BACKGROUND
Development of human resource is crucial for the industrial development of any nation. Up-gradation of skills is an important component of Human Resource Development. Training imparted in institutions alone is not sufficient for acquisition of skills and needs to be supplemented by training at the workplace. The Apprentices Act, 1961 was enacted with the prime objective to utilize fully the facilities available in industry for imparting practical training with a view to meeting the requirements of skilled manpower for industry. Initially, the Act covered the apprenticeship training for the trade Apprentices and subsequently amended in 1973, 1986 and 2014 to bring the Graduates, Technician, Technician (Vocational) and Optional Trade Apprentices respectively under its purview.
OBJECTIVES
Apprentices Act, 1961 was enacted with the following objectives :--
• To regulate the programme of training of apprentices in the industry so as to conform to the prescribed syllabi, period of training etc.as laid down by the Central Apprenticeship Council; and
• To utilise the facilities available in industry for imparting practical training with a view to meeting the requirements of skilled manpower for industry. 

MONITORING OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACT

• State Apprenticeship Adviser/Director (Training) is responsible for implementation of the Act in respect of Trade Apprentices in State Government Undertakings/ Departments and Private Establishments.
FIELDS OF APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING
Apprenticeship training can be provided to apprentices both in designated and optional trades.
1. Designated trade
Designated trade means any trade or occupation as notified by the Government.
2. Optional trade
Optional trade means any trade or occupation decided by an employer.
Categories of apprentices
There are five categories of apprentices:
1. Trade apprentices
2. Graduate apprentices
3. Technician apprentices
4. Technician (Vocational) apprentices
5. Optional trade apprentices
Coverage
• It is obligatory on the part of employers having manpower strength 40 or more and having requisite training infrastructure as laid down in the Act, to engage apprentices.
• Employer shall engage of apprentices in a band of 2.5% to 10% of total manpower strength of the establishments including contractual staff.
• The total engagements of apprentices in the band with of 2.5% to 10% include all categories of apprentices engaged by establishment.
• The establishments /Employers can decide the categories of apprentices and trade(s) in which the apprentices to be engaged depending upon the facility available with them for imparting on-the- job training/ practical training at his workplace.
STIPEND
• The minimum rate of stipend payable to apprentices per month shall be as per the qualifications stipulated in the curriculum. The minimum rate of stipend payable to apprentices per month shall be follows, namely: -
Sr Category Prescribed minimum amount of stipend
1 School pass-outs (class 5th - class 9th) Rs. 5000 per month
2 School pass-outs (class 10th) Rs. 6000 per month
3 School pass-outs (class 12th) Rs. 7000 per month
4 National or State Certificate holder Rs. 7000 per month
5 Technician (vocational) apprentice or Vocational Certificate holder or Sandwich Course (Students from Diploma Institutions) Rs. 7000 per month
6 Technician apprentices or diploma holder in any stream or sandwich course (students from degree institutions) Rs. 8000 per month
7 Graduate apprentices or degree apprentices or degree in any stream Rs. 9000 per month


TRAINING OF TRADE APPRENTICES
• Minimum age is 14 years.
• Qualifications vary from Class VIII pass to XII class pass (10+2) system.
• Period of training varies from one year & two months to 2 years
• Training comprises Basic Training and Practical Training (On the Job Training) followed by Related Instructions as per prescribed syllabus for each trade.
• 261 trades in 39 trade groups have been designated.
• Numbers of seats for apprentices are calculated in the band of 2.5% to 15% of the total strength of the workers.
• Every apprentice and employer has to enter into a contract of apprenticeship training, which is registered by the Apprenticeship Advisers.
• Employers and apprentices have to fulfill their obligations under the Act.
TESTING AND CERTIFICATION OF TRADE APPRENTICES
• All India Trade Tests (AITT) for trade apprentices are conducted by National Council of Vocational Training (NCVT) twice a year ( October/ November and April/May).
• National Apprenticeship Certificates (NAC) are awarded to those who pass the AITT.
• NAC is recognized for employment under Govt./Semi-Government departments/ organizations.

Designated Trade-

 Designated Trades are those which have been notified by the Govt as a “Designated Trade.” These are mostly engineering based and appropriate for the manufacturing sector. Courses under Designated Trades are designed by the Central Staff Training and Research Institute (CSTARI), approved by the Central Apprenticeship Council & notified by the Government as a Designated Trade. At present there are 261 such notified courses. Details are available on the apprenticeship portal https://apprenticeshipindia.org.

Optional Trade-

 Optional trade means any trade or occupation, or any subject field of engineering, nonengineering, technology or vocational training found relevant by an employer as per their requirements, other than the Designated Trades notified under the Act. Optional trades have been introduced under the Apprentices Act, 1961 to allow employers to create their own courses/trades for providing apprenticeship training. Before the introduction of optional trade, all courses/trades in which an establishment could engage apprentices under the Act were out of the list of “Designated Trades”. Such courses are usually technical/engineering based in nature more relevant to the manufacturing industry. The concept of “Optional Trade” was introduced to give more flexibility to establishment to create courses as per their requirements in the manufacturing, services, trade or any other sector.  This has also opened up opportunities to nonengineering Graduates in fields such as B.A, B.Com., B.Sc., (including those pursuing such courses) and 10+2 pass outs from social sciences/commerce or those who have completed NSQF aligned short terms courses  to enroll under apprenticeship training programs and become industry ready.

For more details, visit : http://apprenticeship.gov.in/pages/Apprenticeship/home.aspx

Contact us 

Office-Directorate of Training & Employment,