Salient Features of Naps-2

The National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) was launched in 2016 and continued as NAPS‑2 from FY 2022‑23. Under NAPS‑2, the Government provides a partial stipend to apprentices under the Apprentices Act, 1961, transferred directly to beneficiaries via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). A total of 5,298,397 apprentices and 57,945 establishments (38,936 MSMEs) have been engaged from FY 2018‑19 to FY 2026‑27. A third‑party evaluation by AJNIFM reported that about 72 % of apprentices secured full‑time jobs after training. The scheme is supported by industry‑led training, a dedicated online portal, third‑party aggregators, and regular Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Melas (PMNAMs) – 7,370 events held nationwide since June 2022.