THE STATUTORY BACKBONE

NAPS & NATS — the apprenticeship law behind every degree

Every AEDP and WILP program on this portal is anchored to one of two Government of India apprenticeship schemes, both operating under the Apprentices Act, 1961. This is what makes the "work track" a formal, contract-based apprenticeship — with a registered agreement, a monthly stipend, and a government-recognised completion certificate — rather than an informal internship.

MSDE · apprenticeshipindia.gov.in

NAPS — National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme

Notified on 19 August 2016 by the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and now running in its second phase (NAPS-2), NAPS promotes apprenticeship training across designated and optional trades. The Government reimburses part of the prescribed stipend to employers who engage registered apprentices. Edutech 4.0 registers learners as NAPS apprentices with employer partners on the Apprenticeship India portal.

Government share: 25% of the prescribed stipend, up to ₹1,500 per apprentice per month, paid directly to the apprentice by DBT.
Who it covers: ITI pass-outs, Class 8/10/12 pass candidates, diploma holders and graduates; minimum age 14 (18 for hazardous trades).
Certificate: National Apprenticeship Certificate (NAC) for designated trades; Certificate of Proficiency (CoP) for optional trades.

MIN. OF EDUCATION · nats.education.gov.in

NATS — National Apprenticeship Training Scheme

Launched in 1973 under the Ministry of Education and delivered through the regional Boards of Apprenticeship Training (BOAT/BOPT), NATS provides one year of structured on-the-job training to graduate and diploma-level apprentices. It is used for our degree-adjacent and technical tracks, managed on the NATS 2.0 portal.

Government share: 50% of the prescribed stipend, up to ₹4,500 per apprentice per month.
Who it covers: graduate engineers, diploma holders, 10+2 vocational pass-outs and general-stream graduates (B.A., B.Sc., B.Com.).
Certificate: Certificate of Proficiency (CoP), valid as recognised work experience at employment exchanges across India.

NAPS vs NATS

Same Act, two ministries, two audiences

Both schemes run under the Apprentices Act, 1961 — the difference is who they serve and which ministry administers them. Edutech 4.0 places each learner on whichever scheme matches their qualification and trade.

Dimension	NAPS	NATS
Administering ministry	Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE)	Education (Dept. of Higher Education)
Official portal	apprenticeshipindia.gov.in	nats.education.gov.in
Primary audience	ITI / 10+2 / skill-certificate holders & freshers	Graduate & diploma (technical / general) holders
Government stipend share	25% of stipend, max ₹1,500 / month	50% of stipend, max ₹4,500 / month
Typical duration	Trade-dependent	One year (12 months)
Completion certificate	NAC / Certificate of Proficiency	Certificate of Proficiency (CoP)

Scheme parameters follow Government of India norms and are periodically revised — most recently the 36% stipend revision approved at the 38th Central Apprenticeship Council meeting (May 2025). Figures are confirmed at admission.

WHAT AN APPRENTICE ACTUALLY GETS

From registration to certificate

Portal Registration

The learner is registered on the relevant Government portal — apprenticeshipindia.gov.in for NAPS or nats.education.gov.in for NATS — using Aadhaar/unique ID and an Aadhaar-seeded bank account for stipend transfer.

Apprenticeship Contract

A contract of apprenticeship between the learner and employer is executed digitally on the portal and registered with the Apprenticeship Adviser / BOAT.

Trade & Role Assignment

The apprentice is placed in a designated or optional trade matched to their AEDP/WILP academic track with Glocal University.

Monthly Stipend via DBT

A monthly stipend is paid per scheme norms, with the Government’s share disbursed directly to the apprentice’s bank account through Direct Benefit Transfer.

Completion Certificate

On successful completion the apprentice receives the scheme certificate (NAC / Certificate of Proficiency) — alongside their Glocal University degree.

FAQ

Common questions on the apprenticeship framework

Is the apprenticeship a job? Is the stipend a salary?

An apprentice engaged under the Apprentices Act, 1961 is a trainee, not a regular employee, and the stipend is training support rather than a salary. Apprentices under these schemes are generally outside the EPF and ESI Acts for the apprenticeship period. Exact stipend slabs are set by Government norms for the trade and qualification, and confirmed at admission.

How much stipend will I receive, and who pays it?

The employer pays the full prescribed stipend; the Government then reimburses its share — 25% (up to ₹1,500/month) under NAPS, or 50% (up to ₹4,500/month) under NATS — with that share routed directly to your bank account by DBT. Prescribed minimum slabs vary by qualification and were revised upward by 36% in 2025.

Which scheme will I be registered under — NAPS or NATS?

As a rule of thumb, ITI and 10+2 / skill-certificate entrants are registered under NAPS (MSDE), while graduate and diploma holders are registered under NATS (Ministry of Education). Because AEDP embeds the degree from entry, most AEDP learners begin on NAPS; NATS typically applies where a diploma or degree qualification already exists. Your counsellor confirms the applicable scheme for your trade.

Can international students be registered under NAPS/NATS?

NAPS/NATS registration follows Government of India eligibility norms, which are framed for Indian nationals. Our counselling team assesses each international applicant individually and, where statutory apprenticeship registration isn’t applicable, structures an equivalent supervised work-integrated placement within the WILP/AEDP academic frame with Glocal University.

Does apprenticeship time count toward my Glocal University degree credits?

Yes — apprenticeship blocks are mapped to specific credit components within the AEDP/WILP structure, subject to employer sign-off and academic evaluation each term. Recent apprenticeship reforms explicitly link degree programs with apprenticeships.