The National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS) is administered by the Board of Apprenticeship Training (BOAT) under the Ministry of Education. It focuses on providing apprenticeship training to Graduate and Technician Apprentices, meaning degree and diploma holders looking to gain practical industry experience.
NATS operates through four regional BOAT offices located in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, and Kanpur. These offices facilitate the matching of apprentices with establishments, monitor training quality, and issue completion certificates. The scheme mandates that every establishment with a certain number of employees must engage apprentices, making thousands of positions available across India.
Registration for NATS is done through portal.mhrdnats.gov.in. Students in their final year or recent graduates can register with their educational institution's enrollment number. The portal allows searching for apprenticeship positions by location, industry, and trade. Once an establishment selects an apprentice, a formal contract is registered with BOAT.
The stipend for NATS apprentices is prescribed by the government and is periodically revised. Following the 36 percent revision agreed at the 38th Central Apprenticeship Council meeting in May 2025, Graduate Apprentices receive a minimum of ₹12,300 per month and diploma-holding Technician Apprentices receive ₹10,900. Vocational certificate holders receive ₹9,600. Many companies offer stipends well above the minimum. After completing the one-year training, apprentices receive a Certificate of Proficiency from BOAT, which is valued by employers across sectors.