is non-dilutive — the provider does not take an equity stake in your startup.

NAPS-2 — Up to ₹1,500/Month Stipend Support for Apprentices is offered by Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, a government body. It is provided as non-dilutive funding.